Understanding the Sinfulness of Sin

Greetings, brethren! Welcome to first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread! Today is a great day; it means an awful lot for us. It shows God's plan and how He is going to rescue all of mankind beginning with those who are called, chosen and faithful; the firstfruits and those in first resurrection.

But in order to get there, we have a lot of things to do; we have a lot of things to overcome! Let's see that from the very beginning, God intended us to keep the Sabbath. We know that, don't we? Gen. 2! He also has commanded us to keep the Feast.

So, in Exo. 23 we see something very interesting, indeed! It's mixed in with a whole lot of other commands of God.

Exodus 23:12: "Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your handmaid, and the stranger, may be rejuvenated."

They've also found that when they give animals the day of rest they work better. Just like us, when we keep the Sabbath—with God's blessing—then we work better; likewise with the very Feasts of God.

Verse 13—referring to the first commandment: "And be watchful in all that I have said to you. And make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of your mouth."

We know that He mentions other gods, so what is the purpose here for "…neither let it be heard out of your mouth"? That is in a worshipful way!

For example: you can say to stop sacrificing your children to Molech. You mentioned it, but that's in a way that would not be worshipful. These things fit right in with the commands of how to worship God: Sabbath and then this one right here.

So, we have the fourth commandment, the first commandment and then we have something very interesting here:

Verse 14: "You shall keep a Feast unto Me three times in the year. You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread…." (vs 14-15). That's what we're going to do; that's what we are doing!

"…You shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And no one shall appear before Me empty" (v 15).

Yes, we are to bring offerings on the Holy Days. Then He goes right into the next one, which will be Pentecost.

Verse 16: "Also, the Feast of the Harvest of the Firstfruits of your labors, which you have sown in the field. And the Feast of Ingathering, in the end of the year, when you have gathered in your labors out of the field."

Then He says the same thing again in Exo. 34; this was after the golden calf problem with Aaron and those who wanted to follow the Egyptians' gods and not trust in the true God!

Exodus 34:17: "You shall make no molten gods for yourselves." Second commandment!

Why does He do it this way? To show the importance of the Feast days! That's why He does it! So, it means that it's on an equal level, and we'll see that in just a little bit, with all of His commands.

Verse 18: "You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. You shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, in the time of the month Abib, for in the month Abib you came out from Egypt."

Egypt is a type of sin, and it is also a type of Babylon, and we are to 'come out of her My people.' Then He talks about the firstborn.

It's very interesting, indeed, how God does things, isn't it? God has given the meaning for all of these days in the Bible.

• some here, some there
• some in the Old Testament, some in the New Testament
• some in the Psalms
• some in the Proverbs
• some in Ecclesiastes
• some in the Prophets

Here a little, there a little; line upon line; precept upon precept!

So, when the average person reads this, they won't understand the significance of it. Why? Because there's one vital key that must always be followed:

When you read something in the Bible and you understand it and know what it means, you are to keep it!

So, it says to keep the Sabbath Holy; so we do! It says that you are to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread; so we do! Here's the secret:

When you do, you have understanding! When you do not do it, you cut yourself off from understanding, because you don't realize what's actually being said, what it means or why we should do it. So, here in Lev. 23 we find something very interesting, though how many times have we gone over it.

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

Remember that we are to obey the voice of the Lord your God, and Moses wrote it down so we can.

Verse 2: "Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, 'Concerning the appointed Feasts of the LORD…'"

This means that God has made an appointment for us. He will come and put His presence in that time and in that day if we keep it and come to Him.

"…which you shall proclaim to be Holy convocations, even these are My appointed Feasts" (v 2).

What does that start out with? The Sabbath, just like we found back there in Exo. 23!!

Verse 3: "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"—everywhere you are! That's the weekly Sabbath, an appointed time! When we come to God on the Sabbath Day:

• we study His Word
• we learn from it
• we apply it to our lives

And during the week we pray and study, in contact with God!

