It’s Good to be Different. (Lev 15: 1-33)
The Bible emphasizes the need for believers to be distinct. It's often interpreted in various ways, depending on the preacher's perspective. I grew up in a Baptist Church where certain practices were considered 'unclean.' We were urged to avoid movies, cards, and mixed swimming, all in an effort to set us apart.
The book of Leviticus contains peculiar laws that aimed to make the ancient Jews distinct. While these laws may not directly apply to us, the principle of being set apart still holds. Leviticus 15 discusses bodily discharges, presenting scenarios that render a person ceremonially unclean. The key idea is that anyone with such discharges and anything they touch is deemed unclean. However, this uncleanness is temporary, typically until evening. The purpose behind these laws appears more theological than hygienic. They emphasize a spiritual lesson of separation, illustrating the need for believers to stand out in their walk with God."
Let's discuss the laws regarding cleansing from discharges, starting at verse 13. When a person with a discharge is cleansed, they undergo a seven-day purification process. During this period, they wash their clothes and bathe in running water, after which they become clean. On the eighth day, they offer two turtle doves and two young pigeons to the priest at the Tabernacle's entrance. One is a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering, serving to make atonement for the person's discharge. These laws held significance in Israel's social and religious life, distinctly separating sexual activity from worship. It’s helpful to understand that in the ancient world, sexual acts were often part of pagan worship practices. Moses prohibited these practices to underscore the difference in worship of Yahweh. It's essential to grasp that God wasn't deeming sex or bodily functions sinful or dirty; He was emphasizing their separation from sacred spaces.
Normal sexual activity between spouses made them ceremonially unclean but not sinful, notice there was no requirement for a guilt or sin offering. Also, chronic ailments or bleeding necessitated a sin offering but didn't imply personal sin. The rest of the passage pertains to female discharges, specifically addressing menstrual cycles. During this time, a woman was ceremonially unclean, akin to the laws for males. The legislation also prescribed a period of separation for a woman during her menstrual cycle. Although this may seem strict to modern readers, it provided women with a break from their daily responsibilities and allowed for rest and renewal. Some authoritative sources suggest that in ancient Israel, women experienced fewer menstrual periods due to factors like early marriage, delayed weaning, and larger families, resulting in less frequent periods. Unmarried teenage girls were likely most impacted by these laws." This describes an abnormal situation, not the usual experience. It brings to mind the New Testament story of the woman with an issue of blood. According to the Mosaic law, her continuous flow rendered her ceremonially unclean, severely limiting her activities. This law aimed to highlight more than just the physical aspect—it had spiritual, social, and marital implications, making it a serious matter.
Moving on to verse 27, it details the uncleanness associated with her continuous menstrual cycle. Anyone or anything she touched during this time became unclean. The regulations stressed separation from such bodily discharges. If she was cleansed from this condition, she would undergo a purification process involving sacrifices, highlighting the importance of cleanliness and atonement. These laws aimed to maintain a sense of purity and separation, particularly in the context of worship at the Tabernacle." The regulations about bodily discharges were given by God to the Israelites to prevent them from unknowingly falling into serious sin due to their behaviour during states of uncleanness. These rules emphasized the seriousness of intermarriage with the Canaanites and discouraged adopting foreign customs and religions conflicting with Israel's commitment to holy living. God designated certain acts as resulting in uncleanness, effectively guiding private morality, an area where legal sanctions might be less effective compared to public life.
The purpose was clear: the Israelites were to stand apart from other religions in their approach to bodily discharges, distinguishing men and women during these times as ceremonially unclean. This state of uncleanness prevented them from participating in the Tabernacle and restricted physical contact with one another. The intention was to underscore their distinctiveness and separate the physical from the holy.
It's important to note that while the sexual processes rendered men and women ceremonially unclean, it did not label them as sinful. Being unclean established boundaries for their actions, but unless they committed sin beyond these conditions, they were not considered sinful. The laws of ceremonial uncleanness illustrated the unique identity of the Israelites and set them apart from others, emphasizing the need to maintain their distinctiveness.
So, the question is this: Is there a category of unclean things for Christians today? That's what we want to think about. Under the New Covenant, there are only sinful and non-sinful things, even though sometimes non-sinful things should not be a good idea. They're not sinful. The New Testament talks about those kinds of things. Let me talk about that for a second. Think about this for just a minute. Here are two activities that are not sinful.
