Clean If Leprosy Covers the Whole Body

Transcription

1 Clean If Leprosy Covers the Whole Body Q: Pastor, in Leviticus chapter 13 of the Old Testament, it records about how the priest examines patient with a scab and leprosy, and concludes whether it is unclean. But there is one section which I cannot understand. It is the Word in verses 12 and 13. Here it records that when the leprosy breaks out all over the skin and covers from his head to foot, then the priest shall consider him clean. This person became completely a leper, but how can he be considered clean instead of completely unclean? A: Let me first read the Word you mentioned, Leviticus chapter 13 verses 12 to 13 and begin. And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh; Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean. (Leviticus 13:12 13) This is the Word that cannot be understood by our thoughts 36 The Good News March 2008

2 Question & Answer or common sense. If we read the first part of Leviticus chapter 13, we could see the priest pronounce the patient unclean and isolate the patient after examining the patient who has skin with a swelling, a scab, or bright spot. Yet it is rather strange to pronounce the patient to be clean when the leprosy is spread all over the body. When even the slightest blemish or fault appears one becomes unclean, then how is it that he is called clean when the whole body is covered in unclean leprosy? Leprosy, the Shadow of Sin In Genesis chapter 3, it documents about Adam and Eve committing sin. God had told Adam and Eve, But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:17), and Satan (the serpent) said very opposite, Ye shall not surely die. (Genesis 3:4) Adam and Eve distrusted God and believed Satan and committed sin by eating the fruits of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Henceforth, the whole world has been under the dominion of Satan, and the following generations from Adam were born as sinners carrying the nature of sin, which is departing from God. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. (Psalm 51:5)... a seed of evil-doers, children that are corrupters:... (Isaiah 1:4) The Bible documents of this sin as a metaphor to leprosy. As leprosy numbs nerves and senses of the body and makes it rot, the sin numbs our senses toward the spiritual world of God and drags us to destruction. When our body is infected with leprosy, the sign will not show immediately, but without one knowing it, after passing through a hidden period of 20 to 30 years, the signs emerge. As such, though we were born in sin, we live not knowing this fact. Naturally the sin that resides in our heart will pull all humans to a sinful life. Counselling about a Spritual Life 37

3 The Bible reveals clearly about such a nature of the spiritual image of mankind through the Word. All human beings are sinners (seeds of evil-doers) and as the apple is produced from the apple tree, the sinner will commit sin. The apple tree cannot become a persimmon tree even though all the apples may be picked, thus sinners will not become righteous, even though one tries not to steal, murder, commit adultery, and lie. Although the apples are picked, the tree remains; one can only come to commit sin due to a heart that is already soaked in the nature of sin. All human beings are sinners and they could never become righteous by their own effort. All of mankind are sinners, but one who recognizes one s self as a complete sinner can become righteous. That is because only Jesus could pardon the sin and make a sinner righteous, and only the person who knows that he or she is a sinner, who will come to be destroyed, can come and seek the grace of Jesus. Because that person has become a complete sinner, with nothing to say, they can only hope for the grace and mercy of Jesus. The Word that one is clean when the leprosy is spread all over his body, indicates that if one realizes that he is a sinner, who is in complete sin from head to foot, he will go out to the grace of Jesus and be cleansed of sin through Him and become righteous. The Woman Caught in the Act of Adultery In the Bible there are many incidents of people who have realized their sin, and were saved from sin through Jesus Christ. The woman caught in the act of adultery in John chapter 8 is one of them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned:... (John 8:3 5) This woman was caught at the scene in the act of adultery, so 38 The Good News March 2008

4 Question & Answer she could not utter any explanation or rebel; she was a sinner who could only die. She was dragged to Jesus having been put in the situation of being stoned to death. Nevertheless, when Jesus said, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. (verse 7) everybody let down their stone and left. This woman has committed adultery, but the people who were about to stone her were the same sinners. Their sins only have not been revealed. The Scripture documents that hating is like a murder and having lustful thought is like adultery. In front of God every one is the same sinner. However this woman whose sin has been revealed and thusly became a complete sinner in her heart, she found grace before Jesus and received forgiveness of sin. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. (John 8:11) Hasn t Jesus positively said that He will not condemn? The woman caught in adultery, the people who were about to stone her, the scribes and Pharisees, and all the people are sinners. Nonetheless, only the person who recognizes himself as sinner from Counselling about a Spritual Life 39

5 his heart will receive salvation from sin by the grace of Jesus. The thief on the cross, who was next to Jesus when He was crucified on the cross, possessed that heart. And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. (Luke 23:41) This thief knew that he deserved to die on the cross knowing his sin, and also knew that the Lord who was crucified next to him does not possess any iniquity or sin. Although he himself was a big sinner and evil doer, he received pardon from the Lord and was able to go to paradise with the Lord. (verses 42 43) The true image of faith lies when we absolutely realize that we are completely sinful, and become connected to Jesus, the author and finisher of faith. There is one thing common amongst the people who met Jesus, they received grace and the forgiveness of sin, such as the woman caught in adultery and the thief on the cross. What can that be? It s because they had no doubt about themselves in front of Jesus to be a complete sinner. People who are filled with sin will want to be healed dearly, and hold and seek the Lord for the compassion in their life. Those people in the Bible all have met Jesus and received salvation, and even today Jesus earnestly looks out for the people like this among us to save them. Unclean If He Has the Slightest Spot On the contrary to this, there are people who suffer from partial leprosy (sin). These people acknowledge that they have a certain amount of sin but also think they have a certain amount of good. 40 The Good News March 2008

6 Question & Answer Many people while living spiritual life have never come to a point where they have been a complete leper (sinner) from head to foot. Therefore by only trying to fix and change their bad deeds and faults in their life they go out to God and do faith. I am always too busy, but if I have a little time left, I could go to church and read the Bible, pray a bit and do faith well. The problem with me is that I smoke. But if I quit smoking then I could become a better faithful person. Many people think like above. It s just like a partial leper saying, I am fine with other parts of my body except there is a bright spot on the head, but if this is healed then I will be fine. Can t this scab on my head be treated? Only this is the problem. However, the Bible describes the nature of human being as such: And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5) But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags;... (Isaiah 64:6) It isn t that our deeds should be changed or fixed. The true image of faith lies when we absolutely realize that we are completely sinful, and become connected to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2) As though person who have become a complete leper from head to foot, do you see yourself as the one who could only commit sin according to the Word? Come out to the Lord as who you are, as sinners. We could only be evil all the time, but in spite of our selves, if we look at Jesus who has perfected us on the cross and are connected with the Lord s heart, then we could be diagnosed as clean having received perfect forgiveness of sin. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18) Counselling about a Spritual Life 41