• Don't we learn a lot?
• Doesn't God teach us a lot of things?
• Isn't this so important in our lives?
• What is there out there in the world that's more important than the Sabbath and the Feast Days of God?
• Can anything be compared to it?

Of course not!

Verse 4: "These are the appointed Feasts of the LORD, Holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their appointed seasons."

It doesn't mean that you pick and choose and do what you want. Just like I have said, every year I get papers on 'we don't have to keep the Holy Days, but we have to keep the Sabbath.' How does that work? They're all attached one to another! Let's see it here:

Verse 5: "In the fourteenth day of the first month, between the two evenings… [between sunset and dark] …is the LORD'S Passover."

There are other instructions for it other places. Jesus Christ—as we saw and we will see today—is our Passover, crucified on the Passover Day. Then people say we don't have to keep it!!! 'Oh, we keep the Lord's Supper'! You need to read 1-Cor. 11, 'It is not to eat the Lord's Supper.' It's not even to be called 'the Lord's Supper.' It's the Lord' Passover!

Verse 6: "And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD…. [not to the Jews] …You must eat unleavened bread seven days. 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…." (vs 6-8). That was at the temple!

We also see that we are to bring an offering. We will see that the animal sacrifices, which were to be offered on those days, is separate from what we bring ourselves to God as an offering.

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, and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles. And they shall not appear before the LORD empty."

These are personal offerings that were offered in addition to the commanded Levitical priest offerings that they would offer at the temple. And there were great offerings that they would offer there; read that in 2-Chron. 35 about what they did during the days of Josiah. Thousands and thousands of animals over a period of seven days.

Verse 17: "Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God, which He has given you."

So, we take up an offering, and that's the only time we take up an offering during Church services; on the Holy Days. Why? Because God says so! That's a wonderful thing!

IF we do it from the heart, willingly—as God desires us to be toward Him—THEN we receive blessings!

(pause for the offering)

Thank you, brethren, for the offering that you have given. We will put it to good use in reaching out to the brethren and producing the things that we do to preach the Gospel, and everything goes toward those activities all the time.

Exo. 12—let's pick up the flow of events from the Night to Be Much Observed to the Lord. We had that last night.

Exodus 12:42: "It is a night to be much observed to the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt…."

Lesson here: only God can bring us out of sin! But we must do what God wants. We can't stay in Egypt, we must come out. When we come out, we're walking:

• in the path of the Lord
• in the way of God
• in the way that Jesus Christ has said

"…This is that night of the LORD to be observed by all the children of Israel in their generations" (v 42). The Church is spiritual Israel and we are the seed of Abraham!

Now, in Exo. 13 are some instructions that God gives concerning the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This becomes very important for us to know and understand.

Exodus 12:51—should be v 1 of Exo. 13: And it came to pass the very same day, when the LORD brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies."

Exodus 13:1: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying."

Here's something very important and applies to the Church, spiritually applies to us; we are the Church of the Firstborn, registered in heaven (Heb. 12).

Verse 2: "Sanctify all the firstborn to Me, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, of man and of beast. It is Mine."

Why does God claim that? Because He's the Creator of everything!

Verse 3: "And Moses said to the people, 'Remember this day in which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage…'"

We're brought out of the bondage of sin in the New Testament; same parallel, same thing.

"…for the LORD brought you out from this place by the strength of His hand. There shall be no leavened bread eaten." He's speaking there on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread!

Verse 4: "On this day you are going out, in the month Abib. And it shall be when the LORD shall bring you into the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month…. [notice what Moses reiterates]: …You shall eat unleavened bread seven days…" (vs 4-6).

As we have seen, the Passover is a separate, one day of unleavened bread, followed by seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This year that's especially easy to see, because the Passover falls on the Sabbath Day.

Verse 7: "Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And there shall be no leavened bread seen with you, nor shall there be leaven seen with you in all your borders." So, you have to put out everything that's leavened!

