Is Holiness Contagious?
Many people work their way through the book of Leviticus like a new sailor staggering across the deck of his ship hoping his sea legs will kick in. Navigating through the complex laws of sacrificial procedures and ritual purifications can be a challenging endeavor. It is a venture into uncharted and difficult waters. But if we desire to truly understand the rest of the Scriptures, taking time to map out these difficult concepts is essential. For instance, take this example from the book of Haggai:
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask the priests about the law: “If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and touches with his fold bread or stew or wine or oil or any kind of food, does it become holy?” The priests answered and said, “No.” Then Haggai said, “If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?” The priests answered and said, “It does become unclean.” Then Haggai answered and said, “So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, declares the LORD, and so with every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean.” (Haggai 2:11–14)
This argument is completely lost on one who has not studied the laws of ritual purity. In this particular case, Haggai is asking a question about the ability of objects to transfer both ritual purity and impurity. He uses this argument of the laws of purity to say that the Israelites are unable to offer a sacrifice that is considered pure, because they, themselves, have been defiled through their unethical and immoral behavior.
Paul, however, uses the laws of ritual purity to make a spiritual point to the congregation at Corinth. He tells them that if they are married to an unbelieving spouse, their spiritual state of holiness is somehow transferred to the spouse:
