How Do You Walk According to the Spirit?

(First Day of Unleavened Bread 2022)

Fred R. Coulter—April 16, 2022

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Greetings, brethren! Welcome to first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread!

Everyone wants to know: How much more time do we have? The Lord knows! But we know that we're closer than ever before. There are a lot of things coming down the pike that we need to be prepared for and be strong in the Lord! Tough times will be coming! So, we have to be ready!

In line with what God does, and it's an amazing thing with what He has done with the Bible He has put the Truth in there in such a way that it's scattered here and there, and it has to be properly put together.

Then you have the requirement that unless you obey God you won't understand what He's saying. If you don't, by faith, believe in Christ and know and know that you know, then you're not going to understand about Salvation!

One of the most important things about salvation, as we have see and just accomplished with the Passover. The Passover the way that Jesus commanded us to take it!

Then the great Night to be Much Observed unto the Lord for bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt on the very same day that 430 years previous to that He made the covenant with Abraham (Gen. 15).

So, what we see is everything is in the Bible that we need for salvation. We need the New Testament and the Old Testament. You can't have half of it, like the Jews do, with the Old Testament. Or half of it, like the Protestants do, with the New Testament. Just forget about Catholicism, that's just paganized religion with the names of Christ attached to it.

Lev. 23 is the test chapter: Do you believe God? This is the foundation for the Sabbath and the Holy Days. Remember, unless you foundation is founded on the Rock—Jesus Christ—it can be blown away!

Leviticus 23:1: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying."

These are the words of God. Who was God at this particular point? This is the One Who became Jesus Christ! When we go to the New Testament, guess what:

• Jesus kept the Sabbath and we're to walk in His footsteps
• Jesus kept the Passover, and we're to do as He did
• Jesus kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread
• Jesus kept the Feast of Tabernacles
• Jesus kept Pentecost

That's all in the New Testament! Here in Lev. 23 is the key linchpin to:

• understanding the Bible
• understanding God

and built on that

• understanding His plan of salvation and what He's going to do with us

Amazing! All right in the Word of God!

Verse 2: "Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, 'Concerning the appointed Feasts of the LORD…'" That shows ownership! When you come to:

Mark 2:28[transcriber's correction]—Jesus said: "…the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath"

That is in the genitive case, meaning He owns the Sabbath! That's His! It doesn't belong to the Jews or anyone else. It belongs to God and He invites us to come and participate with Him on the Sabbath.

Leviticus 23:2: "…Concerning the appointed Feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim… [not optional] …to be Holy convocations, even these are My appointed Feasts. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, a Holy convocation. You shall not do any work. It is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwellings" (vs 2-3).

Now we have a double whammy thrown at us! Did you know that there are only three countries in the world that have Saturday—which is the correct seventh day—as the seventh day of the week? United States, Canada and Japan! All the rest of the world has Sunday as the seventh day! Think about what's going happen when new people come along and they read about the seventh day and they don't understand what has happened to change it in our lifetime from Saturday to Sunday.

Then guess what the churches are going to do? They will all get on the bandwagon and say, 'See, we keep the seventh day, just go look at your calendar'! Twisting little device of Satan the devil!

Verse 4: "These are the appointed Feasts of the LORD, Holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their appointed seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month, between the two evenings, is the LORD'S Passover" (vs 4-5).

That is the correct translation! And as we have seen, between the two evenings is after sunset but before dark!

Verse 6—this is today: "And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD. You must eat unleavened bread seven days."

We will learn why, and what the spiritual applications are for today.

Verse 7: "On the first day you shall have a Holy convocation. You shall not do any servile work therein, but you shall offer a fire offering to the LORD seven days. In the seventh day is a Holy convocation. You shall do no servile work therein"'" (v 7-8).

Here is a good example that you need other Scriptures to clarify different ones, because here it doesn't tell us to make an offering made by fire. But in Deut. 16 here's what it tells us. This appears in Exo. 23 and Exo. 34, a little different wording, but it appears there.

Deuteronomy 16:16: "Three times in a year shall all your males appear before the LORD your God in the place which He shall choose: in the Feast of Unleavened Bread… [this Feast] …and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles. And they shall not appear before the LORD empty, every man… [everyone] …shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God, which He has given you" (vs 16-17).