Verse 8: "And you shall tell your son in that day, saying, 'This is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out from Egypt.' And it shall be a sign to you upon your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes…" (vs 8-9)—a very part of you!

Then it gives the reason why, because this reminds us of what sin is—coming out of Egypt—and coming to God and walking in His way.

• What do we do when we walk in God's way?
• Do we just do any ole thing we want to do?

OR

• Do we follow what God says?

Verse 9: "And it shall be a sign to you upon your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes …"

What's between your eyes? Your brain! It's to be part of your memory!

"…that the LORD'S Law may be in your mouth, for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. You shall, therefore, keep this law in its season from year to year" (vs 9-10).

It helps us understand why we have to keep the Laws of God. Leaven is a type of sin, and we need to get sin out of our lives. We need to do what God wants us to do in everything that we set our hands to do.

We've already covered concerning the firstborn and so forth, so we won't go there. Why is 1-Cor. 5 a very important part of the New Testament in relationship to the Feasts of God. We know that Jesus was crucified on the Passover. We know very well that those who were watching everything take place when Jesus was crucified that they were keeping the Laws of God. Even after Jesus was dead the women who were going to come and anoint Him with oil and aromatics—as they would do for dead people—rested on the Sabbath. The first day that came after Jesus died was the Feast of Unleavened Bread, day one.

What does it say in the New Testament with the Gospel: To the Jew first, then to the Gentile! Same Law. Why is this so important here, because the Church of Corinth was a Greek church in a very corrupt Greek city. If they didn't have to keep the Feasts of God why are they commanded to keep it? Paul explains to them that sin is leaven:

1-Corinthians 5:6: "Your glorying is not good. Don't you know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?" Isn't that true? Sin is likened to leaven, and leaven is likened to sin!

Verse 7: "Therefore, purge out the old leaven…"

What were we told in Exo. 13? Get the leaven out of your home and eat unleavened bread! Here's why:

"…so that you may become a new lump…"—figuratively speaking of our conversion; that we become new from the inside out!

Leaven is in the bread; it's not outside of the bread! So, it's the sin within! Notice how Paul explains it:

Verse 7: "Therefore, purge out the old leaven, so that you may become a new lump, even as you are unleavened…. [meaning they were baptized and had their sins forgiven] …For Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us."

There are a lot of people who believe in the death of Christ for the forgiveness of sin. Very few even know that He was crucified on the Passover Day. But why do we have to get the old leaven out of our lives? Because Christ, our Passover, died for us and made it possible! So, we have forgiveness of sin, and we can come to God and receive that forgiveness every day.

Verse 8—this is of paramount importance: "For this reason, let us keep the Feast… [this is not referring to Passover] …not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of Sincerity and Truth.:

That's what it symbolizes; that we get sin out of our life and we have Sincerity and we have Truth, which is the Word of God. The Word of God leads us in what we need to do by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the interaction that follows.

It's like anything else, you must do what God says, get the leaven out of your home, you must eat unleavened bread[transcriber's correction] for seven days and then you need to think about the spiritual symbolism and meaning and knowledge of it so that you get sin out of your life! That's what is so absolutely important in all of this.

How did we get sin in the first place? Sin became a very part of our being, part of our genes because of the judgment of God against Adam and Eve when they sinned. Paul calls this the law of sin and death! You can even see this working in little babies.

• that's why we need God
• that's why we need His Spirit
• that's why we need to teach our children

Their brains, when they are born have nothing in them, except how to nurse! Everything else is automatic in the functions of the body. God says in Deuteronomy that we're to teach our children, teach our children, teach our children! So, if you leave your children to the sinfulness of the public schools, then you're not being the kind of parent that you need to be. How did sin come?

Romans 5:12: "Therefore, as by one man sin entered into the world…" Eve had a hand in it, but Adam was the one who was responsible!

Note the message: What Would the World have been Like If Adam and Even Had Not Sinned?

"…and by means of sin came death; and in this way death passed into all mankind; and it is for this reason that all have sinned."

