" . . . and he was a Samaritan." Luke 17:16
Ten lepers stood afar off as Jesus passed by and cried to Him for mercy. Jesus healed them, but only one returned to give thanks, " . . . and he was a Samaritan." The other nine were evidently Jews, for this one man is called a stranger or alien (Luke 17:18). In this incident we have a picture of segregation and integration. Leprosy had segregated these men from the assembly of the people of God. They were thrust outside the camp as unclean. They were carefully segregated. But while they were segregated from some, they were also definitely integrated with others. A Jew despised a Samaritan, and would have nothing to do with him. In John 4:9 we read, " . . . for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans." But here are nine Jews with one Samaritan. They were integrated by the common curse of leprosy. These lepers were segregated from the healthy ones by the disease of leprosy, but they were integrated with all others who had the same disease.
Leprosy is a picture of sin. Sin has integrated all of Adam's race, and they were all alike in their common fate - under sentence of death, "for there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:22, 23). There is no difference. But this same sin has segregated us from God. "Your iniquities have separated between you and your God" (Isaiah 59:2). But the Lord cures the leprosy of sin by the blood of the Lamb when we have the faith, and the whole thing is turned completely around, and now we are separated from the world and integrated into the Body of Christ. Yes, we believe in spiritual segregation (from sin and condemnation), and also in spiritual integration (with all other believers).
"Bread For Each Day"
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