24 September Leviticus 15

Living in a way that is holy, and pleasing to Him

Leviticus 15:1-3 (ESV) “The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any man has a discharge from his body, his discharge is unclean. And this is the law of his uncleanness for a discharge: whether his body runs with his discharge, or his body is blocked up by his discharge, it is his uncleanness.

According to Jesus, is it not what goes into your body that defiles you. Mark 7:14-20 (AMP) “After He called the people to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen [carefully] to Me, all of you, [hear] and understand [what I am saying]: there is nothing outside a man [such as food] which by going into him can defile him [morally or spiritually]; but the things which come out of [the heart of] a man are what defile and dishonour him. [If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”] When Jesus had left the crowd and gone into the house, His disciples asked Him about the parable. And He said to them, “Are you, too, so foolish and lacking in understanding? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile and dishonour him, since it does not enter his heart, but [only] his stomach, and [from there it] is eliminated?” (By this, He declared all foods ceremonially clean.) And He said, “Whatever comes from [the heart of] a man, that is what defiles and dishonours him.

Without Christ, anything is from the flesh. To live in the Spirit, you should cleanse your mind daily with the help of the Holy Spirit. Paul writes this to the Romans:

Romans 12:1-2 (NIV) “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will”.

Romans 8:13 (AMP) “for if you are living according to the [impulses of the] flesh, you are going to die. But if [you are living] by the [power of the Holy] Spirit you are habitually putting to death the sinful deeds of the body, you will [really] live forever”.

In conclusion, Leviticus 15 addresses the physical uncleanness of bodily discharges under the Old Testament law, reflecting the importance of external purity in the Israelites' relationship with God. However, Jesus shifts the focus from external rituals to the condition of the heart, teaching that true defilement comes from within, from the sinful thoughts, words, and actions that emerge from the heart. This emphasises the necessity of inner transformation, which can only be achieved through Christ. Without Him, our lives are driven by the flesh, leading to spiritual death. To truly live, we must continually renew our minds through the power of the Holy Spirit, offering ourselves as living sacrifices to God. This daily renewal enables us to discern and fulfil God’s perfect will, living in a way that is holy and pleasing to Him.