None of us like the effects of sin, but how many people want to get rid of it of themselves? Because there is pleasure in sin for a season! Then the boomerang comes!

"…and by means of sin came death… [the wages of sin is death (Gen. 3)] …and in this way death passed into all mankind…" (v 12).

That's why it says in Adam we all die, and it's given men once to die and after this the judgment!

"…and it is for this reason that all have sinned" (v 12).

• Why? Because when you have a nature of sin inherent, you're going to sin!
• What does this produce?
• How is the world without God?

Here's the contrast:

Romans 1:17: "For therein the righteousness of God is revealed from faith unto faith, according as it is written: 'The just shall live by faith.'"

Paul is talking about the Gospel. He's talking about what He's writing in the New Testament, to the Romans and so forth so that they can learn

Verse 16: "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ because it is the power of God… [the power of God to overcome] …unto salvation to everyone who believes…"

As we saw, real belief in God and doing what God says is the work of God!

"…both to the Jew first, and to the Greek. For therein the righteousness of God is revealed from faith unto faith…" (vs 16-17)

Your faith to God, God's faith to you, your faith to God, God's faith to you right in a circuit. That's why we pray and study every day.

"…according as it is written: 'The just shall live by faith'" (v 17)—and faith produces good works (James 2)!

Here's what God has done. He has revealed it to mankind, but they refuse to acknowledge Him as God.

Verse 18: "Indeed, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven upon all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the Truth in unrighteousness."

• that's what they do with the Word of God
• that's what they do with the knowledge that there is a Creator; that God made everything

Verse 19: "Because that which may be known of God is manifest among them, for God has manifested it to them." They know!

Even the smallest thing you can find, and you ask: How did that get there? Well, God put it there!

Verse 20: "For the invisible things of Him are perceived from the creation of the world…"

Now we can see a lot of those invisible things, and they are fantastic!

"…being understood by the things that were made—both His eternal power and Godhead—so that they are without excuse, because when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but they became vain in their own reasonings, and their foolish hearts were darkened" (vs 20-21).

Here is the truth and a great leaven:

• IF you don't believe God
• IF you don't accept Him as Creator
• IF you don't serve Him

your hearts are dark, called spiritual blindness, and you cannot understand the things of God! Why? That is an automatic penalty that comes!

Verse 22: "While professing themselves to be the wise ones, they became fools."

Look at what is happening in society today, now; look at all of the stupid laws, the dumb things that men do in their supposed pseudo intelligence, which is stupidity and lawlessness.

Verse 23: "And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed creatures, and creeping things…. [snakes; notice what happens, it's automatic]: …For this cause, God also abandoned them to uncleanness through the lusts of their hearts, to disgrace their own bodies between themselves, who exchanged the Truth of God for the lie… [Satan's lie; there are many of them] …and they worshiped and served the created thing more than the One Who is Creator, Who is blessed into the ages. Amen" (vs 23-25).

Let's see what happens when we have a whole society that comes who don't believe in God:

• why we're surrounded by so many fools
• why so many things are going wrong
• we have more atheists
• we have more satanists
• we have more witches
• we have more people who don't believe in God than ever before

Many of them are in the pulpits as ministers!

Notice what happens; here's what it means to be abandoned by God and left to your own devices. Read the rest of Rom. 1 and see how absolutely perverse and base that human nature is when it's left on its own, just like it was before the Flood. That every thought of the imagination of man's heart was only evil continually! That's what we have today.

Psalm 53:1: "The fool… [we just read that they became fools] …has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, and have worked out abominable wickedness; there is no one who does good."

Think about that today! That's where we are, just like it was in the days of Noah!

Verse 2: "God looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any who understand, who are seeking after God."

If there are any seeking after God, God would make sure that He would find them and reveal Himself to them. So, here's what happens:

Verse 3: "Everyone has turned away; they have altogether become corrupt; no one is doing good, no, not even one. Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They eat up my people as they eat bread; they have not called upon God. There they were in great fear where no fear was, for God has scattered the bones of him who camps against you; you have put them to shame because God has rejected them" (vs 3-5). That's what it is!

