Explanation

A. KING JOSIAH'S RELIGIOUS REFORMS IN ISRAEL (2 KINGS 23:4-25

i. After the discovery of the book of the law in the temple, King Josiah initiated some religious reforms.

ii. Josiah ordered Hilkiah, the priest to bring out all the vessels made for Baal and Asherah and all other gods. 

iii. He burnt them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron and took the ashes to Bethel.

iv. He deposed the idolatrous priests whom the king of Judah had ordained to burn incense in high places to honour Baal and other gods.

v. He broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes which had taken over the house of the Lord.

vi. He went all over the city and defiled and chased out the high priests from the temple where they burned incense to the gods.

vii. He defiled Topheth to prevent people from sacrificing their sons and daughters as burnt offering to Moloch.

viii. He removed the horses the king of Judah had dedicated to the worship of the sun god at the entrance of the temple and burned them.

ix. He destroyed all the altars put in place by Manasseh, Solomon, Jeroboam and other kings before him.

x. Josiah carried out his reforms up to the Northern Kingdom; he removed the shrines of the high places that were in the city of Samaria Bethel which the Israelites had made.

xi. Josiah killed and burned the bodies of all the priests of the high places.

xii. He restored the Passover feast and the Sabbath and commanded the people to keep it as it was written in the book of the covenant/He restored the ancient faith.

xiii. He abolished idolatry, witchcraft, sorcery, soothsaying, divination from Judah! Jerusalem.

xiv. Altars at the high places were demolished and worship was centralized in Jerusalem. 

B. WAYS CHRISTIANS CAN MAINTAIN PURITY OF THEIR RELIGION

i. Always have faith in God! Repudiation! abandonment of syncretism.

ii. Daily study of God's word and scriptures/The need to maintain high moral standards.

iii. Following the moral teachings of the religion! Bible i.e. caring for the poor! needy, etc/obedience to the word of God.

iv. Proper training of religious leaders.

v. Monitoring of the moral standards expected of believers.

vi. Asking for forgiveness whenever one transgresses.

vii. Avoiding idolatry/occultism. 

viii. Acknowledging Jesus' presence in every activity/ prayer, fasting and preaching.

ix. Avoiding sin immorality.

x. Maintaining peaceful co-existence.

xi. Change of negative attitudes to the environment eg. sanitation, work ethics! time management/ developing positive attitude to life. 

xii. Encouraging religious tolerance e.g. through dialogue. 

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