^“40 And there came a leper to Him (Jesus), beseeching Him, and kneeling down to Him, and saying unto Him, If You will, You can make me clean.

⁴¹ And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth His Hand, and touched Him, and said unto him, I will; be you clean.” Mark 1:40-41

When we understand that we too are as the leper; loathsome in our filthy rags of self righteousness while forever seeking the speck in the eyes of others and humble ourselves before the Cross of Christ for our daily needs, we will see the Hand of God move on our behalf.  Many believe God will heal the leper but fail to understand they are as the leper and never seek the Lord for cleansing.  The Sunday morning social services convince them they are a product of their environment and by changing their environment and attending their religious services they will be cleansed.  Vain philosophies are being taught as biblical doctrine instead of the fear of God through the preaching of the Word (Matthew 15:9).

“…Gather Me (God) the people together, and I will make them hear My Words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.” Deuteronomy 4:10

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).  Hearing vain philosophies taught as biblical doctrine directs one’s faith away from the Cross of Christ for daily living for God to those vain philosophies.  Such is the corruption of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified which is made of no effect through the wisdom of words presented from many pulpits.

“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” 1 Corinthians 1:17

The preachers of vain philosophies do not stand up and declare they are going to corrupt the Gospel and here is how.  Unless we search the Scriptures daily for ourselves to see if those things are so, we too will be deceived. Our money and our faith will be placed in them and their doctrine as we follow them right into a ditch.  This is not the preachers fault but the Believer’s for not contending for the faith and coming out from among the error.  The false teachers are doing what false teachers do…teach heresy.

“If My People, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My Face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

There are many lepers in the modern church who do not realized their own leprosy.  As we take our eyes off of the Cross of Christ and begin discerning the specks in other’s eyes, we quickly forget our own condition.  Yes, we believe the Blood of Christ cleanses but we fail to see our own need of cleansing…daily.

I’m not speaking here of Salvation but of Sanctification.  The lost do not seek God.  They do not believe God heals.  I’m speaking here to Believer’s who have sought other methods, vain philosophies of man, to cleanse themselves of all unrighteousness who need to repent of their wicked ways and turn back to the Cross of Christ.  Jesus is the Source and His Cross the means by which we receive from God…there is no other way.  Without faith in Grace (the Cross of Christ…the power of God [1 Cor. 1:18]), the Holy Spirit is not commissioned to superintend the work of God in the heart and lives of the Believer.  Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and HIS Righteousness (Matt. 6:33) and HIS Righteousness comes by Grace through FAITH, not of works lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalms 51:10

-Donna Clark Warren