What is the meaning of 1 Corinthians 5:7? Get rid of the old leaven • Paul has just warned that “a little leaven leavens the whole batch” (1 Corinthians 5:6). Leaven pictures sin’s quiet, spreading influence; see Galatians 5:9 for the same image. • Removing leaven recalls God’s command before the first Passover, when every trace had to be cleared out of Israelite homes (Exodus 12:15). The church must be just as thorough with blatant sin, refusing to tolerate it (Matthew 18:15-17). • This is not about minor scruples; it addresses willful, unrepentant wrongdoing (1 Corinthians 5:1-5). When the church disciplines sin, it protects holiness and witness (Ephesians 5:11). that you may be a new unleavened batch • God never tears down without building up. The goal is a congregation characterized by purity and vibrancy, like fresh dough with no corrupting agent (Romans 6:4). • In Christ we have already “put on the new self” (Ephesians 4:22-24), so we live out what He has made us. • Practical steps: – Confront sin promptly and lovingly (Galatians 6:1). – Encourage mutual accountability (Hebrews 3:13). – Celebrate changed lives as evidence of God’s ongoing work (Philippians 1:6). as you really are • Paul reminds believers of their true position: they already belong to God, set apart by Him (1 Corinthians 1:2). • Hebrews echoes this tension: “By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14), meaning we are simultaneously declared holy and being made holy. • Living consistently with our identity guards against hypocrisy (Colossians 3:1-4) and fuels hope that obedience is possible (1 John 3:3). For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed • The entire argument rests on the finished work of Jesus. Just as the original Passover lambs died so Israelites could live and depart Egypt (Exodus 12:11-13), Christ’s death secures our deliverance from sin’s penalty and power (John 1:29). • Because the sacrifice is complete—“It is finished” (John 19:30)—no additional offering is needed (Hebrews 9:26). • Therefore, tolerating sin would contradict the very cross that freed us (1 Peter 1:18-19). Our celebration is not an annual feast but a continual lifestyle of purity and gratitude. summary Paul urges the Corinthian church—and us—to sweep out every trace of known sin, just as Israel once cleared leaven before Passover. We do this not to earn God’s favor but to live in harmony with the new, unleavened identity Christ has given us through His once-for-all sacrifice. Cleansing the community and our personal lives honors the Lamb who died, displays the reality of our redemption, and keeps the church fresh, vigorous, and ready for service. |
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