Lesson 16: Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

 A Healthy Lifestyle for Your and Your Family

Lesson 16: Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

1. When Israel camped at Mount Sinai, what did God command the people to do before He spoke His law to them? Exodus 19:9-10

2. What other occasions called for people to wash their clothes? 

A. Numbers 8:6, 7, 21

B. Leviticus 11:23-28

C. Leviticus 15:2, 7, 11

D. Leviticus 15:19-22

Modern science has proven that disease organisms can be spread from person to person by skin contact or even through clothing. Clean washing habits is required of all those who are exposed to contagious diseases, even the common cold which includes all of us.

3. During the dangerous times when Nehemiah was rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, how did he and his workers remove their clothes? Nehemiah 4:23

Nehemiah and the men who worked with him had to work on the walls and at the same time be alert and armed to counter enemy attacks. Because of these conditions the men wore their clothes day and night. But they knew that they must also be clean, so they removed their clothing periodically to wash it.

4. Before they could enter the tabernacle, what were the priests to do? Exodus 40:31, 32

5. What things could cause a person to be declared unclean? 

A. Deuteronomy 23:10, 11

B. Genesis 35:2

C. Leviticus 16:30

D. Numbers 19:16

E. Daniel 1:8

F. Leviticus 13:14

The Bible describes both physical and spiritual uncleanness each of which can be caused by any of several different means.

6. How should our premises be kept? Luke 15:8; 2 Chronicles 29:16

Though the woman was looking for a lost coin, she didn’t ask her neighbors to borrow a broom to sweep the house with. She already owned one and swept the house regularly. The house of God was to be kept clean, and after many years of neglect, it was finally cleaned by the Levites who removed all the trash and carried it away from the site.

7. How were the Israelites to handle human body waste? Deuteronomy 23:12, 13

8. Why was the Lord so particular about cleanness in the camp of Israel? Deuteronomy 23:14

9. What other forms of cleanliness has God mandated? 

A. Leviticus 20:25

B. 2 Corinthians 7:1

C. James 4:8

D. Ezekiel 44:23

E. 1 John 3:3

F. Revelation 3:18

G. 2 Corinthians 6:17

10. What did Jesus do for His disciples? John 13:5

It was customary for a servant to be present to wash the dust and soil of travel from the feet of guests. But there was no servant present to do that duty and all the disciples were too proud to stoop to do a servant’s work. Jesus gave them a lesson in humility by washing their feet.

11. What did Jesus say was meant by His washing of the disciples feet? John 13:6-10

12. What command did Jesus give us concerning foot washing? John 13:14

13. How can a young man cleanse his way? Psalm 119:9

14. Who will be able to stand before the Lord? Psalm 24:3, 4

15. What constitutes pure religion? James 1:27

16. What besides our bodies, clothes, and surroundings needs to be kept pure? Matthew 5:8

“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned” 1 Timothy 1:5.

17. How can we keep our hearts pure? 1 Peter 1:22

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” Philippians 4:8

18. What must be washed away? Isaiah 1:16

19. Can we do it ourselves? Jeremiah 2:22

20. What is it what washes away our sins? Revelation 1:5

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” 1 John 1:7.

21. Who washes us clean? Malachi 3:3; Titus 2:14

22. What washing is worthless? Mark 7:2-7

The washing spoken of in these verses was ceremonial washing that was supposed to cleanse away any contamination such as might happen if a Jew touched a Gentile. Jesus said that such washing cleansed nothing.

23. How do men appear in their own eyes? Proverbs 16:2

“There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness” Proverbs 30:12.

24. How do we really appear? Isaiah 64:6

25. How does God see our unclean hearts? Matthew 23:25; Luke 11:39

26. Will any unclean or impure person be allowed in heaven? Ephesians 5:5; Revelation 21:27

27. What has God promised to do for us? Ezekiel 36:25

Next Lesson: None of These Diseases