Sex is not sinful between married individuals.
A woman's monthly cycle is not sinful.
So, the question is, is there anything comparable to that in the New Testament? Something that is not sinful, but you may choose not to participate in? Is that distinction clear?
For example, Paul says, 'All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient.' So, we have an issue with eating meat offered to idols, and Paul makes it very clear there's absolutely, positively nothing wrong with eating meat offered to an idol. However, under some circumstances, you should not eat it. It's a very fascinating passage in 1 Corinthians 10. And what he says is, 'Look, if you go to the market and buy some meat offered to an idol, go home and enjoy it at somebody's house, and they're serving it, don't ask, just eat and enjoy. But if a weaker brother, somebody who says, 'If you eat it, I'll eat it,' but they have a conscience, not a legalistic brother just trying to judge you, if you eat it, they'll eat it.' It's very critical. It's very clearly spelled out in 1 Corinthians. Then he says, 'Don't eat it. Don't destroy your brother.' So, there's a case where there's something not sinful, but you shouldn't do it. In that same regard, Paul says, 'All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. I'm not going to do anything that's going to have control over me.' But the other lesson in this chapter, the one I think is the lesson of the chapter, is that we are different. I think that's really getting at the reason the Lord gave these stipulations to begin with. I would say it's the predominant explanation among the people who grappled with this message.
So, let me end by talking about that for a second. Are we different? Are Christians supposed to be different? How am I supposed to be different? How am we supposed to express our difference from the world? Would you like to know? You might say yes, but after I show you, you might wish you hadn't. You wanna know? When I was looking for it, it was a passage that said, 'you're different from the unsaved, and here's how.' That's what I was looking for. I wanted a passage that said that, and then I wanted to see what kind of things it talked about. I found it. Philippians chapter 2, turn to Philippians chapter 2, verse 14:
'Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.'
How many times a day did you complain? Let me just tell you, God has a very dim view of complaining. If you doubt that, read the book of Numbers, and look at the word 'murmuring.' It takes a very dim view of complaining. Paul says, 'Look, you should not be complaining, and you shouldn't get into any kind of dispute because you're different. That's what the unsaved do, and you're not meant ot be like them. You're different. We are meant to shine as a light because we don't complain. That's the way we're different. There's a whole lot more. We should be characterized by gratitude and praise instead of complaining and disputing. We're different.
Summary and Seven Applications from a Christian Perspective.
1. Understanding Ritual Impurity: In Leviticus 15, God outlines various situations that could render an individual ritually unclean. While these rules were specific to the Israelites under the Mosaic Law, they convey the broader spiritual lesson that God is concerned with purity and holiness in our lives.
2. Symbolism of Purity: The concept of ritual impurity in Leviticus 15 symbolizes sin and its defiling nature. In a Christian context, it reminds believers of the importance of maintaining spiritual purity and avoiding sinful behaviors that can separate us from God.
3. Application of Holiness: Christians can apply the principles of purity and holiness from this chapter by acknowledging that God desires us to live pure lives. We should strive to distance ourselves from sin, seeking forgiveness through Christ and allowing His grace to purify our hearts.
4. Purity of Heart: Just as the chapter discusses bodily discharges, it prompts believers to focus on the condition of their hearts. Jesus emphasized the importance of purity of heart in Matthew 5:8, encouraging us to pursue a heart that is dedicated to God and free from impure motives and thoughts.
5. Seeking Forgiveness: Leviticus 15 underscores the need for purification after any impurity. Similarly, Christians should readily seek forgiveness and cleansing from God whenever they stumble or fall into sin. This emphasizes the role of repentance and seeking God's grace for renewal.
6. Spiritual Discipline: Christians can see the importance of spiritual discipline in maintaining a holy life. Through regular prayer, studying God's Word, and being mindful of our actions, we can cultivate a life that honors God and reflects His purity.
7. Christ's Atoning Work: Ultimately, Leviticus 15 points to the need for a Savior. In the New Testament, Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross cleanses us from all impurities and grants us access to God. His blood purifies us and enables us to draw near to the Father in a state of spiritual purity.
In conclusion, Leviticus 15 may contain specific ancient laws, but their essence should resonate with our modern Christian lives. We can learn valuable lessons about spiritual purity, seeking forgiveness, and embracing Christ's atoning work for our purification and holiness.