(pause for the offering)

Let's continue where we left off on the Sabbath before Unleavened Bread. Let's see how the Old Testament and New Testament are intertwined together and they form one complete book and all the words of God! They are here for us to give us understanding about:

• what God is doing
• what human beings are
• what their problems are
• what God is doing to bring those whom He calls unto salvation in the first resurrection

All of those are all tied together in everything that we keep! So, let's have a little background and understanding about the situation concerning what Adam and Eve did.

Romans 5:12: "Therefore, as by one man sin entered into the world…" This is in the human realm!

Satan and the angels who rebelled, but that was before there were human beings. That's also another thing that God reveals. What is He going to do with that? Especially, as we have known, that all human sin comes from the mouth of Satan the devil and causes people to believe lies!

When they believe lies, what do they do? They transgress the Law of God, which is sin! Think about what it says here:

Verse 12: "Therefore, as by one man sin…" Adam and Eve transgressed the Laws of God, but Adam was responsible!

"…entered into the world and by means of sin came death; and in this way death…" (v 12).

Isn't that what God said? In the day that you eat thereof, in dying you shall surely die! They lived 900 years! But did they die? Yes, indeed, they did! So, it doesn't matter how long a time there is from the time from the time that you sin until the time that you die because of your sin. Sometimes it will be instant, other times it will take years.

Notice what happened to all the offspring beginning with Adam and Eve.

"…in this way death passed into all mankind…" (v 12).

How is that? There is the death gene within us! Men have been trying so hard to try and find that death gene so they can replace it with one of their own. But they will never be able to do it!

"…and it is for this reason that all have sinned" (v 12)—everyone from the time they were born till the time that they die!

Now understand this, Paul make a clarifying point:

Verse 13: "(For before the Law… [the Law as given to Israel] …sin was in the world. However, sin is not imputed when law does not exist." It did exist!

Verse 14: "Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even upon those who had not sinned in the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the One Who was to come."

What is passed into us? The law of sin and death!

Romans 8:1: "Consequently, there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who are not walking according to the flesh…"

What does it mean to walk according to the flesh? To live your life without any knowledge of God, or the wrong knowledge of God! Living in sin!

"..but according to the Spirit" (v 1). That's what we're going to talk about today: How do you walk according to the Spirit? You can't do it without the Laws of God!

Verse 2: "Because the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has delivered me from the law of sin and death."

That's the whole purpose of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. How are we delivered from the law of sin and death?

• that's what's in us
• that's the sin that passed into all human beings

The law of sin and death! What did that produce in all human beings?

Jeremiah 17:9: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked…" That is the full measure of leaven as a type of sin!

Proverbs 16:25: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death."

Romans 8:7: "The carnal mind is enmity against God…" An enemy!

Romans 6:23[transcriber's correction]: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." That's the way out of it!

Let's see what people think about themselves; mostly all of the time. This is the way it is in the world:

Proverbs 16:2: "All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirits." That's quite a thing!

How do we come out of all of this? Believe it or not, the beginning of spiritual understanding is right here:

Verse 3: "Commit your works unto the LORD, and your thoughts shall be established."

That's the whole purpose of the New Covenant; to have the mind of Christ, to have your thoughts established! How does that work? Let's tie this together with:

Verse 6: "By mercy and Truth iniquity is purged…" How do you overcome sin? By:

• mercy
• forgiveness when you repent
• Truth; representing unleavened bread

No vanity! Without the Spirit of God man at his very best state is altogether vanity!

"…and by the fear of the LORD men turn away from evil" (v 6).

That's quite a thing, right here in the Old Testament in Prov. 16. Now let's see that, yes, Paul commanded the Corinthians to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread! They had this great sin in the congregation.

Talk about having a congregation beset with the burden of a great sin where you had one of the members who was having sexual relations with his step-mother. I guess they figured that with the grace of God it doesn't matter what you do, because God accepts you.

Sounds like the doctrine you hear today from the Protestants. They say it doesn't matter what you do because God accepts you. They had to have that back here in order for the congregation to knowingly let this go on.

So, Paul writes, 1-Corinthians 5:4: "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, and my spirit, together with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh… [if that's necessary] …that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus" (vs 4-5).

In other words, disfellowshipment in hopes that he repents! We know that he did later!

• What about all the rest that put up with it?
• Who tolerate it?
• What about your own lives, what are you going to do?

