⁵ Such cleanness and separateness are also required of spiritual Israel. The apostle Peter wrote to the ones chosen to be spiritual Israelites: “As obedient children, quit being fashioned according to the desires you formerly had in your ignorance, but, in accord with the Holy One who called you, do you also become holy yourselves in all your conduct, because it is written: ‘You must be holy, because I am holy.’”​—1 Peter 1:1, 14-16.

10, 11. (a) What similar instructions were given to spiritual Israelites in the first century C.E.? (b) How have these instructions been followed particularly since 1919 and 1935, and in what other way do the anointed and their companions keep spiritually clean?

¹⁰ Similarly, spiritual Israelites and their companions must keep themselves undefiled by the idolatrous religions of this world. Writing to anointed Christians in the Corinth congregation, the apostle Paul stated: “What agreement does God’s temple have with idols? For we are a temple of a living God; just as God said: ‘I shall reside among them and walk among them, and I shall be their God, and they will be my people.’ ‘“Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves,” says Jehovah, “and quit touching the unclean thing”’; ‘“and I will take you in.”’”​—2 Corinthians 6:16, 17.

¹¹ Since 1919 the cleansed and refined members of the anointed remnant have been freed from the unclean, idolatrous religions of Babylon the Great. (Malachi 3:1-3) They have heeded the heavenly call: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.” (Revelation 18:4)

The anointed ones and their companions also keep spiritually clean by avoiding all contact with the pernicious ideas of apostates.​—John 10:16; 2 John 9-11.

13. To whom are the members of Christ’s “bride” likened, and why?

¹³ Similarly, the great High Priest, Jesus Christ, has a “bride” made up of 144,000 anointed Christians, who are likened to “virgins.” (Revelation 14:1-5; 21:9) They keep themselves undefiled by Satan’s world and remain doctrinally and morally pure. The apostle Paul wrote to anointed Christians in Corinth: “I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, for I personally promised you in marriage to one husband that I might present you as a chaste virgin to the Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:2) Paul also wrote: “Christ also loved the congregation and delivered up himself for it, that he might sanctify it, cleansing it with the bath of water by means of the word, that he might present the congregation to himself in its splendor, not having a spot or a wrinkle or any of such things, but that it should be holy and without blemish.”​—Ephesians 5:25-27.

14, 15. (a) What must accompany the spiritual purity of the bride class, and what scripture shows this? (b) Why is it evident that similar requirements of moral purity apply also to the other sheep?

¹⁴ This spiritual purity of Christ’s bride must be accompanied by moral cleanness on the part of its members. The apostle Paul stated: “Do not be misled. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers . . . will inherit God’s kingdom. And yet that is what some of you were. But you have been washed clean, but you have been sanctified.”​—1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

¹⁵ That such requirements of moral purity apply also to the other sheep becomes apparent when considering those whom Jehovah will exclude from his promised new heaven and new earth. We read: “But as for . . . those who are disgusting in their filth and murderers and fornicators . . . , their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This means the second death.”​—Revelation 21:1, 8.

Honorable Marriage

16, 17. (a) What scriptures show that singleness is not a requirement for moral cleanness? (b) How can a Christian show proper fear of God in the choice of a marriage mate, and why would it be unwise to ignore the apostolic restriction?

¹⁶ To remain morally clean, anointed members of the bride class and the other sheep are not required to remain single. Compulsory celibacy is unscriptural. (1 Timothy 4:1-3)