The term "tainted" refers to something that is morally or spiritually contaminated, impure, or corrupted. In the context of the Bible, the concept of being tainted is often associated with sin, impurity, and the defilement of what is holy or righteous. The Bible frequently addresses the issue of taint and its consequences, emphasizing the need for purity and holiness among God's people.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, the idea of being tainted is closely linked to the laws of purity and impurity, particularly in the books of Leviticus and Numbers. These laws were given to the Israelites to maintain holiness and to distinguish them from other nations. For example, Leviticus 11 outlines dietary laws, declaring certain animals as unclean and therefore tainted: "You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you" (Leviticus 11:8).

The concept of taint also extends to moral and spiritual corruption. In the prophetic literature, the prophets often rebuke Israel for being tainted by idolatry and injustice. Isaiah, for instance, laments the moral decay of the nation: "Your silver has become dross, your fine wine is diluted with water" (Isaiah 1:22), using the imagery of tainted metals and wine to describe Israel's spiritual state.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the focus shifts from ceremonial purity to the purity of the heart and mind. Jesus Christ emphasizes the importance of inner purity over external rituals. In Mark 7:15, He teaches, "Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, but what comes out of a man, that is what defiles him" . Here, Jesus highlights that true taint comes from within, from the sinful thoughts and actions that originate in the heart.

The Apostle Paul also addresses the issue of taint in his epistles, urging believers to live lives that are untainted by sin. In 1 Corinthians 5:6-7, he warns, "Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are" . Paul uses the metaphor of leaven, which spreads and taints the whole batch, to illustrate how sin can corrupt the entire community if not addressed.

Spiritual Implications

The Bible consistently calls believers to a life of holiness, free from the taint of sin. This call is rooted in the character of God, who is holy and pure. In 1 Peter 1:15-16, believers are exhorted, "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy'" . The pursuit of holiness involves a conscious effort to avoid moral and spiritual taint, relying on the grace of God and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.

Practical Application

For Christians, the concept of being tainted serves as a reminder to guard against influences that can corrupt their faith and witness. This involves discerning the media they consume, the company they keep, and the thoughts they entertain. The call to be untainted is not about legalistic adherence to rules but about cultivating a heart that seeks to honor God in all aspects of life.

In summary, the biblical understanding of "tainted" encompasses both ceremonial and moral impurity, with a strong emphasis on the need for inner purity and holiness. The Scriptures provide guidance and encouragement for believers to live lives that reflect the holiness of God, free from the taint of sin.(imp. & p. p.) of Taint.185. akeraios -- unmixed, pure
... 185 (an adjective, derived from 1 "not" and 2767 , "mingled") -- properly, not mixed
(mingled); a because not tainted by sinful motives (ambitions); pure ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/185.htm - 7k

169. akathartos -- unclean, impure
... an adjective, derived from 1 "not" and 2513 , "clean, purged") -- properly, (because ),
ie adulterated with "a wrong mix" and hence "" (because tainted by sin ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/169.htm - 7k

3392. miaino -- to stain, defile
... effects ("moral, spiritual stains"). The root ("tainted at the ") shows
everything ("reconstituted," ). [3392 () literally means ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3392.htm - 7k

How the Goths Became Tainted by the Arian Error.
... Book IV. Chapter XXXIII."How the Goths became tainted by the Arian error.
To those ignorant of the circumstances it may be worth ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/chapter xxxiii how the goths became.htm

No one Asks Counsel from a Man Tainted with vice...
... Book II. Chapter XII. No one asks counsel from a man tainted with vice?
No one asks counsel from a man tainted with vice, or from ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter xii no one asks.htm

The Lord's Furnace
... are 'disinfecting ovens,' where infected articles are taken, and exposed to a high
temperature which kills the germs of disease, so that tainted things come ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the lords furnace.htm

Peter's Denial and Repentance.
... In place of a courage which was sadly tainted with vanity and impulsiveness Peter
must acquire a courage based upon recognition of his own weakness and his ...
/.../xviii peters denial and repentance.htm

Christ's Touch
... had much significance, if we remember that, according to the Mosaic legislation,
the priest and the priest alone was to lay his hands on the tainted skin and ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/christs touch.htm

The Woman Taken in Adultery.
... Could she expect that these Pharisees, some of them at least good men, were all
involved somehow in her sin, tainted in heart with the pollution that had ...
/.../the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol i/xvii the woman taken in.htm

The Brazen Serpent.
... in what sense, and how, Christ represented sin on the cross, we recognise first
of all that it was not by His being in any way personally tainted by sin. ...
/.../the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol i/viii the brazen serpent.htm

The Third Exile, 356-362.
... the Nicenes. (a.) The original Arians, now gradually dying out, were all
tainted with compromise and political subserviency. Arius ...
/.../athanasius/select works and letters or athanasius/section 8 the third exile.htm

Introduction
... And it is remarkable to read pure, unaffected, and undying English, while Addison
and Johnson are tainted with a style which all the world imitated!'. ...
/.../kelly/the hymns of methodism in their literary relations/introduction.htm

But when we Say that There are Demons -- as Though...
... And (the man) being given over to death on account of his sin, the entire human
race, tainted in their descent from him, were made a channel for transmitting ...
/.../tertullian/the souls testimony/chapter iii but when we.htm

Tainted (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Taint. Multi-Version Concordance
Tainted (1 Occurrence). Luke 16:11 If therefore you have ...
/t/tainted.htm - 6k

Corrupt (59 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Changed from a sound to a putrid state; spoiled; tainted; vitiated; unsound. ...
9. (vi) To become putrid or tainted; to putrefy; to rot. 10. ...
/c/corrupt.htm - 25k

Taint (1 Occurrence)

/t/taint.htm - 7k

Take (11064 Occurrences)

/t/take.htm - 15k

Innocent (97 Occurrences)
... innocent medicine or remedy. 2. (a.) Morally free from guilt; guiltless;
not tainted with sin; pure; upright. 3. (a.) Free from ...
/i/innocent.htm - 37k

Impure (28 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Not pure; not clean; tainted; dirty; foul; filthy; containing something
which is unclean or unwholesome; mixed or impregnated extraneous substances ...
/i/impure.htm - 14k

Fraud (15 Occurrences)
... Luke 16:11 If therefore you have not proved yourselves faithful in dealing with
the wealth that is tainted with fraud, who will entrust to you the true good? ...
/f/fraud.htm - 11k

Fresh (41 Occurrences)
... 3. (superl) Lately produced, gathered, or prepared for market; not stale; not dried
or preserved; not wilted, faded, or tainted; in good condition; as, fresh ...
/f/fresh.htm - 21k

Entrust (9 Occurrences)
... Luke 16:11 If therefore you have not proved yourselves faithful in dealing with
the wealth that is tainted with fraud, who will entrust to you the true good? ...
/e/entrust.htm - 9k

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