• You can't be in fellowship with sin and in fellowship with God!
• You can't be partakers of Christ and partakers of the world!

So, here's what we're to do. This is why in Exo. 13 it says, 'purge out all the leaven! Let there not be seen any leaven in all your borders!' So, here it's the same thing. The leaven is in our mind and attitude!

Verse 7: "Therefore, purge out the old leaven, so that you may become a new lump…"

We're to be new creation in Christ; that's what the Feast of Unleavened Bread is all about! That we have our human nature changed by the power of the pure Truth of God through the Holy Spirit.

"…even as you are unleavened…." (v 7).

They unleavened their homes, but why come to church with the whole situation of a man who is having sex with his step-mother? Doesn't do any good to unleaven your homes, because you're putting up with sin, agreeing with sin! Notice why we get rid of the sin and leaven:

"…For Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us" (v 7). He was sinless!

Remember that when we take of the bread at Passover, that represents Christ's sinless body! Think about that and what God wants us to do! He wants us to overcome sin:

• with His Spirit
• with righteousness
• with Truth
• with honesty
• with understanding
• with love
• with mercy
• with forgiveness

"…For Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us" (v 7).

What comes before the Feast of Unleavened Bread? The Passover! And immediately follows: the Feast of Unleavened Bread. So, here is the command; a command by Paul to Gentiles.

The Protestants like to make a lot out of the Gentiles that they can do anything that they want to. Not so!

Verse 8: "For this reason, let us keep the Feast…"

Who were the Corinthians? There were some Jews, but mostly Greeks, keeping the Feast of Unleavened Bread!

"…not with old leaven…" (v 8).

Don't bring your old sins, your old ways, your carnality that all human beings have that is sin entered into all human beings. We don't come in with that leading our lives. We come to God with His Spirit leading our lives, directing our thoughts, overcoming the evil thoughts that are within us that are contrary to God. We will see how that is done in just a minute.

"…nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of Sincerity and Truth" (v 8). That's what we are to do!

Let's look at what God has done. The call goes out, and we will see that there's quite a very interesting statement in Matt. 20[transcriber's correction].

After Jesus gives the parable in Matt. 20 & 22, the call goes out and very few people respond. But those that do, here's what happens:

Matthew 20:16[transcriber's correction]: "…many are called, but few are chosen"—selected!

If we're the called, chosen and faithful, that means that we answered the call of God, God selected us! Think about that for a minute. In order for you to receive the Holy Spirit, it is God Who selects you! Then you are to be faithful! Faithful to God in everything:

• faithful to His Truth
• faithful to His Word
• faithful to His Laws

Let's look at all the Laws of God that are done in Spirit and in Truth. That represents unleavenness! Isn't that what God wants us to have? Be unleavened!

• we know that God calls us
• we know that the Father draws us
• we know that He leads us to repentance and baptism to receive the Holy Spirit

Of course, that's the whole purpose: Repent and be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit! At that point, we're keeping the Laws of God.

Now let's see how the Law works with Spirit of God! Let's understand something in Psa. 19. We're going to read this and this is going to be a tremendous thing! This is New Testament doctrine in the Old Testament. Remember that all the apostles preached the Gospel from the Old Testament, because the New Testament was not even written, yet.

The next time someone brings up about that harsh Law, remember this verse, because this is important:

Psalm 19:7: The Law of the LORD is perfect…"

• Why would you throw away something that is perfect?
• What did Jesus say, first person, very clearly? Do not think—don't let it enter your mind—that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. But I came to fulfill—complete—the Law and the Prophets!

Isa. 52 shows to magnify the Law and make it Holy! It's perfect! What does the Law do? Upon repentance:

"…restoring the soul…" (v 7). In other words, it helps give you life!

"…the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple" (v 7).

What do we have? The New Testament and the Old Testament! Those are the words of God!

• these are the things that make us wise
• these are the things that teach us

We will see how He does it, and it's quite a thing indeed, really! We have it in print right here, that's true, but where does God want it? We will see in a little bit!

Verse 8: "The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandments of the LORD are pure, enlightening the eyes."

If you don't keep the Laws of God, you can't see things clearly. Do you wonder why there's so much confusion in the world? They're busily rejecting God! They're busily following Satan the devil!

Verse 9: "The fear of the LORD is clean… [right fear; the fear to transgress] …enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether."

