What New Testament teachings align with the principles in Leviticus 13:15? Scripture Focus “ The priest is to examine the raw flesh and pronounce him unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; it is leprosy.” – Leviticus 13:15 Key Principles Seen in Leviticus 13:15 • Sin and defilement can be active and obvious (“raw flesh”). • A God-appointed priest must identify the condition. • A clear verdict is rendered: “unclean.” • The verdict leads to separation until cleansing is provided elsewhere in the chapter. Jesus, the Greater Priest • Hebrews 4:15-16 – “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses… Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence.” • Hebrews 10:21-22 – “Since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near… having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us.” • Matthew 8:2-3 – Jesus touches the leper: “ ‘I am willing,’ He said, ‘be clean!’ And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” • Luke 17:14 – Jesus still honors the Mosaic process: “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” He fulfills the law while revealing Himself as the ultimate Priest who can truly remove uncleanness. Heart-Level Uncleanness Exposed • Mark 7:20-23 – Jesus pinpoints the deeper issue: “What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him.” • 1 John 1:8 – “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.” • Just as raw flesh signaled visible disease, blatant sin shows an inward problem that must be named and dealt with, not covered up. Self-Examination in the New Covenant • 1 Corinthians 11:28 – “Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.” • James 5:16 – “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” • The congregation now takes part in recognizing sin, mirroring the priestly inspection of Leviticus 13. Church Discipline and Purity • 1 Corinthians 5:6-7 – “A little leaven works through the whole batch… Get rid of the old leaven.” • 2 Corinthians 6:17 – “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing.” • Like isolating a leper until cleansing, the church separates unrepentant sin to protect the body and invite restoration. Provision of Full Cleansing • 1 John 1:7, 9 – “The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin… He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” • Ephesians 5:25-27 – Christ “cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.” • The priest of Leviticus could only diagnose; Jesus supplies the cure. Living Out the Lesson • Acknowledge sin swiftly; don’t minimize “raw flesh.” • Run to Jesus, the compassionate High Priest, for both verdict and cleansing. • Practice honest self-examination and mutual accountability in the body of Christ. • Pursue holiness, knowing separation from defilement is for the sake of deeper fellowship with God and His people. |
    |