In Leviticus chapter eleven verse forty-four, the instruction concerning clean and unclean, proper and improper food is given apparently for health reasons, but also the standards to help Israel remain a people separated from the ungodly society about them. These dietary instructions are not for New Testament believers since Christ fulfilled their significance and purpose. However, the principles embodied in those instructions are still valid today.
Christians today must distinguish themselves from their surrounding society by eating, drinking, and dressing to glorify God with their bodies and by rejecting all unholy social customs of unbelievers. They must be “holy in all manner of conversation,” as stated in First Peter chapter one, verse fifteen, and behavior. The detailed emphasis on liturgical cleaning highlighted the necessity of moral separation of God’s people in thought and deed from the surrounding society.
In the Old Testament, God’s emphasis is for the Israelites to be clean in every aspect of their lives. Therefore, what we do, where we go, who we spend time with, how we eat and drink, and what we say. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ calls for all followers or believers to be holy in the same areas, especially in our talking among family, friends, and society in general. The importance of watching our conversation begins the moment we start our day. The reason is our mouths can be full of sweet talking gestures and yet be full of deadly poison.
God desires us to be clean and holy because the enemy can use our own words that come out of our mouths against us. Talking negatively or saying things that did not happen can spiritually work against us. For example, a general statement from one person to another, “Be careful before you fall and hurt yourself,” instead of saying, “Please be careful.” The devil cannot go to God and say, “you heard what she just said? I have a right to hinder them.” The enemy attempts to go to God, accusing us night and day to stop us from receiving our blessing from Him. Therefore, we must speak positively and help others to do the same. Let not the world influence us, but we impact them.