How much is all of this worth? Everybody is out there trying to get rich, trying to see what they can do to keep the government from taking charge of their bank accounts and so forth. What you need is the Law and Truth of God! What does it say about how much the Laws of God are worth?

Verse 10: "More to be desired than gold…"

How much gold do you have? I hope you have some for financial reasons! Look what men have done down through the centuries looking and mining for gold, refining the gold, transporting the gold and using it for money, jewelry, whatever.

"…yea, much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb" (v 10).

Honey is really good tasting! Notice what it does. Let's see where God wants His laws and commandments. This is what God is doing, because you put out the leaven—the sin—and you put in the unleavened, the Spirit of God and the Laws of God! These help us to think the way God wants us to think, because as you think in your mind and heart, that's who you are! This is why in Heb. 10 God does this. This is conversion!

Those who think they're 'born again'; they're not born again, they're not even converted, because the Holy Spirit has to be involved in it!

• the laws of God
• the commandments of God
• the Feasts of God
• the Holy Spirit of God

All work together!

Hebrews 10:15[transcriber's correction]: "And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after He had previously said, '"This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days," says the Lord…"'" (vs 15-16).

This is the New Covenant; here is the New Covenant! All of you Protestants—if you're a Protestant out there squirming in your seat because I'm talking about the Laws of God—please listen up!

"…'I will give My Laws into their hearts, and I will inscribe them in their minds'" (v 16).

• Do you have Lev. 23 in your heart and mind?
• Do you have all the commandments of God in your heart and mind?

Well, you've got the Bible, so you can read and study and understand what they are. You need to understand this: if you think you're going to heaven, because you're not going to heaven! There is a resurrection!

Anyone who thinks that they're going to live in the Kingdom of God need to understand one Scripture, Rev. 22. Men have tried to bury this under a false translation, because they don't' like the commandments of God. They hate the Laws of God, but notice what Jesus said.

Since He wants it in our heart and mind written and inscribed, meaning that's how we live and function! Jesus says that the beginning and the ending all resides in Christ:

Revelation 22:13: "I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Blessed are those who keep His commandments…" (vs 13-14).

The Law is not a curse! They completely misread Gal. 3. We're not delivered from the Law because it is a curse, we are delivered from the curse of the Law, which comes with disobedience and rejection of the commandments of God. We are delivered from our sins! We are not delivered from the laws and commandments of God!

"…that they may have the right to eat of the Tree of Life, and may enter by the gates into the city. But excluded…" (vs 14-15)—all of those who don't do that!

This is the covenant that we took Passover night; Hebrews 10:16: "'This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days," says the Lord, "I will give My Laws into their hearts, and I will inscribe them in their minds… [actually how we think] …and their sins and lawlessness I will not remember ever again"'" (vs 16-17).

Verse 18: "Now, where remission of these is, it is no longer necessary to offer sacrifices for sin. Therefore, brethren, having confidence to enter into the true Holiest by the blood of Jesus" (vs 18-19).

"…to enter into the true Holiest…" means we have direct connection between us and God the Father in heaven above!

When we get on our knees to pray, they go directly to God! Don't go through a priest, a minister, an idol, or rosary beads.

Verse 20: "By a new and living way… [direct access to God the Father] …which He consecrated for us through the veil (that is, His flesh), and having a great High Priest over the house of God" (vs 20-21).

This is what all of this is to do for us! This is why we keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread so we can do v 22. This is why Jesus shows that we repent everyday. What is in our mind are all the sins of what we grew up with and how we lived our life before we were converted. It takes the rest of our life to purge it out and also the things and thoughts that come into our mind. We're living in the world that is controlled by the 'prince of the power of the air,' who is sending out his wavelengths everywhere!

Here's what God wants; v 22: "Let us approach God with a true heart, with full conviction of faith, our hearts having been purified… [tie in Col. 2-circumcised] …from a wicked conscience, and our bodies having been washed with pure water. Let us hold fast without wavering to the hope that we profess, for He Who promised is faithful" (vs 22-23).

That's what it's all about with the New Covenant. Let's see how we proceed with that.

(break@45:45)

Psa. 19—There's a little bit more that we need to bring out that the Laws of God do for us, written in our heart and inscribed in our mind.