Let's see how bad it gets. When human nature becomes so satanic from that great serpent Satan the devil, here is a perfect description of them:

Psalm 58:1: "Do you indeed speak righteousness, O mighty lords?…."

All you great politicians out there, do you know anything that's really right? You may one or two things, but for every one that you may know there are dozens that come against you to say, 'No, no, no we don't need that.'

"…Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men? Yea! In your heart you work wickedness…" (vs 1-2).

That's what it is! That's what we see! That's what runs Congress. Yes, there are a few trying to fight against it, but they're so outnumbered and the fake media ignores them, so people never hear even a little bit of something that is right.

"…you weigh out the violence from your hands in the earth" (v 2).

Look at the earth, filled with sin and wretchedness, war, everything; it's just unreal! All the drugs, all the sex, all the corruption!

Verse 3: "The wicked are estranged from the womb; they who speak lies go astray from birth. Their venom is like the venom of a serpent; he stops his ear like the deaf adder" (vs 3-4). So evil you won't listen to anything!

• that's why Christ has to return
• that's why we have to get sin out of our lives

God has called us to save the world! We will see God's solution.

(break)

Understanding the sinfulness of sin; and of course, we know the author of sin is Satan the devil. He is the author of sin who comes as 'an angel of light' bringing benefits. That's what he told Adam and Eve, wasn't it?

If you eat of this fruit, you'll have a benefit! You'll be like God; you can decide what is right and wrong, what is good and evil!

No you can't, because men never know. Their minds:

• without the Spirit of God
• without the Law of God
• without repentance unto salvation

cannot find the way to live! As we read, 'It's not in man to know his way.'

Today we're headed in the same direction, because there are too few people who want to believe in God. There are too few people who want to obey God. What happens? The society gets worse and worse, because a little leaven leavens the whole lump! Let's see where we are today; let's see what this society is like, just like it was before the fall of Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 16:9: "For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I will cause the voice of mirth to cease out of this place… [ no more good times; no more partying; no, no, no] …before your eyes, and in your days, the voice of gladness, and the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. And it shall come to pass, when you declare to this people all these words, and they shall say to you, "Why has the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us?…. ['we're good people'] …Or what is our iniquity, or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?"'" (vs 9-10).

What does it tell us it is? You tell them, but they won't hear, even in the Church!

Verse 11: "Then you shall say to them, 'Because your fathers have forsaken Me,' says the LORD… [It started way back when?] '…and have walked after other gods…'" Whatever god that is; it can be:

• your work
• what you build
• what you think
• a position
• whatever

"…and have served them, and have worshiped them, and have forsaken Me, and have not kept My Law" (v 11).

How do you forsake God? By doing your own thing and not keeping His laws and commandments!

Verse 12: "And you have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, you walk each one after the stubbornness of his evil heart, without hearkening to Me."

• Isn't that true?
• What happens?
• What happens to human nature when it gets that way?

Jeremiah 17:5: "Thus says the LORD, 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the LORD.'" Compared to that:

Verse 7: "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose hope is the LORD." This has to be us! In the middle of this evil world the way that it is!

Verse 9: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?"

You don't even know why you do the things that you do! That's why you've got to come to God! That's why your conscience tells you that you've sinned and you better repent. God is not way off someplace, He knows!

Verse 10: "I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings."

That's where we are. This whole society is evil and wicked beyond hope! Let's see how God gives a solution. Let's see what it is. We have to recognize our own sins! We have to understand them. Sin is the transgression of God's Law! Sin is lawlessness!

Once we sin and put away the sin, we are to quit doing it. We are to quit walking in that way! That's why we are to put it out, and why we have the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

We know that the New Testament tells us that Christ died for our sins. What has happened is this: the One Who created mankind—the Lord God of the Old Testament—became Jesus Christ of the New Testament so that He could live a perfect life, even though He carried within Him the law of sin and death, so that His perfect sacrifice would take care of our sins.

