Jesus Christ “…gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father” (Galatians 1:4); furthermore, “…He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5).
The Son of God died for us! He committed no sin (compare 1 Peter 2:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15).
However, the Bible clearly reveals and bluntly states this about the rest of mankind: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Here is the reason: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:7-8).
A change must occur!
For those who have this knowledge; who have been called by God; who have repented of sin; and who have received the gift of the Holy Spirit–conversion is taking place if we are continuing to become more and more like Jesus Christ!
Becoming a Christian is not just a single event–something we choose to say we are–it is a process of living just like Christ lived! Note how Paul addresses this:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).
Now, while we are instructed to “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5), we are additionally reminded that we are still battling sin:
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 1:8-10; 2:1-2).
While we have just once again commemorated the death of Jesus Christ by observing the Passover (compare 1 Corinthians 11:23-26), we now are in the midst of observing the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread–which includes a special Holy Day on both the first and last of these days (compare Leviticus 23:6-8). During this time we are to eat only bread (or other food) that is unleavened, as well as put all leaven out of our homes. In addition, God’s instruction is that some unleavened bread is to be eaten each day of this Feast (compare Exodus 13:3-10).
Paul uses this observance to show that we are to also be removing sin from our lives—this is what the true Church of God has continued to practice:
“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 the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:7-8).
As we carefully clean our lives of leaven–a type of sin–let us be even the more diligent to remove and eliminate sin, “…for sin is the transgression of the law” (KJV 1 John 3:4).
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