Psalm 19:11: "Moreover, by them Your servant is warned…"

You will be able to say to yourself, 'Oh no, that's not right, that's sin, I'm not going to do it.' You'll be warned.

"…in keeping them there is great reward" (v 11).

Didn't we read that back in Rev. 22? Blessed are those who keep His commandments! So that they may have the right to eat of the Tree of Life.

• Is that not a great reward?
• Isn't that the greatest reward possible?

Here's what it does: It helps you to think properly! Because you've come from having a carnal mind without the Spirit of God, and you mind and you life, everything in various degrees are all mixed up and messed up, and God calls you out of it to get squared around. It does this, and this is tremendous:

Verse 12: "Who can understand his errors?…."

How many people are willing to admit their mistakes? Errors? Sins? Well, not very many! That's why repentance is between you and God on your knees to God! To no man, because He knows your heart and your mind!

"…Oh, cleanse me from my secret faults" (v 12).

Even the things that you have hidden in the back of your mind are going to come out so you can repent of it.

Verse 13: "And keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; do not let them rule over me… "

Isn't that New Testament doctrine? Because you're under grace, sin shall not rule over you! See what an amazing book the Bible is!

"…then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer" (vs 13-14). Amazing!

Doesn't that agree with Heb. 12 that we read? Yes, indeed!

Now let's come back to 1-John is one of the most wonderful epistles in the New Testament; it tells us an awful lot what we need to do:

• to behave spiritually
• to think spiritually
• how we need to repent

It also tells us that we have a fellowship relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ!

That's what all of this does! All of this that we're talking about with the Feast of Unleavened Bread is a big picture of:

• love
• truth
• righteousness
• overcoming
• forgiveness
• strength

Everything like this that comes from God through His Spirit!

Remember that John was the apostle that Jesus loved more than the rest. All of His writings have a closeness to God and His Spirit that's just a little measure above the rest.

1-John 1:3 "That which we have seen and have heard we are reporting to you in order…"

Why all the things are written in the New Testament, the Old Testament, everything combined together. What is the one thing that it boils down to that's important?

"…that you also may have fellowship with us; for the fellowship—indeed, our fellowship—is with the Father and with His own Son Jesus Christ. These things we are also writing to you, so that your joy may be completely full" (vs 3-4).

Let's understand how we are to live, and how we're not to fool ourselves! That's why we're to have it written in our heart and mind by the Holy Spirit.

Verse 5: "And this is the message that we have heard from Him and are declaring to you: that God is Light, and there is no darkness at all in Him." The darkness comes from Satan the devil!

Verse 6: "If we proclaim that we have fellowship with Him, but we are walking in the darkness…"

That's what the Protestants do; they're walking in darkness, they can't understand:

• the Sabbath
• the Holy Days
• the Truth of the Spirit of God
• the things in the Old Testament
• the things in the New Testament

They have a simple pat formula of saying a nice little prayer, you follow the grace of God and you're assured of going to heaven.

Verse 6: "If we proclaim that we have fellowship with Him, but we are walking in the darkness, we are lying to ourselves… [that's exactly what the Protestants do, the Catholics do and the Jews do] …and we are not practicing the Truth."

The Truth is not only the Laws of God, the Word of God and everything, it is:

• how to love God
• how to love each other
• how to live our lives

That is the Truth! We need to practice it!

Jesus said in Luke 6, 'Why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and do not practice the things that I say?'

Verse 7: "However, if we walk in the Light [Christ], as He is in the Light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His own Son, cleanses us from all sin."

The truth is, just as we are to purge out all the leaven and put in the unleavened, we need to repent every day! There are thoughts, things, actions that need to be repented of! We're still living in the world. That's why one of the first things it says with the prayer—that Jesus gave as the model prayer—is forgive us our sins daily. "…and the blood of Jesus Christ, His own Son, cleanses us from all sin."

Verse 8: "If we say that we do not have sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the Truth is not in us." This is why we need:

• the Spirit of Truth
• the Law of Truth
• the Way of Truth

Verse 9: "If we confess our own sins, He is faithful and righteous 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" (vs 9-10).

I actually had a man write me and tell me that he doesn't sin. Well, that can't be so!

Psa. 103—Let's see some New Testament doctrine that backs up what we just read:

Psalm 103:1: "Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His Holy name."

What commandment does this tie into? The greatest commandment of all: to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength!

Verse 2: "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases."

