Who Have We Decided Is Unclean? A Word from Luke

Back with another post from the gospel of Luke. Something that has really stood out to me is Jesus' healing ministry. From casting out evil spirits to healing physical ailments such as leprosy, blindness, paralysis, and fever, Jesus touches the untouchable. Jesus does not rebuke the unclean but makes them clean, same as He cleanses us with His blood and the Holy Spirit.

"When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of God." Luke 4:40-41.

• Disease and demon possession do not necessarily go hand in hand, but demonic possession could cause / lead to disease.

• This example reveals how sickness can be physical, mental, and spiritual. Christ heals all sickness.

"And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean. Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Luke 5:12-13

• Leprosy is described as a varity of skin disorders from psoriasis to true leprosy. Symptoms could be mild, with white patches on the skin, or severe, with oozing sores and the loss of fingers and toes.

• Leprosy left someone cermonially unclean, unfit for worship. Likely because they could infect others.

• Anyone who came into contact with a leper was considered unclean, which subjected lepers to not just isolation but ostracization. They were social outcasts while suffering something entirely human yet, at times, horrific.

  
  

"Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed...He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God." Luke 5: 18 + 24-25

• Jesus's healing ministry is one of mutual pursuit. Jesus travels to different locations to offer healing to the people there. And the people come with faith in His ability to heal.

• Jesus does not reject anyone who seeks His healing.

• Jesus puts Himself in position to heal.

Despite the example of love and inclusion that Christ gives us, some Christian communities still treat certain groups of people as unclean today.

Modern-Day "Lepers" in Christian Spaces

The Divorced: treated as spiritually suspect, assumed to have failed morally

Single Women Above A Certain Age: pitied or subtly judged, treated like something must be wrong

Single Mothers: pitied or subtly judged, seen as promiscuous or a bad influence on the younger generation

Those Who Struggle With Addiction: alcoholics, porn addicts, drug users, those dependent on prescription pills ~ they are often only welcome after they are "clean," and even after they are sober are still treated suspiciously

Those With Mental Health Disorders: depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, PTSD ~ sometimes treated as spiritually weak rather than human and hurting, kept at arm's length

Women With Public Sexual Sin: pregnant outside of marriage, children from multiple fathers, women with a known sexual history, sex-workers, those who've had an affair ~ treated with suspicion, kept at a distance, judged and seen as a bad influence or unmarryable, seen as unforgivable

LGBTQ Individuals: often spoken about rather than spoken to, feared as spiritually contagious

Formerly Incarcerated People: permanent suspicion, disqualified from service, defined by their past

The Poor: judged as lazy, treated as irresponsible, avoided socially, seen as a threat and treated with fear or suspicion rather than compassion

The Politically Different: shunned for voting differently or expressing an unpopular opinion, viewed as morally inferior, labeled as lost

Those Who Ask Hard Questions: people struggling with doubt, people processing church hurt, people pushing back against false doctrine or biblical misrepresentation ~ seen as troublemakers rather than truth-seekers; curiosity is sometimes treated as rebellion

Those Who Don't Fit the Typical "Church Aesthetic": those with tattoos or piercings, scars from self harm or even an abusive past, those who dress differently than the expectation of how they should dress

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The list above is not a reflection of every church or Christian space. It is reflective of some Christian spaces and some individuals who accept people based on their comfort rather than Jesus' call for love, inclusion, and generosity without partiality.

As a church, we must get comfortable with the uncomfortable.

We must be so rooted in Christ, in truth, and in love that we treat all people with love, that we desire all people to be seated next to us on Sunday, that we do not fear spiritual contagion, that we do not fear close proximity with the lost nor with our brothers and sisters who are hurting or have made a mistake.

This call for love and inclusion does not mean denying biblical truth. For example, it does not make adultery, sexual immorality, addiction, or homosexuality okay. It simply means we are not putting ourselves in the position of judge.

"Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemed. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." Luke 6:37

We've all made mistakes. We've all sinned. We are all unclean prior to being cleansed by Jesus. And even after coming to Christ, we are not immune to sin. We are simply delivered from it.

"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, "Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye," when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your eyes? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eyes, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye." Luke 6:41-42

Jesus warns us of hypocrisy. The truth is, we all have an ailment that needs to be healed by Christ. Turn your attention to your own healing first. And when you notice another in need of healing, do not judge but bring them to the Healer. Because we too were in need of healing, and likely always will be.

The church is not only for the saved or clean. The church is for everyone to come to the Healer who heals all ailments.

If someone is seeking Christ, who are we to make them feel uncomfortable? Who are we to turn them away? Who are we to say you are not welcome?

If we encounter someone in need of Christ, then we are called to lead them to Him. This may require putting yourself in uncomfortable positions and speaking to / touching those who are different from you, those who society and even some Chrisitian communities treat as outcasts.

Lastly, just because someone looks different than you, doesn't fit the mold, votes differently than you think they should vote, has a mental health disorder, is a single mom, divorced, was incarcerated, homeless, or has walked a life path that has been bumpier than yours--it does not mean they are lost or unclean. They may be more spiritually mature and rooted in Christ than you.

Those whose sins are many have love for Christ a plenty.

"Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil." Luke 7:36-38

When the Pharisee saw this, he basically said that Jesus is not a prophet, for if He was, He would know that the woman touching Him is a sinner. Jesus responded, "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?" Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have rightly judged. ...her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." Luke 7:41-43 + 47

Those who've greatly suffered and have been greatly forgiven, have a greater love for Christ than those who've had it easy and never known true suffering. This is not to say we should long for suffering. It is simply to reveal perspective. We have a greater perspective of Christ's love when we have suffered greatly.

The extent of our sin does not limit His capacity to love and forgive us. It reveals His capacity.

When we see His capacity to love and forgive us, our capacity to love and remain devoted to Him grows, as well as, our capacity to love and forgive others.