Gene Cunningham - April 5, 2023
The Perpetual Passover
Did you know the Passover is perpetual? 1st Corinthians 5:7-8 says, “Therefore, purge out the old leaven that you may be a new lump since you truly are unleavened for indeed Christ. Our Passover was sacrificed for us. Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with a level of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Paul is using Passover as an example of three great spiritual realities: 1) The first of those is salvation by grace through faith. He says, “Since you are truly unleavened for indeed Christ, our Passover was sacrifice for us.” And it's very interesting here that despite the many sins that plagued the Corinthian church, Paul reminds them that in Christ they have been made pure. If you go on into the sixth chapter, he cites many sins that were prominent at the time. And he says, “and such were some of you. Even though some had fallen back into those sins.” He says, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were clean through Christ.” So he reminds them that they are indeed “unleavened.” 2) The second great truth is cleansing from sin or cleansing from carnality. “Purge out the old leaven.” We are not to celebrate with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness.” And here I think he deals with some of those reactions that happen when sins occur in a church, namely, either boasting, or hostility and judgment. There is cleansing available for you and I on a moment by moment, daily basis. 3) The third great truth that he wanted to remind them of is that you and I have the immeasurable opportunity to live in daily fellowship with God, to live in fellowship with God day by day, moment by moment.
Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 5:7-8
From Series: "Passover 2023"
Did you know the Passover is perpetual? 1st Corinthians 5:7-8 says, “Therefore, purge out the old leaven that you may be a new lump since you truly are unleavened for indeed Christ. Our Passover was sacrificed for us. Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with a level of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Paul is using Passover as an example of three great spiritual realities: 1) The first of those is salvation by grace through faith. He says, “Since you are truly unleavened for indeed Christ, our Passover was sacrifice for us.” And it's very interesting here that despite the many sins that plagued the Corinthian church, Paul reminds them that in Christ they have been made pure. If you go on into the sixth chapter, he cites many sins that were prominent at the time. And he says, “and such were some of you. Even though some had fallen back into those sins.” He says, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were clean through Christ.” So he reminds them that they are indeed “unleavened.” 2) The second great truth is cleansing from sin or cleansing from carnality. “Purge out the old leaven.” We are not to celebrate with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness.” And here I think he deals with some of those reactions that happen when sins occur in a church, namely, either boasting, or hostility and judgment. There is cleansing available for you and I on a moment by moment, daily basis. 3) The third great truth that he wanted to remind them of is that you and I have the immeasurable opportunity to live in daily fellowship with God, to live in fellowship with God day by day, moment by moment.