God has been blessing us with a lot of healings here recently. We're going to try to get a notice up on Go To Meeting because a lot of people have been praying for one another, as the Bible says, so that you may be healed.

Verse 4: "Who redeems your life from destruction… [the Lake of Fire] …Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your desires with good things; your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD executes righteousness and judgment for all who are oppressed" (vs 4-6). He lifts out of those oppressions!

We'll talk about, later, one thing you need to do for overcoming some of the oppressions and depressions.

Verse 10: "He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities, for as the heavens are high above the earth, so is His mercy toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" (vs 10-12).

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins! Then we're to walk in newness of life. That newness of life is being led by the Spirit of God. If you have the Spirit of God, since it is the Spirit of Truth—the Word of God is true, His commandments are true—and if you're led by the Spirit, what will He lead you to do? It's not to reject the laws and commandments of God!

• Why did He do these things?
• Why did He give us these things?
• How is that we have all of these writings for us?

This is why we need to study the Word of God! Study and re-study! That's the way we grow in grace and knowledge. You don't learn it all by just one reading, or two or three or four! It's a lifetime study!

1-John 2:1: "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin…."

That's what we're doing here with the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We're going over the Scriptures of God so that we can get rid of sin and may not sin!

"…And yet, if anyone does sin… [because we do] …we have an Advocate with the Father; Jesus Christ the Righteous; and He is the propitiation for our sins… [we receive forgiveness and cleansing; help and understanding] …and not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world" (vs 1-2)—according to the Word of God!

Verse 3: "And by this standard we know that we know Him: if we keep His commandments." We all know that!

Let's see what else it's supposed to do. How is this done? We talked about how He writes His commandments in our heart and mind, but what does that lead to? Here's what it's to do and this takes time; this is a lifetime conversion process. It's not an instantaneous thing. You're not perfected in an instant. We grow in grace and knowledge, and we are perfect, and we are renewed day-by-day.

Philippians 2:5: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."

How is that done? We have to let it be done and actively pursue it. Let's see what Paul writes, because this is the whole purpose of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Get rid of the carnal mind, and have the mind of Christ. Let's see how that works. This is quite a thing.

Romans 12:1: "I exhort you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, Holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service." How is that done? He tells us:

Verse 2: "Do not conform yourselves to this world…"

We're not to be like the world; we live in it, but we're not part of it. Just like Jesus is not of this world. That's what He said, and we are not of this world! That's what He prayed for us.

"…but be transformed…" (v 2)—Greek: 'metamorphous'; a continuous, slow transformation over your whole lifetime. Steven Greene gave a Church At Home message on the Monarch Butterfly, watch that.

The butterfly starts out as a caterpillar, and then it makes it chrysalis and is transformed internally to a butterfly. So, when the chrysalis is opened up and the butterfly comes out, it is a new creature, completely different.

From that little insect and those similar to that, we can understand what's going to happen with the resurrection. We die and are buried, turned to dust. Then when we're resurrected we are new, completely transformed! But the process has to take place during our lifetime, just like the chrysalis is the place where the caterpillar is changed from a caterpillar to a butterfly.

"…transformed by the renewing of your mind in order that you may prove… [something we always need to be doing, proving the Truth, living by the Truth] …what is well-pleasing and good, and the perfect will of God" (v 2).

2-Corinthians 4:13 "And having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, 'I believed, therefore, I have spoken,' we also believe… [that belief has to be sure and strong] …therefore, we also speak, knowing that He Who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead shall also raise us through Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes…" (vs 13-15).

Everything that we do as elders is for the sake of the brethren, so that you can:

• grow in grace and knowledge
• grow in understanding
• have your mind changed

"…so that the abounding grace may cause the thanksgiving of many to overflow unto the glory of God" (v 15)—because we love and serve God!

Verse 16: For this reason, we do not lose heart…" We've all gone through some pretty dark days. Don't lose heart!

"…but if our outward man is being brought to decay… [which it is; we're all getting older] …yet, the inward man is being renewed day-by-day." (v 16). Tie in Rom. 12, let your mind be renewed. Transformed, metamorphosed!

2-Corinthians 5:14—showing what God is accomplishing: "For the love of Christ compels us, because we have thus concluded that if one died for all, then all died."