1-Corinthians 15:3—here we have it summed up by Paul: "For in the first place, I delivered to you what I also had received: that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures"—His shed blood! That's what pays for our sins! That's a phenomenal thing to really understand and realize.

Let's see what else it does, there are quite a few things with Christ that helps us overcome the sin.

Galatians 1:3: "Grace and peace be to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for our sins…" (vs 3-4).

What do we find that Jesus said about that? I lay My life down, no one takes it from Me! I have authority to lay it down, and authority to receive it back' so that He could pay for the sins of all mankind—past, present and future—as we know with the whole plan of God.

"…in order that He might deliver us from the present evil world… [whose god is Satan; the god of this world (2-Cor. 4:4)] …according to the will of our God and Father" (v 4). Think about that! As we covered:

• God draws us
• God leads us
• God helps us
• God brings us to repentance

So that we can see that sin is sin, and then understand that that's leaven in our lives. Our lives from that time forward are dedicated to understanding God:

• to know more about His Word
• to live by every word of God

So that we can recognize sin within and repent! It's a constant thing because of the way that we are made. And it's a constant thing we need to work at!

Verse 5: "To Whom be the glory into the ages of eternity. Amen."

1-Peter 2—talking about Christ. Too often when things come up, we talk back or retaliate. Christ—though unjustly judged, falsely accused—didn't resist! That's something, because He knew that He could not sin! He chose to do the will of God, even in spite of the circumstances. He knew they were coming, because it was prophesied in Isa. 53.

• that He would be despised
• that He would be rejected
• that He would be crushed
• that He would become an offering for the sin of all the world

So that we could be reconciled to the Father! That's really something!

That's why Unleavened Bread is putting out the leaven—sin—and put in the unleavened—the unleavened bread of Sincerity and Truth, which is the Word of God: Jesus Christ.

1-Peter 2:21: "For to this you were called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in His footsteps."

If we're to follow in His footsteps—which we are, it says so right there:

• Did He keep the Sabbath? Yes!
• Did He keep the Passover? Yes!
• Did He keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread? Yes!
• Did He keep Pentecost? Yes!
• Did He keep the fall Festivals seasons? Yes!
• Did He keep the Feast of Tabernacles? Yes!

How can any say that we don't have to keep them today? Because they have listened to Satan's 'swan song' coming as an angel of light!

Verse 22: "Who committed no sin; neither was guile found in His mouth; Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when suffering, He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him Who judges righteously" (vs 22-23).

Think about that kind of behavior and that's what we are to do, because He carried all the sins of the world. He was to be the sacrifice for all sin: past, present and future!

Verse 24: "Who Himself bore our sins within His own body on the tree…"

How could He do that? If He took upon Himself human nature, with the law of sin and death, and did not sin, then He as Creator would become the perfect sacrifice for the sins of everyone!

Now for the Church—the Church of the Firstborn, the Firstfruits—that's for us so we can walk in His footsteps!

"…so that we, being dead to sins…" (v 24). How are we dead to sin? Baptized! That baptism, as we have seen, is a death and burial, and our covenant pledge with God! To come out of that watery grave and walk in newness of life! "…dead to sins…" is the leaven!

"…may live unto righteousness…" (v 24). Taking in the unleavened bread of

• Truth and Sincerity
• the Word of God
• walking in the right way

"…by Whose stripes you were healed. For you were as sheep going astray… [yes, we all sin] …but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls" (vs 24-25). All because of Christ!

1-John 3:5: "And you know that He appeared in order that He might take away our sins; and in Him is no sin."

This tells us what we need to do when we have our sins forgiven, and we need that every day in one form or another, because the battle against sin is always there.

