A Call to Holiness in the Church [1 Corinthians 5]

7Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.  8Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;10I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. 11But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one. 12For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.

God is not calling us to judge those outside the church.  Otherwise, "you would have to go out of the world."  But He does call us to "REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES."  Why is this? Because we are "in fact unleavened."  He has made us holy as He is holy.  The leaven represents living a life of unholiness and if left in the lump of dough it will penetrate every part of the dough.  In Galatians 6:1-2  God says it in a different way, "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted." Verse 2 goes on to say, "Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ."

Why does God feel so strongly about this? "For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.  Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."  Because of what Christ did on the cross, as the Passover Lamb,  we can are now free to worship in spirit and in truth.

Father, we praise You for Jesus' sacrifice.  Thank You for Your forgiveness and for cleansing us from ALL sin.  Cause us to live as those who are forgiven and cleansed, in sincerity and in truth.


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Verna McCrillis, 6/3/2009