Spiritual defilement, as illustrated in the healing of the leper, reveals the profound distinction between human impurity and divine purity. Just as the leper was physically repulsive and undesirable, so too are we spiritually unappealing in terms of holiness. God does not call us to salvation based on our merits or outward qualities, but purely by His mercy and grace, deciding on whom to show compassion according to His will. In touching the leper, Jesus demonstrated that He could not be defiled, unlike under the Old Covenant where contact with the unclean would taint a person. Instead, true defilement arises from evil thoughts and actions such as murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies. Jesus, being sinless, remained untainted, and His act of touching the leper symbolizes God placing the sins of the world upon Him, so that we might be cleansed and forgiven, becoming the righteousness of God through Him.

In the journey of sanctification, the process of spiritual cleansing from defilement is paramount. God Almighty's plan involves firstly cleansing, washing away, and removing dross and imperfections from our carnal state. This initial stage mirrors the crushing and pounding of raw ore into powder, followed by frequent washings to leave behind unwanted, non-metallic elements. As part of this evil culture, our hearts and minds require scouring from the grimy filth accumulated within our absorptive nervous systems. The washing and cleansing must continue on a daily basis throughout our conversion, as we come before Almighty God on our knees, confessing our sins. He is faithful and just, true to His own nature and promises, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness and everything not in conformity with His will and purpose. The imagery of washing as a metaphor for sanctification is vivid in the plea of David, who, after committing grave sins, begged God to wash him thoroughly from his wickedness and guilt, to cleanse him from his sin, and to purify him with hyssop so he would be whiter than snow. This reflects the promise that though sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, and though red like crimson, they shall be like wool. David's crushed, repentant attitude sought the total removal of the filthy dross and ugly stain of sin from his character. Sanctification also involves God as the editor-in-chief and Jesus Christ as the copy editor of our life manuscripts, excising the imperfections and errors of our raw life-scripts. Just as audio-restoration software removes hiss, noise, and hum from recordings, and filters mute offensive language, the filter of God's Holy Spirit edits without destroying the good along with the bad. This divine editing process transforms our halting, disjointed prayers into something valuable, continually shaping us from temporariness into an eternal end-product.

In the pursuit of spiritual purity, vigilance against defilement is essential. Defilement is easily communicable, often occurring unintentionally through contact with impurity, as illustrated in Haggai 2:11-14, where uncleanness spreads readily while holiness does not transfer in the same way. The heart's deceitful nature, as described in Jeremiah 17:9 and Romans 8:7, constantly pulls toward sin, fostering enmity against God and His law, and making spiritual defilement a persistent threat. Human nature, with its inherent law of sin, seeks to draw individuals back into filth, requiring constant effort to guard and maintain the heart, as advised in Proverbs 4:23. The Bible emphasizes the need for ongoing spiritual cleansing to combat defilement. Scriptures such as Isaiah 1:16 and Jeremiah 4:14 call for washing the heart from wickedness and putting away evil thoughts to achieve salvation. Jesus Himself condemns the failure to address inner impurity, noting in Matthew 23:25-28 that external cleanliness is meaningless if the heart remains unchanged and prone to habitual sin, leading to renewed defilement both inside and out. After the initial cleansing through God's grace and faith in Christ's sacrifice, the process of purification continues, intertwined with sanctification and the daily battle against human nature's defiling tendencies. Defilement's ease and the necessity of daily renewal are evident in the call to transform the mind and put off the corrupt old self, as urged in Romans 12:2 and Ephesians 4:22-24. The inward man must be renewed day by day, as stated in II Corinthians 4:16, to resist the flesh's lusts against the Spirit, which Galatians 5:17 describes as contrary forces within. Each person bears a significant role in maintaining purity, striving through faith and cooperation with God to overcome the ocean of unclean thoughts, desires, and pride that still lingers within, casting filth into life and actions. The pure in heart, who diligently seek to remain free from sin's defilement, are promised the blessing of spiritual discernment and closeness to God. Sin separates from Him, hiding His face, as noted in Isaiah 59:2, but drawing near to God allows Him to draw near in return, as encouraged in James 4:8. This ongoing effort to cleanse oneself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, as admonished in II Corinthians 7:1, underscores the constant discipline required to avoid spiritual defilement and to live in alignment with His will.