More Than Skin Deep

Today’s Verse:

If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days: ~Leviticus 13:4

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“Skin deep” is a term that describes superficiality and lack of depth. For instance, the phrase “Beauty is only skin deep” means that the outward appearance is not an indication of inward character. This morning, we are considering a verse of Scripture that describes a problem that is more than skin deep.

We see the concern.

The context of the passage is about the diagnosis of leprosy. Initially manifesting itself on the skin, leprosy is a contagious, deadly disease that ravages the sufferer’s entire body. If the person had a change in their skin color and pigment, this warranted an immediate visit to the high priest or one of his sons for an examination. There would be great apprehension in the heart of the person seeing the high priest. Everyone feared the possibility of getting leprosy. Leprosy would result in one being shut out of society, destined to wander about with other lepers. Leprosy classified you as unclean. With no cure for leprosy, you were left to rot and die in your condition. Just as a person with a change in the color of his skin posed the possibility of leprosy, we must be sensitive to changes in our attitude and the presence of sin in our life.

We see the consequences.

Once a person was diagnosed with leprosy, his life would become one of misery and hardship. Being diagnosed with leprosy meant that you were contaminated and contagious. It meant that there were practices put in place for your own good and that of the rest of society. You would be put out from family and society. You would carry the stigma of being unclean. You could not associate with healthy people. You would die in your condition. What a picture of how terrible sin is! Sin is defiling and contaminating! Sin affects everyone around us. It can result in sin in the life of another person. It can keep us from having good fellowship with other believers. “The wages of sin is death.” To realize that leprosy was more than skin deep had severe consequences.

We see the cleansing.

During Jesus’s ministry, there were many lepers He encountered and cleansed. What a relief it was when the Son of God touched the sorry life of a leper and gave him a second chance at life. When Jesus healed a leper, the leper would be required to see the high priest and show himself so that he could be publicly declared clean once again. Every sinner can be declared clean from sin when he comes to the Lord Jesus and trusts in His shed blood for the cleansing of his sins. Jesus’ blood cleanses us from all our sin! There is no sin He cannot wash away! There is no sin that can resist the cleansing power of the Lord. There is hope, cleansing, and a fresh start through our Lord Jesus!

Sin is more than skin deep. A bad attitude is more than skin deep. Bitterness in our hearts is more than skin deep. Hypocrisy is more than skin deep. Only our Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus, is qualified to examine us and to declare us clean or unclean. Not only does He examine us, but also, He is our source of help. The Bible tells us that we should sin not. “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

Don’t take sin, bitterness, a bad attitude, and being out of the will of God lightly. All of these matters are more than skin deep, and require the examination and help of our Lord Jesus!

Have a purified God Morning!

Bible Reading Schedule: Ezekiel 43-45

#Cleansing #HighPriest #Leviticus #Sin