Leviticus 15 SEXUAL PURITY The intention God has to preserve and promote the human race is that one man and one woman marry for life and do not have any other sexual partners. In that way there are no sexually transmitted diseases that infect a society. The public exposure of sexual practices and the use of sexual suggestions to sell products has created a mind-set among people today that glamorizes sex. The casual attitude toward sex has produced an acceptance of immorality and promiscuity. Among the children of Israel, the results of such activity had a spiritual dimension to it as well as physical. A man who had contracted gonorrhea, syphilis or other sexually transmitted diseases was unclean and had to take steps to stop that disease.
To overlook what God has condemned and accept as normal, such immoral activity because it is socially acceptable and even legal, does not change it from being wrong. Strangely people will often condemn what God has cleansed and call it "common or unclean." On the other hand, people will accept and practice what God condemns. For the well-being of society people have biblical guidelines to follow. Unfortunately, those have been ignored, rejected and mocked. The principle of "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap," still holds true in every area of human life. The diseased man had to deal with the disease and face the consequences by the prescribed way of cleansing.
Sexual activity in marriage is not condemned nor is it to be considered dirty. It is God's plan that there will be enjoyment in marriage and the human race be continued by procreation. The covenant of marriage was established and maintained by the intimacy of sexual activity. It was for their own benefit that they bathe following sexual activity in the bounds of their marriage. The health of God's people is important to Him and certain actions are prescribed that preserves health. There is a certain dignity that is to be maintained in personhood, in marriage and in one's own body. By avoiding unhealthy activities and practicing those things that promote physical health, our spiritual health and dignity are also secured.
Both men and women are to understand there are safe practices to follow to maintain our marriage relationship physically, morally and spiritually. Washing with water is a very practical way to stop the spread of any physical uncleanness. The spiritual act of the children of Israel when there was uncleanness had to be faced. Both the sin offering and burnt offering had to be made. In other words, God was involved in the situation and atonement for sin had to be made. Nothing we do is unknown to God, and what we may consider to be our private business, has an effect on others around us. God's instructions were to preserve men and women from dangers they may not have known about or could not see.
The public exposure of sex today had taken the purity and safety away from the practice of sexual activity and made it into a form of self-gratification. God's mind was that the "gift" of sex be used in good health and dignity that expresses our affection for our spouse, our commitment to moral purity and in that way we also preserve our spiritual dignity. There is no shame or guilt that accompanies sexual activity when engaged in as God intends. The intimacy of such a relationship in our private lives, preserves our personal relationship with God.