ARE YOU WILLING TO BE CLEANSED ?
Paul tells us, “Cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God,” (2Cor7:1, NASB throughout, except as noted).
Is cleansing a gift? Is it a response to grace? Is it a sacrifice to please God?
Can we find a picture in scripture of what cleansing means?
It is my opinion there is an outline for repentance in the bible, and it is of great importance.
Much of the New Testament is based on the Leviticus 13 and 14. The writers use pictures and use the language of the leper cleansing ceremony. We will follow the picture of the leper cleansing for our lives, to be freed from the bondage of a death sentence from our “leprosy.” This means becoming cleansed from the world of the flesh and lust, and becoming undefiled spiritually. There is a physical and a spiritual repentance.
Leprosy symbolizes sin. Sin can be on, and get under our skin and can spread, just as leprosy is described in Lev 13. At an infection site of an Israelite, leprosy would turn hair from black to white. Jesus reminded us how we are unable to make a hair turn from white to black (Lev 13:25, Mt 5:36).
How important are leprosy examples to Jesus? He uses leper stories to show how sinners should react to Him, His law, and His grace (Mt 8:1-4, Lk 4:27, 17:11-19, 2Cor3:6-9, 7:1).
Paul and others used picturesque descriptions of how we are to respond to the grace of God in our New Covenant lives when we try to return to God and His ways. Many New Testament references have been included, because it is the purpose of this study to show how extensively these writers drew from this Old Testament ceremony. The following familiar NT descriptions can be traced to Leviticus 13 and 14 and show the importance of the leper cleansing ceremony to us today.
DESCRIPTIONS N.T. REFS OTHER REFS
Earthenware vessel (This is us) 2Cor4:7- 5:1, 2Tim2:20,21 Lev 14:5, Isaiah 45:9
- Jer 18:6, 19:1
Enter the camp but stay outside his tent seven days
As this leper looked back at his experience with the affliction of leprosy decaying his outer man, he could feel his inner man being renewed as he worked with his priest (2Cor4:16,17). The earthly tent he lived in was being torn down by leprosy at the same time the Lord was trying to get him to look, not at the earthly tent, which is our house now, but at the new house He is giving us now. This is a heavenly building not made with hands but an eternal one (2Cor5:1-10). The leper was to be cleansed from the “defilement of the flesh” to “newness of life,” (2Cor4:10,16-18, 5:1-10).
NOTICE the many NT passages teaching that we must be willing to leave our
world of the flesh (flesh = world, lust, sin (1Jn2:15,16) to grow into the life of the Spirit, (Rom7:5,7-13, Gal5:16-24, Eph2:1-3, Col3:1,2,5, Heb13:3, 1Jn2:15,16).
Our affliction from leprosy is a battle of the flesh vs. the spirit (Rom7:5,7-13, 8:6-8-14, Gal5:16, Eph2:1-3, Col3:1,2,5).
This cleansing ceremony shown in the law illustrates how we need Grace all the way through our cleansing from defilement and separation from the world of the flesh to be able to enter Christ’s House.
This ceremony shows Repentance is not a step – it is a process.
Garments Lev14:8,9, Is 45:9 - - are deeds we do and how we do our deeds. Garments, or deeds, can be spiritual in nature – an act of surrender or humility.
Think of garments as work clothes or dress clothes. They reflect what kinds of deeds we do and how we do our deeds.
Clothe yourself with Christ, Gal3:27, then you will be “In Christ” as Paul described many times. See armor of God (Eph 6. Rev 6:9-1) - white garments given to souls slain for the Word of God.
Other examples; Ps 73:6, 1Pet 3:1-5, 5:5, Ps 104:2, 109:18, Lk12:35
Garment washing Rev7:14
All our deeds are like filthy rags – only accepting Christ’s covering (His works = atonement S#3722,5) will make them be white, perfectly pure, without spot or wrinkle (Eph 5:27).
COMMENTS ON WASHING GARMENTS:
Remember we are temples of God. Our hearts are the arc of the New Covenant law (Lev16:15, 1Cor6:19, Heb8:10, 1Pet1:2). Therefore we must have Jesus’ blood sprinkled on us as the arc of the Covenant needed blood sprinkled on it to be cleansed from iniquity and sin in the Old Testament temple on the Day of Atonement (Lev16).
Still we sin. We are still on the way back to God. We need mercy because of our garments (deeds) don’t stay white. Jesus’ blood on our deeds (garments) makes them acceptable to God.
Shave or “Be Shaved” Lev14:8,9
Scripture contains many synonyms for shaving; to cut off, humiliate, humble, shame,
shave crown or head, or shaving your glory, or circumcising your heart (Lev26:41, Judg16:17-19, Is3:16-24, Is7:20, 2Cor7:8-10).