In other words, Paul is saying to always remember that when you died that spiritual death in the watery grave of baptism, the old man died! What is taking place now is the development of the new man/woman--person!

Verse 15: "And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to Him Who died for them and was raised again. So then, from this time forward we know no man according to the flesh; but even if we have known Christ in the flesh, yet, now we no longer know Him accordingly" (vs 15-16)—because He is a spirit being!

This is why we go through the things for the Feast of Unleavened Bread

Verse 17: "Therefore, if anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation… [as we saw, day-by-day; the inward man is being renewed day-by-day] …the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. And all things are from God, Who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation" (vs 17-18).

That's quite a thing for us to grasp and understand. All of this is being done by following the ways of God, the Laws of God.

Now let's see the other things He wants us to follow. Here's what we are to do after conversion. The book of Ephesians is a tremendous, tremendous writing of the Apostle Paul. It's absolutely marvelous. You can't just read it and read it over and over. Study the Bible and you will always come back to these things that Paul wrote that are very inspirational to help you understand what is going on.

Ephesians 4:21: "If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, according to the Truth in Jesus." That's what we're doing here today, teaching you the Truth in Jesus!

Verse 22: "That concerning your former conduct…"

• the way you lived out there in the world
• the thoughts that you had
• the goals that you had
• the angers that you had

"…you put off the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts; and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind" (vs 22-23).

• we are being renewed day-by-day
• we are being renewed in the spirit of our mind

Verse 24: "And that you put on the new man, which according to God is being created… [that is what God is doing with you, in you] …in righteousness and Holiness of the Truth. Therefore, let each one put away lies and speak the truth with his neighbor, because we are members of one another. When you become angry, do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger" (vs 24-26). That's an important thing to understand!

Sidebar: if you have things where you get angry and you have a problem—and you react that way—don't go to bed with it on your mind! Get on your knees and repent, and forgive!

Matthew 6:9—Why did Christ say it this way?: "Therefore, you are to pray after this manner… [straight forward] …"Our Father, Who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name."

You have that direct connection to God the Father through prayer!

Verse 10: "Your Kingdom come… [always looking the rule of God:

• in our lives right now with His Spirit
• in the coming Kingdom of God to rule on earth where we will reign as kings and priest under Christ

"…Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven" (v 10).

Let's not fool ourselves when we do something and think it's the will of God! We have to pray about it, first!

Verse 11: "Give us this day our daily bread…"

Keep us alive physically, and He does. Think about keeping alive all the people on the earth; that's a lot of mouths to feed—7.5 billion people eating everyday, how much ever they eat? How would you like to take care of that matter? God does it!

Verse 12: "And forgive us our debts…"

That doesn't mean you indebtedness; that means those you have sinned against and you have a debt to God!

"…as we also forgive our debtors" (v 12).

We'll see something else here that is a real key to overcoming:

Verse 13: "And lead us not into temptation… [trials and difficulties; they will come naturally] …but rescue us from the evil one…."

The Father is the One Who rescues us (Col. 1) from Satan, the 'god of this world.'

"…For Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (vs 13-15).

Stop and think about this: What was it that Jesus said on the cross after He was nailed to it and lifted up on the cross? What did He say? Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing!

Think about that! Sometimes we don't think we need to forgive those who have sinned against us, because they haven't repented. It doesn't say you forgive them if they repent! You forgive them so that you will be in right standing with God.

Verse 15: "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

I want to ask every one of you a question, and I want you think about it in your life:

When you've had problems in the past, learn the lesson, but don't hold onto the anger of the depression and ill feelings that you have.

• How do you get rid of those? You forgive them! Forgive them before God!
• Did those men know that Jesus forgave them? No!

You forgive some people who have done things to you, they won't know that you have forgiven them, but God will!

Why is this? Because you can't have that right relationship with God, and be praying to Him, if you despise people, hate people, and hold things against them! Remember, everything in the past that has happened in your life, it drags you down because you haven't repented and let go of all of those things regardless of how bad that it was against you.

How bad was it against Christ? He forgave them!

That's what we need to do, forgive! If  you want your sins forgiven, you forgive them. That may be tough, because it may have been really very bad, things that you went through. But if you do, it's going to lift a burden from you're heart and mind, and your thoughts. It will cleanse your mind so that you have a right relationship with God!

Ephesians 4:26: "…Do not let the sun go down on your anger; neither give place to the devil" (vs 26-27).

