1 Corinthians 5:7
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
1 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV)
Context
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to address divisions and moral failures in the Corinthian church. In chapter 5, he confronts a case of sexual immorality that the church had tolerated, and he insists that the offending member must be removed from fellowship (1 Corinthians 5:1-2, 4-5, 13). The immediate context is the command to purge evil from the community, and verse 7 rests on the proverb in 1 Corinthians 5:6: “a little leaven leavens the whole lump.” Unchecked sin, like leaven, spreads through the whole body.
Meaning
Leaven, or yeast, is used in Scripture as a symbol of sin and its corrupting influence. Paul urges the Corinthians to “purge out” the “old leaven,” meaning they must remove sinful practices and behaviors from their midst. The goal is that they may become “a new lump,” a transformed community set apart from the world’s contamination. The phrase “as ye are unleavened” points to the believer’s position in Christ: through His sacrifice, they are already declared clean and holy, and this status calls for practical purity.
The climax of the verse is the Passover imagery: “even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” This recalls the Old Testament Passover (Exodus 12), when the Israelites applied the blood of a spotless lamb to their doorposts and removed all leaven from their homes for seven days (Exodus 12:15, 19). Christ is the fulfillment of that Passover lamb; His sacrificial death is the basis for the believer’s cleansing. Because Christ, the true Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed, believers are positionally unleavened. The command to purge sin flows from what God has already done in Christ—it is not a command to make oneself unleavened, but to live consistently with the unleavened status already granted.
Biblical connections
The Passover connection is not merely illustrative; it is the theological foundation for Christian purity. Just as the Israelites removed leaven from their homes as a reminder of their deliverance from Egypt, believers are to remove sin from their lives because of their deliverance through Christ. The “old leaven” symbolizes sin and malice, while the “unleavened bread” symbolizes sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:8). The church’s holiness is rooted in Christ’s atoning work and must be actively maintained through the removal of sin.
Application
Examine your life for areas of sin. Just as leaven spreads and contaminates dough, sin can spread and affect your life and the lives of others. Be intentional about removing it.
Remember that Christ’s sacrifice is central to your faith. Embrace and remember His death and resurrection, acknowledging that through Him you have been redeemed and set free.
Live as a new creation. By removing the leaven of sin, pursue a holy and transformed life that reflects the character of Christ in all you do.
Support church discipline. Paul’s command to “purge out” the old leaven implies the need for discipline when unrepentant sin exists in the church. The church is called to maintain holiness and accountability among its members.
Reflection
Because Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed, we are already unleavened in God’s sight. Our calling is not to earn that standing but to live it out—removing sin and embracing the sincerity and truth that belong to those who have been cleansed by the Lamb.
