There is so much concern among some "christian" peoples about purity and holiness, particularly that of others around them that they like to judge.
Jesus here fulfilled the "abomination" law and prophets. It is not about what one eats or who one loves, what decisions one makes or what failings one might have that matters to Jesus. What matters to Jesus is what is in one's heart and what comes out of one's mouth. THAT Jesus considers clean or unclean. Dietary codes, sexuality and making decisions about one's own life do not make a person defiled, but rather if they have evil intent on trying to take what others have, killing others by whatever means or whatever reason, cheating on one's spouse and thus betraying them, using others for one's personal pleasure without affection, stealing by whatever means, and telling lies (or sharing "alternative facts") or accusing others of what you yourself are doing.
Jesus then highlighted this teaching by lifting up a Canaanite woman as an example of faithfulness. For His disciples' benefit, Jesus went along with their misogyny and xenophobia, but only to give them a lesson. Jesus healed her daughter and declared her a person of great faith (not his own). This person considered to be only a woman, and a gentile dog at that, was used as an example of clean and unclean and how Jesus models how we are to engage with others.
So, when you (or someone at your church) is spouting judgments against someone else for being "less than" or "beneath", not holy enough or "not one of us," especially "unclean," consider that Jesus' only concern is how we treat others, even or especially those who are different from ourselves.
A whole lotta folk who think they are the sheep, will find themselves on the goat side of the ledger when Jesus returns, depending upon how they treat "the least of these," that is, if you believe Jesus who is the judge who is to come.
What is coming out of your heart, mouth and actions with regard to others who are not like yourself is of critical importance regarding your faithfulness to Jesus, according to Jesus.
So, how impure, unholy or unclean are we? What are we saying and doing about others who are not like us? It really is that simple.
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