How do you give place to the devil? By being unforgiving! By being angry! That doesn't mean that we don't learn the lesson.

How many people left the Church because they hated Herbert W. Armstrong and his son Garner Ted Armstrong for the things that they did? They did some pretty fantastic things, and terrible sins and deeds! Have you forgiven them? I know wonder man who was so bitter that he virtually lost his life in anger! Don't let that happen to you!

Verse 28: "Let the one who stole, steal no more; rather, let him labor with his hands, working at what is good, so that he may impart something to the one who has need. Do not let any corrupt communication come out of your mouth… [that's a hard one to work on, but we can overcome and do that] …but that which is good and needful for edification that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not vex the Holy Spirit of God…" (vs 28-30).

What does that mean? When you hold things in your mind that are anger, hostility and not forgiving, you are vexing the Holy Spirit of God! God's Spirit wants you to be free of all of those things!

Verse 31: "Let all bitterness, and indignation, and wrath, and clamor, and evil speaking be removed from you, together with all malice; and be kind and tenderhearted toward one another, forgiving one another, even as God has also in Christ forgiven you" (vs 31-32). There it is, right there; that agrees with Matt. 6!

Ephesians 5:1: "Therefore, be imitators of God…" After all:

• that's Who we have fellowship with
• that's Who renews us day-by-day
• that's Who gives us His Spirit so that we can grow and overcome

Verse 2: "And walk in love, even as Christ also loved us, and gave Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor."

Then Paul lists all the things we shouldn't do and shouldn't keep.

For this Feast of Unleavened Bread, let's understand that we do have a spiritual war that we're fighting!

• within ourselves
• out there in the world

Both!

2-Corinthians 10:4—this is the key: "For although we walk in the flesh… [we do; we're still physical] …we do not war according to the flesh."

You can't overcome spiritual problems by carnal means! It must be spiritual means! Just like with forgiveness: forgiveness is the spiritual means for overcoming all the anger and hatred that you have in your heart toward those people who ruined your life as you were growing up!

Verse 4: "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the overthrowing of strongholds."

What are the strongholds? Those things in our mind that we need to get rid of! Purge out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump!

Verse 5: "Casting down vain imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God…"

You can only do that with the Spirit of God. That's why God gives His laws and commandments written in our heart and mind so that this is the way that we think! He gives to us:

• His love
• His mercy
• His forgiveness
• His Truth
• His kindness

Everything that God gives to us spiritually!

So, you cast down all those things that are "…against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ" (v 5). That's the whole story of overcoming!

Verse 6: "And having a readiness to avenge all disobedience, whenever your obedience has been fulfilled."

There it is right there! We can reduce this whole message into this saying:

• Cast out the leaven and put in the unleaven!
• To get rid of sin and put in righteousness and the Holy Spirit of God!

"…bringing into captivity…"

You control it; don't let someone else to control your mind—your thoughts, your heart and everything!

"…every thought into the obedience of Christ"

That's the epitome and full message of the Feast of Unleavened Bread!

Scriptural References:

• Leviticus 23:1-2
• Mark 2:28
• Leviticus 23:2-8
• Deuteronomy 16:16-17

• Romans 5:12-14
• Romans 1:1-2
• Jeremiah 17:9
• Proverbs 16:25
• Romans 8:7
• Romans 6:23
• Proverbs 16:2-3, 6
• 1 Corinthians 5:4-5, 7-8
• Matthew 20:16
• Psalm 19:7-10
• Hebrews 10:15-16
• Revelation 22:13-15
• Hebrews 10:16-23
• Psalm 19:11-14
• 1 John 1:3-10
• Psalm 103:1-6, 10-12
• 1 John 2:1-3
• Philippians 2:5
• Romans 12:1-2
• 2 Corinthians 4:13-16
• 2 Corinthians 5:14-18
• Ephesians 4:21-26
• Matthew 6:9-15
• Ephesians 4:26-32
• Ephesians 5:1-2
• 2 Corinthians 10:4-6

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Genesis 15
• Exodus 23, 34

• Exodus 13
• Matthew 20; 22
• Isaiah 52
• Galatians 3
• Luke 6
• Colossians 1

Also referenced: Church At Home message:
The Monarch Butterfly by Steven Greene {churchathome.org}

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 3/13/22

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