In a gospel context, cleanliness most often refers to moral purity.
But in their teaching, the Lord's servants have focused on other aspects of cleanliness as well, often with reference to the scriptural characterization of the physical body as a temple. They have drawn a correlation between physical and moral purity.
"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" the apostle Paul wrote. "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are" (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
While such corruption results from violation of the law of chastity, there are other ways in which defilement can occur.
"In a world that wallows in filth, be clean — in language, in thought, in body, in dress," President Gordon B. Hinckley admonished priesthood holders at April 2007 general conference.
"To each of you I say, be clean in your language. There is so much of filthy, sleazy talk these days. Failure to express yourself in language that is clean marks you as one whose vocabulary is very limited."
President Hinckley observed, "A clean mind expresses itself in language that is positive and uplifting and in deeds that bring happiness to the heart."
He further admonished: "Be clean in body and dress and manner. Do not permit yourself to be tattooed. If you do, someday you will regret it. . . .
"Be clean and neat and orderly. Sloppy dress leads to sloppy manners. I am not so concerned about what you wear as I am that it be neat and clean. . . . Whenever you administer or pass the sacrament, look your very best. Be sure of your personal cleanliness."
A generation earlier, Elder John H. Vandenberg, then an Assistant to the Council of the Twelve, spoke in October 1975 general conference, also on the subject of cleanliness. He told of the mission he served in Holland and of the cleanliness there.
"Though their dwellings might have been modest, extreme care was taken to keep them clean," he said. "Frequently, on our morning tours, we would find the women polishing the brass on the doors, scrubbing the entrances to their homes, and in most instances extending the scrubbing to the sidewalks. One need not ask why, as it was obvious that the custom was prompted by the knowledge that if you walk a clean street, you will not collect dirt and impurities to carry into the home. Perhaps the same idea might as well be applied to the mind — a continuous scrubbing to wipe out the impurities that might enter into it so that the soul might not be contaminated."
Elder Vandenberg observed: "There is indeed an alliance between physical cleanliness and spiritual cleanliness; just as the clean body, clean home, and clean surroundings stay the spread of disease, so the clean mind, clean thoughts and acts stay the spread of evil."
