Scripture to Read: 1 Corinthians 5:8
When we willingly confess our sins and repent (turn back to God to be in right fellowship with Him), then there is reason to rejoice and celebrate. God wanted the believers in Corinth to know how to appropriately celebrate as well, so He had Paul write this in 1 Corinthians 5:8: “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.” God wanted the believers to understand that to celebrate, they could not do it with wickedness and evil in their midst. They had to remove the wickedness and evil, and by doing so, they could celebrate in sincerity and truth. When we compromise in any area of our lives, the compromise will have an effect on all the other areas of our lives. Again, that is why God used yeast or leaven as an example of sin. Just like yeast or leaven, it only takes a little time to permeate an entire lump of dough. God makes this clear in Galatians 5:9, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.” Even Jesus warned the disciples in Matthew 16:5–12 about the ungodly teaching and lifestyles of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Jesus had told the disciples (in Matthew 16:6), “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” He warned them because their teaching was false and their lives were godless. We have much to celebrate if we are walking in right fellowship with our Lord—let’s make sure we are.
Challenge & Application
What happens when we allow sin to creep into just one area of our lives?
How are you guarding against sin in every area of your life so you stay in right fellowship with our Lord and His Word?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!