1 Corinthians 5:6-8 “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
In a previous verse, Paul has already pointed out that the brethren were puffed up (boastful, proud) over a sinful situation. He rebuked them that they had not mourned over the situation rather than trying to put a positive perspective on it. Here he tells them plainly that their boasting (glorying) is not good.
As the children of God, we should always remember that unless we are boasting of our Lord and Savior, our boasting is not good either.Even if we are only boasting in ourselves a little or looking the other way just a little, it is going to have big consequences. Our boastful attitude in the wrong things is going to affect “the whole lump” and bring about a lot of boasting in the wrong things.
For this reason, we are to thoroughly clean out (purge) the old leaven.No matter how insignificant we may think it; no matter how much spin we put on it; no matter how we try to clean it up and refresh it, old leaven is old leaven.It is not good for anything. It certainly serves no purpose in our service to God.
When the old leaven is gone, we are a new lump. Old things pass away and all things become new (2Co 5:17). With the old leaven purged out, we become unleavened. Just as under the law service the passover was to be eaten with unleavened bread, so do we come to the able of ministry in God’s kingdom unleavened.
Christ who is our passover is sacrificed for us. At the time Paul made this statement, Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection were literally in the past. Yet, Christ stands as our mediator, and though He will never have to go to the cross again, He stands before God as sacrifice for us. Praise His holy name, God will never see us outside the sacrifice of His son!
Paul was not telling the Corinthian brethren (nor us) that we should go back and observe the legal feast of the Passover. Instead, the instruction is for us to leave behind our old ways of thinking and doing. There is no place in the life of the child of God who is seeking to glorify Him for the leaven of malice (malignity) and wickedness (plotting). Even a little of this will soon corrupt the whole lump if it is not purged.
If we are not literally eating a lamb and unleavened bread, then how do we honor the sacrifice of Christ our passover? We serve Him with a clear and pure purpose with no attempt to conform His service to our sinful way of doing things. Instead, we seek His example and His guidance so that we may put aside the malice and wickedness that is our natural state and put on Christ.
May we in all sincerity and truth seek to serve Jesus Christ in love and humility, not being puffed up with the leaven of the flesh!