Verse 6: "Everyone who dwells in Him does not practice sin…"

It doesn't say that you don't sin, and when we find sin and unrighteousness in our lives we repent and are forgiven. Once we're baptized and received the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, to live our lives the way God wants us to live, we have access to God for the forgiveness of our sins on a continually basis.

With that, when we have these sins out of our lives and we put in the way of God, study and pray, then God writes His Laws in our heart and mind.

1-John 1:6: If we… [John is including himself] …proclaim that we have fellowship with Him, but we are walking in the darkness, we are lying to ourselves… [that's worst kind of sin and lie, because you believe it] …and we are not practicing the Truth."

On the one hand you're not practicing sin, and on the other hand we're to be practicing the Truth.

Verse 7: "However, if we walk in the Light, 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."

• not some
• not part
• not most
• But ALL

Verse 8: "If we say that we do not have sin…"—meaning 'we don't have the law of sin and death in us, we're righteous people.' NO! All human beings have that!

"…we are deceiving ourselves, and the Truth is not in us. 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 8-10).

Let's see what we are to do, and how that works. Col. 3 shows us the whole operation:

• put out/put in
• put out leaven/put in unleaven

Colossian 3:1: "Therefore, if you have been raised together with Christ.. [baptized and raised out of the water with Christ] …seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God."

Always have that as the central thing in your mind, and keep that there!

Verse 2: "Set your affection on the things that are above, and not on the things that are on the earth. For you have died… [through baptism and to the world and Satan] …and your life has been hid together with Christ in God" (vs 2-3).

Notice the promise right here, v 4: "When Christ, Who is our life, is manifested, then you also shall be manifested with Him in glory." That's the goal! We do have to fight sin:

• the sin within
• Satan the devil
• the society and world around us

All present as problems!

But as we love God and keep His commandments, pray and study, and yield to Him, then we can grow and overcome.

Verse 5: "Therefore, put to death your members, which are on earth… [What are they? Right here]: …sexual immorality, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desires… [lust] …and covetousness, which is idolatry."

These are gross big sins! But Paul says to put them out, put them to death, get them out of your life! That's the process to conversion! Yes, God has provided the way out through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that is true; but He's given us the Holy Spirit and expects us to do our part!To do it in such a way that we recognize the sin, we repent of it and we get it out of our lives. Here in v 5 are gross sins!

So, Paul says, v 6: "Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience… [we're not to live that way anymore] …among whom you also once walked, when you were living in these things" (vs 6-7).

And you have a lot of thoughts in your mind and memories of those things that you need to ask God to help cleanse you. We are cleansed from our sins through Jesus Christ. We have His blood applied to our lives and our sins to remove them! God says that He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west!

Verse 8: "But now you should also put off all these things: wrath, indignation, malice, blasphemy, and foul language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man together with his deeds" (vs 8-9)

• put off
• put out
• get rid of

Verse 10: "And have put on the new man, who is being renewed… [present tense] …in knowledge according to the image of Him Who created him."

Remember that conversion is a process. This is what we're talking about, and why we have the Sabbath, the Passover and Holy Days, because in them we learn of the plan of God and through them and God's Holy Spirit we get rid of sin, put these things our of our mind. What does that do? That renews our mind, or as the Greek has it: 'metamorphoses' or changes our mind.

Romans 12:1: "I exhort you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice…"

You don't just come to church on the Sabbath and that's all. NO! You live it all the time, every day, day and night!

"…Holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service" (v 1).

What is that service? The way that you live your life! The way that you help other people, etc.

Verse 2: "Do not conform yourselves to this world, but be transformed… [metamorphose] …by the renewing of your mind… [constantly being renewed] …in order that you may prove what is well-pleasing and good, and the perfect will of God."

This shows active overcoming, overcoming our sins. Remember what Jesus says to the seven churches: to the one who overcomes…!

Colossians 3:11: "Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian nor Scythian, slave nor free; but Christ is all things, and in all. Put on then…" (vs 11-12).

All of these have to do with attitude of mind, the way you think with the Holy Spirit of God, with the laws and commandments of God being written in our heart and mind.