“Shaving” judgments through bible:
Judg 16:19 Sampson was shaved by Delilah and the Philistines and then he
lost his power.
Is 3:16,17. Pride is an inner sin – deeper then the skin.
Israel’s shavings; Neh 9:26,27, Is 7:20, Jer2:16, 3:25.
1 Cor 1:27-29 Paul tells us, “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise,…that no man should boast before God.”
This scripture passage could be the source of the question that people ask each other when reflecting on ‘misfortune,’... “Have you ever had a close shave?”
Living Water (living water = The Word of God = Jesus) Lev14:5, Jer2:13, Jn4:10,14,38, Eph5:26, Heb4:12, Rev 21-22. “Running” water = S#2416, alive, life, running, living water. Contrast cistern water in Jer 2:13. Also contrast alive vs. dead in Isaiah 8:19.
- Bathe and be clean Lev14:8,9, Jn13:6-, Eph5:25.26.
- Math 3:11 and Acts 1:5 teach two baptisms;
Physical baptism in water (water of the Word) is for repentance Mt3:11, 1Cor10:2, Eph5:26
Spiritual baptism into the Holy Spirit - for fruit production Rom8:13, Gal5, Col 1:10.
These TWO STEPS are symbolized by the two birds used in the leper cleansing ceremony. The following paragraphs will attempt to show how these steps give us hope.
Death of Jesus 2Cor4:10, 2Cor6:16-7:1
Life of Jesus 2Cor4:10,11,15-18 5:1-10,16,17 Lev14:4-7
The death and new life of Christ are pictured by bird #1 and bird #2 in Leviticus 14:4-7.
He died as a propitiation for our sins Rom3:24, Heb2:17, 1Jn2:2, 4:10).
It is Jesus who takes away sin; Mt1:21, Jn1:29, 1Jn3:5. Jesus fulfilled bird #1. Also see
Is53:4,11, Heb9;28, 1Pet2:23-25.
Have faith in the Death of Jesus, and the Life of Jesus:
Believe in the symbolism of bird #1.
Believe 1 Cor 15:3. Jesus died “ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE.”
Have hope in the symbolism of bird #2, which points to the resurrected Jesus.
Believe 1 Cor 15:4. Jesus was raised “ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE” and went
back to His natural place like bird #2 (Lev 14:7, Jn 6:62.
NOTE that the sacrifice of the two birds is also illustrated by two terms from 2 Corinthians Ch 3. These following two terms work together in our life journey of returning to Jesus Christ:
Ministry of Condemnation 1Cor3:8,9. These terms were acted out by two birds in Lev 14:5 - 7. 7.
Picture the teaching of SUBSTITUTION. Picture bird #1 dying in bird #2’s place. Picture Jesus dying in our place.
We must take up our own cross and follow after Jesus (Mt10:38, Lk9:23,24, 14:27, 17:33).
We must take up our own cross and follow after Jesus (Mt10:38, Lk9:23,24, 14:27, 17:33).
Ministry of the Spirit Lev14:4-7, 2Cor3:8,9, and compare Jn14:16-21,16:5-15, Gal5:16-18.
Picture being DELIVERED from the bondage of sin’s death sentence,
that is, from the enmity of the law, by substitution of Jesus.
CONCLUSION
See the parallel between this leper cleansing ceremony and our repentance. Paul and other NT writers saw it. We are to cleanse our physical walk and our spiritual walk – from defilement:
First, we must BATHE IN WATER, ( in God’s laws); In 1 Cor 10:2 “baptizo,” Greek, root meaning is “to dip, soak, immerse” into a liquid, so that what is dipped takes on qualities of what it has been dipped in – for example, cloth in dye or leather in tanning solution. Thus immersion into Moses means being united with him, accepting his vision, goals and leadership. The Jewish practice was self immersion (Jewish NT Commentary 1Cor10:2).
Also, we must BATHE in God’s Holy Spirit. Immersion into the Holy Spirit means to take on the properties of the Spirit and to bear the fruits of His character, continue to grow and follow the Spirit’s leading into all truth. Mt3:11, Acts 1:5, Rom 8:6,12-14, Gal5:16-25.
Also, we must BATHE in God’s Holy Spirit. Immersion into the Holy Spirit means to take on the properties of the Spirit and to bear the fruits of His character, continue to grow and follow the Spirit’s leading into all truth. Mt3:11, Acts 1:5, Rom 8:6,12-14, Gal5:16-25.
1 We must WASH OUR CLOTHES (cleanse our deeds) in His ways -
Physically change our ways to live God’s ways.
Spiritually surrender to the Holy Spirit guidance to live a life bearing His fruit.
2 We must SHAVE our pride and seek humility and humbleness
A more extensive version of this study with additional proof texts and contemporary quotations is available at;