Leaven

I Cor. 5:7-8

Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

 

Sin was in the body, a sin so severe that it was not even tolerated among the pagans [a man has his father's wife]. Paul questioned their motives? Were they arrogant when they should be mourning? His only recourse was to ask the body to remove this sinful person. There was to be no fellowship here, no condoning of the sin. When they were gathered together they were to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. What does this mean? Delivering to Satan refers to the entire arena outside the church since it is the domain of Satan. The destruction of the flesh often means the natural but harsh consequences that result from this sin. And finally the hope of this separation is that he will be restored to the body and his eventual salvation.

 

Paul then spoke to the church body as a whole admonishing them for the prideful attitude that had infiltrated them. He asked a great question--one that applies to all believers regardless of their age or time. Do you not know that  a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Allowing a little sin in the life has a disastrous effect spiritually. This sin is like leaven that swells up permeates the whole man until his entire being [whole lump] is leavened. Sin is not a plaything or a cherished behavior to which we cling. It is sin!! And all sin no matter how small either leavens the lump or must be confessed and forsaken. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Christ was sacrificed for our sin, every single one of them. When we take sin lightly, are we trampling on this glorious sacrifice? Believers must celebrate not with the old self and its practices [malice and evil] but with the new self who is being transformed in knowledge after the image of its creator [sincerity and truth].

 

Believers are to separate from believers who engage in open, flagrant sin. But with those of the world, the sexually immoral, greedy, swindlers, idolaters, believers need to be salt and light sharing the gospel of Christ. What a hard message! Paul told this body of believers to purge the evil man from among them. However, as a believer it really speaks to me. How much leaven do I allow? Am I quick to confess when I smell that yeasty odor? Do I take sin as seriously as I should? Do I think of it as trampling the sacrifice of my Savior?

 

Father,

Convict my heart even more...Take away any resistance on my part. Transform my 'self' in knowledge after the image of my Creator.

In the name of the Lamb,

Amen