Spring is right around the corner for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. We are breaking out of the clutches of Winter, and it’s weather and looking forward to warmer temperatures and the growth that Spring brings. One thing that many people do as a way to usher in the season is to do a little spring cleaning. It might be a good time to get rid of those sinful habits that leave us burdened and spiritually paralyzed.
1 Corinthians 5:7
Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new unleavened batch, as indeed you are. For Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed.
Leaven is the Biblical word for yeast. It is what makes bread rise and has always been a symbol of sin. Paul is telling us to clean out the old sin from our lives. We are new creations in Jesus (2 For 5:17), but sometimes the past sins of our former life linger. We need to remove those sins and lifestyles that are contrary to the Word of God. They inhibit our daily walk with Jesus and create separation with God.
Start fresh today with a clean slate. Ask for forgiveness of your sin and for Jesus to set you on the right path. Live the life that Christ desires for us to live. Let the Holy Spirit do the work necessary so fruit can start to grow in your heart. Just like plowing before you plant, this will be painful. Old habits and friendships need to be examined and removed if they cause us to stumble.
We do all of this because Christ is our Passover lamb. In Exodus, Moses told the people to clean the house of leaven, make unleavened bread, sacrifice an unblemished lamb and paint the doorposts of their homes with the blood. When the angel of death passed over the house with the blood on the doorpost, it didn’t take the life of the firstborn. When Christ was sacrificed on the cross, his blood is now on us, and because of it, we will go into eternity.