Leprosy And Leaven
Issues – January 2025 – Grace & Truth Magazine
Leprosy And Leaven
The Bible uses leprosy and leaven to describe sin. Let’s consider the two terms for a moment.
Leprosy
This disease seems quite different today from the dread disease of Old Testament times, although it remains a terrible affliction. The disease results in the deterioration of feeling, production of deformities, and separation from others. It is not hard to see how leprosy relates to many sins.
As to Leviticus 13, which speaks about leprosy, Bible scholar C. I. Scofield wrote a word of caution: “Some have found in this chapter elaborate provisions for the exercise of discipline in the local church. No little self-righteousness and cruelty have come in thereby. The explicit instructions of the New Testament are the alone and sufficient rule of discipline.” It is noteworthy that the apostle Paul used “leaven” instead of “leprosy” when he discussed sexual sin at Corinth and doctrinal error in Galatia. Obviously, the Holy Spirit knew what the consequences of the misuse of the Scriptures whose purpose was to provide for public health in Old Testament times would be.
Leaven
Leaven causes dough to expand. When this expansion is deliberately allowed to go on for a longer time than usual, the result is bigger loaves that are filled with air. Similarly, when people think more highly of themselves than they should, they are described as being “puffed up” (1 Cor. 5:2 KJV). The people in the church at Corinth had a lot of teaching that they were proud of, but they also had among them a kind of sexual sin “that is not tolerated even among pagans” (1 Cor. 5:1 ESV),
Sexual and other sin (1 Cor. 5:9-11) in churches today is quite common, and little is done about it. Many people totally misapply what the Lord meant when He said, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Mt. 7:1), and they do nothing. We should not have a judgmental attitude, and we should avoid “evil suspicions” (1 Tim. 6:4 ESV), or “evil surmisings” (KJV). But, when the sin of a person in the church – not outside, for God judges them – is evident, the church is told to “purge the evil person from among you” (1 Cor. 5:13). What makes the person evil is the committing of the sin and then remaining guilty by not repenting of it.
The purpose of putting the offender out is not to get rid of the person but to induce repentance. When the offender repents and the divine forgiveness is obtained, the leaven is gotten rid of and the church can show love to him again.
How can the lack of action on a sin in the assembly have a leavening effect? A believer may be stumbled into thinking that because nobody seems to be paying any attention to the sin, it is an accepted Christian behavior. Teaching in the assembly is meant to develop Christ-like behavior, not mere knowledge (8:1), and we are to worship with “the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (5:8).
Evaluating What We Do
There will always be some who will criticize what we do in times of recreation. They have a self-made religion which they try to impose on others by making them feel guilty if they do not conform to their ideas. The apostle says, “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient … I will not be brought under the power of any” (6:12 KJV; consider Col. 2:16-23).
The Pharisees of Jesus’ day were proud of their self-made religion. It led them to publicly accuse our Lord because He did not conform to their ideas. Instead, He rightly said, “I do nothing on my own authority … I always do the things that are pleasing to [the Father]” (Jn. 8:28-29 ESV).
The Lord wants us to “rest a while” (Mk. 6:31) to be refreshed. However, such things should not dominate our lives, for then what was meant to be a good thing begins to have a leavening effect. A man, when asked how people could know that he is a Christian, enumerated what he did not do. However, a Christian life is not merely a life purged of leaven. It is a life like that of our Lord Jesus Christ, always pleasing to the Father. Let us live in that manner!
By Alan H. Crosby