Israel hallow unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul

shall be cut off from My presence: I am the Lord' (Lev. 22:3).

The whole chapter should be read and the several items reinterpreted in the

light of spiritual realities.  One passage that puts the same truth in New

Testament terms is 2 Timothy 2:20,21:

'But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver,

but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to

dishonour.  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a

vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and

prepared unto every good work'.

Fellowship among saints is not based upon knowledge, or even upon agreement

as to interpretation of Scripture.  It is based upon the fact that all are

saved by grace, that all are in Christ, and that all are built upon the one

Foundation.  Some, however, would extend this to form a ground for fellowship

in ministry.  This is quite a different matter.  Such must 'purge themselves

from these'.  We are apt to limit the cause of uncleanness of the servants of

the Lord to contact with others, but there is at least one aspect where

uncleanness arises from the servant himself.  In the verse we quote, the word

'pure' is often translated 'clean', and it has that meaning here:

'Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood

of all men.  For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel

of God' (Acts 20:26,27).

It is evident by the presence of the word 'for' that any teacher who does

withhold truth from those under his charge is not clean in the sight of God.

The symbol of this phase of service is a watchman, as set forth in Ezekiel

33:1 -6, where it is enunciated that if a watchman give not warning and any

die by the sword, 'His blood will I require at the watchman's hand'.

The third symbol of service in this group is committal.  Let us note

how the apostle speaks of this to Timothy in his two epistles:

'The glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my

trust' (1 Tim. 1:11).

'O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust' (1 Tim. 6:20).

'I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep

that which was committed unto Him against that day ... That good thing

which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in

us' (2 Tim. 1:12 -14).

'The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same

commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also' (2

Tim. 2:2).

Something has been committed to our trust.  This we must guard as life

itself.  Nothing, however attractive, however apparently good or useful, can

ever warrant the slightest departure from faithful stewardship.  All true

service necessitates a call, demands cleanness, and is a glorious committal.