What is the meaning and importance of purification in the Bible?

Nor was it merely to be forgiven his sins that David desired; this he needed, no doubt, but he needed more; he needed to be inwardly cleansed from the defiling power of sin itself. "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin." The apostle says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." To be cleansed from unrighteousness is more than to be forgiven our sins; and David desired the latter, as well as the former. Both are made to depend on the confession of our sins.

The means of purification must be gathered from other scriptures. In the wilderness the priests had to wash their hands and feet at the laver every time they went in to accomplish their service (Exodus 30:17-21), and in the ashes of the red heifer provision was made for all kinds of defilement that might be contracted in their daily life and walk by the people. (Num. 19) Now, as already indicated, a provision of another and more efficacious sort has been made. "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." (1 John 2:1.) When therefore, through carelessness, or through the allowance of the flesh, we fall into sin, and become defiled, He in His love and mercy intercedes with the Father for us on the ground of what He is as the Righteous One, and of His perfect propitiation; and in answer to His advocacy the Spirit of God works, through the Word, in the conscience of the defiled believer, produces self-judgment and contrition, and leads to confession, whereon God is faithful and just to forgive the sin, and to cleanse from all unrighteousness. Thus the believer is "purified," restored to communion, and so divinely qualified to be sent forth in service to others. It cannot be too earnestly pressed, that in order to be used in any way we must ourselves be "purified" from defilements.

In the law there were many ceremonial defilements, each of which had its appointed purification. To these the scribes and Pharisees added others, such as washing the hands before eating, washing cups and plates — being very zealous in these things, while within they were full of extortion and excess. Mark 7:2-8. In Christianity the purification required extends to the heart, Acts 15:9; James 4:8; the soul, 1 Peter 1:22; and the conscience through the blood of Christ. Heb. 9:14.

Verses 13, 14. "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh," etc. Under the single word "purifying" there are here contained the two distinct ideas, first, of sacrificial atonement, And, secondly, of personal and practical sanctification. The sanctification of the Israelite through the offering on the day of atonement was but inceptive. It had to be followed up and virtually renewed by the application of the lustral water of purification, as often as any external defilement was contracted (Num. 19). Nothing is more expressive of the holy nature of Divine communion than the ordinance of special purification. Nothing, likewise, indicates more strikingly man's natural helplessness, and his impotency to maintain himself in an acceptable position before God, through the mere force of the circumstances in the midst of which he lives. Among the almost countless rites of the Levitical institute, these two only (the day of atonement and the lustration by the ashes of the heifer) are here mentioned, because it is by them that the complete process of sanctification was effected. There is thus a broad and clear distinction to be observed between the two parts of this sanctification which, as a whole, is described as a "purifying of the flesh." There is, first, that is, the original cleansing of the person of the worshipper by the acceptable offering on the day of atonement. By the annual remission of his iniquities he was annually restored to an acceptable standing before God. He is sanctified, secondly, in his way by the after provision of the water of purification. He needed this practical preservation and renewal of his way as one called of Jehovah to be holy.

When the priests of Israel entered the holy place for the service of the Lord, there was provision made for their cleansing in the laver; and before ever they were consecrated for the divine work to which God had called them they had to be washed with water, as also brought under the efficacy of the shed and sprinkled blood of the consecration offering. For entry into the holiest of all, whether to worship or commune with God, the Christian must be cleansed from all that is unsuitable to God's holy presence. Therefore the writer to the Hebrews says, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water" (Heb. 10:22).

This washing of water, then, is by the word, which cleanses morally and spiritually. It is important to remember this, and to keep it in our minds distinct from the blood, which cleanses judicially. Both blood and water were necessary for the Aaronic priests, if they were to enter the sanctuary without dying. In type, the blood witnessed that the judicial penalty of their sins had been borne: the water that worldly defilement had been removed.

The God of Israel was a holy God, who could not tolerate defilement on His people, but who, in goodness, provided the means for the cleansing of the unclean. From Leviticus 11 we learn that God's people could become unclean through contact with unclean animals, and their garments had to be washed before they could be regarded as clean in the sight of Jehovah. There were many sources of defilement, both from within and without, and the detailed instructions that God gave show his great concern in regard to purity and holiness. He could not dwell in the midst of those who were defiled; they had to understand that "holiness becometh Thy house O Lord for ever."

From these instructions it is not difficult for us to learn that, if God demanded purification from fleshly defilement in His earthly people, He will have true holiness in His heavenly people. We cannot approach God in communion or worship if we are defiled in our spirits or consciences. As Christians we have no more conscience of sins; by the blood of Jesus we have been sprinkled as to our hearts from an evil conscience, but in our practical life we are to perfect holiness in the fear of God, and before this can be done we must purify "Ourselves from every pollution of flesh and spirit" (2 Cor. 7:1).

After the priests were duly consecrated, they only washed their hands and feet at the laver; but this they did every, time that they engaged in service, or drew near to worship. What a lesson for thee, O my soul! Weigh it well. Dismiss it not in haste. Dwell on the great practical bearing of these words, "Every time they engaged in service, or drew near to worship." Regeneration is not enough of itself for the worship and service of God; nay, more, the full assurance of pardon outside the camp, and of acceptance inside the court, are not enough; there must be personal purity — the sanctification of the heart to God, or communion with Him will be interrupted. Holiness becometh God's people — God's service — God's worship — God's house for ever. No change of dispensation can alter this. "It shall be a statute for ever to them."

Approach to God requires a moral state in consonance with His holy presence, and this God has given to those who believe in Him through the Gospel. When Aaron and his sons were consecrated as priests for the service of God, they were first washed with water then sprinkled with oil mingled with blood. This is no doubt what is alluded to in Hebrews 10:22; the blood setting the conscience right before God, giving us “no more conscience of sins,” and the water in which the priests were washed pointing to the “pure water” of the word of God by which we are cleansed from the moral pollution of the flesh.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Here again is a broad, all‑embracing principle. If we” involves the same scope as does the expression in each one of these last five verses, that is, if anyone confesses his sins, there is in God perfect faithfulness, perfect justice in forgiving. As the light penetrates, it brings confession with it. Who can say whether repentance or faith is chronologically first? Are they not rather simultaneous? If one believes, it will be manifest in a spirit of confession: if one really repents, he will believe, for the evidence of faith is in his repentance. The confession here is real, of course, as being produced by the light, and cannot in any way be divorced from faith in the Son of God. If this is not specifically mentioned in the verse, yet it is clearly implied in God’s faithfulness and justice. Is God not faithful to His own Son, who has accomplished redemption for confessed sinners? And He is just in forgiving simply because the cross of Christ has satisfied every requirement of justice. Any sinner therefore may come to Him on the ground of this blessed verse, and find eternal forgiveness. On the other hand, a mere lip confession, such as King Saul’s (1 Samuel 15:30), which ignores the justice of God, is not even considered in this verse. Here rather is the reality that faces the facts of God’s faithfulness and righteousness, and frankly confesses. Compare the prodigal son (Luke 15:21,22). Forgiveness is the discharging of every offense against God, no holding it any longer against the offender. But there is cleansing from all unrighteousness also, in order that the soul may be in God’s presence in consistency with the purity of the light.