If you have been following The Leper and the Lamb series, you will see that to this point, we have found that just as a leper is diseased, we as humans have a disease of sin. For this discussion we have said that we are "Lepers of Sin". We also discovered that in order for any leper of sin (any person) to come near to God we must be covered with a robe of righteousness that is only available through Christ Jesus.
Today, our discussion of the leper continues and we find him at the point of cleansing which is the same as repentance for a leper of sin.
Before coming to God, the leper spent seven days washing off the dirt from his old life. And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days. But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean. (Lev 14:8,9)
This man did not even have any eyebrows and his friends must have had trouble trying to keep from laughing. Every man in those days wore a full beard and no one had ever seen their faces but God has a clear view of every person's heart. During the seven days of cleansing the leper did not live with his family although he would certainly want to be with them after his exile. Instead, this man cleaned and shaved for the purpose of getting right with God.
Flash forward to the New Testament. Those who believe repentance is unnecessary have forgotten that our sin is the very reason we are separated from God and our sin is always directed "against" God. Our survival depends totally on our conversion to the righteousness of God. The Scriptures tell us the way to repentance and righteousness.
One day Peter healed a lame man and the people wondered how he had done it. He gave an unusual answer Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. (Acts 3:19) If a doctor told you to repent after your legs were healed it would seem strange but it's different with the Lord. Peter's message to people has always been that God will heal a body to demonstrate people's need for a change of their spiritual attitude. Often we listen better when sickness has shown us how vulnerable we are and our healing illustrates that we must come to God out of our weakness. Repentance is not a one time occurrence as some folks seem to think. Paul asked us to repent, even after we have begun to serve God, as seen when he wrote to the Corinthians telling them to stop their worldly activities For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation. (2 Cor 7:10) We must always confess our sins and ask God to forgive us which makes repentance a vital part of our new life.
Repentance is simply a change of mind; however, a proper change will always influence our way of life. Once we make our decision to yield to God, the Holy Spirit will be unwavering in His destruction of our old life. The Spirit must make room in our hearts and lives to bring in the many righteous things we need to develop the kind of life God is looking for.
The resulting change in a person is easily observable. This new attitude includes a feeling of hate for the old sinful way of life and a new peaceful way of living. Many people have been deceived by thinking their first step of repentance was all they needed for salvation. Repentance is not salvation but no one can be saved without it.
Besides the observable attitude change, another visual representation of repentance is baptism. The baptism ceremony symbolizes death to the old life in order to walk a new life. In the Old Testament when water was used in any type of cleansing ceremony it was called The Water of Separation. The point being that repentance is to bring about our separation from the world so we may serve God. A sinner needs to repent just as a leper had to wash his body. When we are buried in the baptism we are pledging to never return to our old ways that we have repented of. After a person has repented, they may then receive forgiveness and it takes both repentance and forgiveness to be converted.
It is a humbling experience to be cleansed from sin in front of the world but it is worth it to be cleansed from being a leper of sin. People who have not repented are unclean and can never come before God who requires absolute cleanness. Ask God to help you repent today in order that you may be restored. Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. (Matt 17:11,13)
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