In biblical terms, "soiling" often refers to the act of defiling or corrupting something that is meant to be pure or holy. This concept is frequently addressed in both the Old and New Testaments, where physical cleanliness often symbolizes spiritual purity. The idea of soiling is not limited to physical dirt but extends to moral and spiritual corruption.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, the concept of soiling is often associated with ritual impurity. The Israelites were given specific laws to maintain cleanliness, both physically and spiritually. For example, in Leviticus, various laws are outlined to prevent the defilement of the people, the land, and the tabernacle. Leviticus 15:31 states, "You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling My dwelling place, which is among them."

The prophets also spoke against the spiritual soiling of the nation through idolatry and injustice. Isaiah 1:16-17 calls the people to repentance, saying, "Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil. Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow."

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the focus shifts more towards the internal state of the heart rather than external rituals. Jesus emphasized that true defilement comes from within. In Mark 7:20-23 , Jesus teaches, "What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him. For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man."

The Apostle Paul also addresses the issue of spiritual soiling in his letters. In 2 Corinthians 7:1 , he urges believers, "Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

Symbolism and Application

The concept of soiling in the Bible often serves as a metaphor for sin and its corrupting influence. The imagery of washing and cleansing is used to illustrate the need for repentance and the transformative power of God's grace. In Revelation 7:14 , the redeemed are described as having "washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb," symbolizing the purification from sin through Christ's sacrifice.

Believers are called to live lives that are unsoiled by the world, maintaining purity in thought, word, and deed. James 1:27 encapsulates this call to purity: "Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

In summary, the biblical concept of soiling encompasses both physical and spiritual dimensions, urging believers to pursue holiness and avoid the corrupting influences of sin.(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Soil.2513. katharos -- clean (adjective)
... purged), hence "clean" (pure) because (without); (figuratively) spiritually because
(purified by God), ie free from the contaminating (soiling) influences of . ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2513.htm - 7k

4509. rhupos -- filth
... 4509 (a masculine noun) -- properly, "grease-filth," soiling all it touches;
(figuratively) uncleanness that results from doing what is morally unfit, ie what ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4509.htm - 6k

5708. ed -- filthy
... filthy From an unused root meaning to set a period (compare adah, uwd); the menstrual
flux (as periodical); by implication (in plural) soiling -- filthy. ...
/hebrew/5708.htm - 6k

Knowing, My Beloved Marcianus, Your Desire to Walk in Godliness...
... For godliness is obscured and dulled by the soiling and the staining of the flesh,
and is broken and polluted and no more entire, if falsehood enter into the ...
/.../the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/chapter 1 knowing my beloved.htm

Multum Dilexit
... Still wiped the feet she was so blest to touch; And He wiped off the soiling
of despair. From her sweet soul, because she loved so much. ...
/.../palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/ccci multum dilexit.htm

But If, for the Contest's Sake, God had Appointed Martyrdoms for ...
... the world; that faith, even after baptism, would be endangered; that the most, after
attaining unto salvation, would be lost again, through soiling the wedding ...
/.../tertullian/scorpiace antidote for the scorpions sting/chapter vi but if for.htm

Jesus' Conditions of Friendship.
... "She sat and wept, and with her untressed hair Still wiped the feet she was so blest
to touch; And he wiped off the soiling of despair From her sweet soul ...
/.../miller/personal friendships of jesus/chapter iv jesus conditions of.htm

A Cleansed Way
... there is nothing in all these temptations, the fascinations of which you are beginning
to find out, there is nothing in them all worth soiling your fingers for ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/a cleansed way.htm

Perpetual Covenants
... 'Didst thou help him?' 'No.' 'Why not?' 'I was coming before Thee,' said St. Cassianus,
'and I was afraid of soiling my white robes'. Just then St. ...
/.../howard/standards of life and service/xii perpetual covenants.htm

Whom to Obey, --Annas or Angel?
... naming Jesus. 'This name' and 'this man' is the nearest that the proud
priest will come to soiling his lips by mentioning Him. He ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/whom to obeyannas or angel.htm

Letter i. To Innocent.
... The officer who is responsible for the execution of criminals bursts from among
his men, and. Staining his hoary hair with soiling dust, [10]. exclaims: "What! ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter i to innocent.htm

Jesus' Feet Anointed in the House of a Pharisee.
... should be afforded an opportunity to wash the dust from his feet, not only for
comfort's sake, but also that he might not be humiliated by soiling the carpets ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xlvi jesus feet anointed in.htm

Sixth Tractate. Beauty.
... What must we think but that all this shame is something that has gathered about
the Soul, some foreign bane outraging it, soiling it, so that, encumbered with ...
//christianbookshelf.org/plotinus/the six enneads/sixth tractate beauty.htm

Soiling (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Soil. Multi-Version Concordance
Soiling (1 Occurrence). James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire. ...
/s/soiling.htm - 6k

Guard (185 Occurrences)
... conductor. 9. (vt) Any fixture or attachment designed to protect or secure
against injury, soiling, or defacement, theft or loss. 10. ...
/g/guard.htm - 55k

Spotting (1 Occurrence)
... That world of iniquity, the tongue, is placed within us spotting and soiling our
whole nature, and setting the whole round of our lives on fire, being itself ...
/s/spotting.htm - 6k

Soiled (1 Occurrence)

/s/soiled.htm - 6k

Setting (82 Occurrences)
... That world of iniquity, the tongue, is placed within us spotting and soiling our
whole nature, and setting the whole round of our lives on fire, being itself ...
/s/setting.htm - 32k

Sojourn (51 Occurrences)

/s/sojourn.htm - 24k

Placed (297 Occurrences)
... That world of iniquity, the tongue, is placed within us spotting and soiling our
whole nature, and setting the whole round of our lives on fire, being itself ...
/p/placed.htm - 34k

Itself (203 Occurrences)
... That world of iniquity, the tongue, is placed within us spotting and soiling our
whole nature, and setting the whole round of our lives on fire, being itself ...
/i/itself.htm - 36k

Within (400 Occurrences)
... That world of iniquity, the tongue, is placed within us spotting and soiling our
whole nature, and setting the whole round of our lives on fire, being itself ...
/w/within.htm - 36k

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