How does Exodus 12:20 encourage us to remove sin from our lives? The Simple Command “ You are not to eat anything leavened. Eat unleavened bread in all your dwellings.” (Exodus 12:20) What Leaven Meant to Israel • Everyday life revolved around bread; leaven was everywhere. • For the Passover, God ordered every trace of leaven to be searched out and removed (Exodus 12:15). • The house-cleaning became a vivid, family-wide object lesson: even a small lump left behind would spread through a new batch of dough. Why Leaven Pictures Sin • Leaven works silently and pervasively—so does sin. • Once inside, it changes the entire substance—so does sin in the heart and community. • Scripture makes the link explicit: – “A little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough.” (1 Corinthians 5:6) – “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.” (Matthew 16:6) Exodus 12:20’s Challenge for Us • Sin is not to be sampled, managed, or hidden; it must be expelled. • The command reaches “all your dwellings,” urging total life-coverage—home, work, online, private thought life. • God’s standard is immediate obedience, not gradual negotiation. New-Testament Echoes • 1 Corinthians 5:7-8—Believers are “a new unleavened batch” because “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” We now live out what He purchased. • Galatians 5:9—Even a “little” compromise poisons the whole. • Romans 6:12-13—“Do not let sin reign… present yourselves to God.” • 1 John 1:9—Confession and cleansing remain the ongoing way to keep leaven out. Practical Steps to Sweep Out the Leaven 1. Personal Inventory • Ask the Spirit to spotlight hidden pockets of compromise (Psalm 139:23-24). 2. Immediate Removal • Once identified, abandon the sin decisively—no half-measures. 3. Replace with Truth • Fill the cleared space with God’s Word and obedient action (James 1:22). 4. Ongoing Vigilance • Regularly “inspect the house,” knowing leaven creeps back subtly. 5. Community Accountability • Like Israel searched together, invite trusted believers to help guard against blind spots (Hebrews 3:13). Living Unleavened Today • Christ’s finished work makes a sin-free standing possible; our daily choices make it visible. • Exodus 12:20 moves us from passive tolerance to active cleansing. • The feast of unleavened bread becomes a lifestyle: sincerity and truth on the table, leaven swept out the door. |
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