"…as the elect of God…" (v 12). What does that mean? You have been selected of God!

"…Holy and beloved, deep inner affections, kindness, humility, meekness and long-suffering… [all having to do with an attitude of love and service] …forbearing one another…" (vs 12-13).

If someone isn't the way you think they ought to be, who are you to judge them how they should be? Forebear! If there is a problem, pray about it.

• Is God able to change things?
• Is God able to change people?
• Is God able to convert people?

Of course! That's His business!

"…and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so also you should forgive. And above all these things put on love, which is the bond… [binding] …of perfection" (vs 12-14). We'll see that in a minute!

Verse 15: "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were called into one body, and be thankful…. [notice how all of this is done; this is quite fantastic when we understand it]: …Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And in everything—whatever you do in word or in deed—do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him" (vs 15-17). That's how we are to do it!

The first part of Rom. 8 is tremendous from this point of view: In Rom. 7 Paul shows the difficulties of overcoming the sin within, and when he wanted to good, he couldn't do it. He had to repent of it. He said:

The Law is Holy, spiritual, good and true, the problem is not the Law, the problem is not God, the problem is my conversion.

He would sin when he didn't want to. He would do things that he would be abhorred at doing, so he repents. In this process of overcoming, using the Spirit of God, this tells us:

• How does God look at us because we're fighting sin?
• How does God look at us because we sin and repenting and trying to overcome?
• Does He condemn us?
• Does He throw us away?
• Does He reject us?

NO! He wouldn't do that unless He has warned you, warned you, warned you, and you had every warning necessary. But if you are practicing what is unleavened bread, putting out the sin within and putting in the righteousness of God, the love of God and everything like that… If you're loving God with all your heart, mind, soul, being and strength that's what's important!

Romans 8:1: "Consequently, there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who are not walking according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit… [that's what we do] …because the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has delivered me from the law of sin and death" (vs 1-2). Yes, and constantly delivering!

Verse 3: "For what was impossible for the Law to do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God having sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh."

Why? So that we can have forgiveness and overcome and be in His Kingdom!

Verse 4: "In order that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who are not walking according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."

That's what it means for the Feast of Unleavened Bread:

• put out the sin
• put in the righteousness
• grow and overcome
• repent
• stay close to God
• let you mind be renewed
• develop the very mind of Christ

That's how it's done, brethren! That's why the Feast of Unleavened Bread is important. We need to do this every year, and need to be taught how we can do it better.

• how God loves that
• how God loves us
• how God has called us

Continue to have a good Feast of Unleavened Bread, go online during the week and download different studies and by all means go online and download True Fellowship with God! That will inspire you to want to grow, change and overcome tremendously. It shows the love of God and the love of Christ.

You do that! If you have the DVD get it out and watch it again: True Fellowship with God! That will help you become unleavened in Christ Jesus! Amen!

Scriptural References:

• Exodus 23:12-16
• Exodus 34:17-18
• Leviticus 23:1-8
• Deuteronomy 16:16-17

• Exodus 12:42, 51
• Exodus 13:1-10
• 1 Corinthians 5:6-8
• Romans 5:12
• Romans 1:17, 16-25
• Psalm 53:1-5
• Psalm 58:1-4
• Jeremiah 16:3-12
• Jeremiah 17:5, 7, 9-20
• 1 Corinthians 15:3
• Galatians 1:3-5
• 1 Peter 2:21-25
• 1 John 3:5-6
• 1 John 1:6-10
• Colossians 3:1-10
• Romans 12:1-2
• Colossians 3:11-17
• Romans 8:1-4

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Genesis 2
• 1 Corinthians 11
• 2 Chronicles 35

• Hebrews 12
• Genesis 3
• James 2
• 2 Corinthians 4:4
• Isaiah 53
• Romans 7

Also referenced: Messages:

• What Would the World have been Like If Adam and Even Had Not Sinned?
• True Fellowship with God

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 3/4./21

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