How does Leviticus 13:15 guide us in recognizing spiritual impurity today? The Historical Snapshot “ ‘The priest is to examine the raw flesh and pronounce him unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; it is a defiling disease.’ ” (Leviticus 13:15) What Raw Flesh Reveals • In the text, “raw flesh” means the disease has broken through the skin—no longer hidden, now undeniable. • The priest, God’s appointed examiner, does not guess; he follows the Lord’s explicit criteria and declares “unclean” without hesitation. • Spiritual lesson: when sin surfaces, Scripture supplies the standard, and God’s people must call it what it is—impurity. Timeless Principles for Today • Outward acts expose inward decay. Jesus affirmed this: “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean” (Matthew 15:18). • God establishes objective markers of impurity. Personal feelings never outweigh biblical definition (Isaiah 5:20). • Identification precedes restoration. Leprosy had to be named before cleansing rituals could begin; sin must be confessed before forgiveness flows (1 John 1:9). Practical Marks of Spiritual “Raw Flesh” • Persistent, unrepentant sin (Hebrews 10:26) • Open rebellion against God-given authority (1 Samuel 15:23) • Habitual bitterness, divisions, or slander (Galatians 5:19-21) • Doctrinal compromise that denies clear Scripture (2 Peter 2:1) The Role of God’s Priestly People • Under the new covenant all believers are “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). We examine first ourselves, then lovingly one another (Galatians 6:1). • We use the Word, not opinion, as the diagnostic tool (Hebrews 4:12). • We pronounce truth for the purpose of healing, never for condemnation alone (James 5:19-20). Christ, the Final Examiner and Healer • Jesus touches the leper and makes him clean (Mark 1:40-42). What the law diagnosed, Christ heals. • At the cross He bore our uncleanness so that we might become “the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). • Ongoing fellowship with Him—walking in the light—keeps impurity exposed and cleansed (1 John 1:7). Daily Application Checklist □ Hold your life up to Scripture’s mirror each morning (Psalm 139:23-24). □ Call any revealed sin what God calls it—unclean. □ Confess immediately; receive Christ’s cleansing. □ Welcome trusted believers to speak biblical truth into your life. □ Extend the same grace-filled examination to others for their restoration. Leviticus 13:15 still guides: identify the raw flesh of sin by God’s standard, pronounce it unclean, and hasten to the only Priest who can cleanse completely. |
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