Deuteronomy 23:9

Deuteronomy 23:9 says, When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.  Moses said that when the people of God went to war with the people around them that God expected them to refrain from any wicked thing, and He expects the same from us today as followers of Christ.  Verse ten adds, If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp:  Any soldier who was not clean spiritually was to remain outside the camp.   Even though this not being clean may have manifested itself from physical actions, it still concerned a spiritual state.  Verse eleven continues, But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.  One who was unclean was to wash himself and after the sun set, he could return to camp.  We today who are followers of Christ are washed clean forever by the shed blood of Christ, but if we commit sin again, we must confess it and be made clean once more.  Verse twelve states, Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad:  They were to have a place outside the camp when they were traveling for war to use the bathroom.  Verse thirteen adds, And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee:  They were to dig a hole to use as we use a commode and then were to cover the hole afterwards.  Matthew Henry said this was to distinguish them from animals and to promote cleanliness.  We still need to do our best to live clean lives physically as well as spiritually,  especially if not doing so could affect others.  Verse fourteen continues, For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.  Moses said that they were to do this because God walked in the midst of them and was going to deliver them from their enemies in battle, therefore they needed no unclean thing in their camp.  As Christians, God walks with us wherever we go, and we need to do our best to make sure that there is no unclean thing in our life.  Verse fifteen says, Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee:  Moses said that if a servant escaped from his master and came to them for sanctuary that they were not to return him to his master.  Matthew Henry says this applied to servants from other countries.  We today as Christians should do our best to give sanctuary to those who have escaped oppressive rulers in other countries.  Verse sixteen adds, He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him.  Moses then said that this escaped servant was to live within their cities in the city that he liked the best.  They were not to just put him where they chose.  We should do our best to make those who come to us today from these oppressive countries to feel at home, but we should also never compromise our relationship to God to do so.