In 1 Corinthians 5:7, Paul wrote that "Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us." This statement holds profound meaning for Christians.

Paul wrote these words to the Corinthian church, which was allowing one of its members to continue in a sexual sin. This was no ordinary sin, even for the profligate Corinthian society of the time. A man was involved in an immoral relationship with his stepmother (1 Corinthians 5:1). Paul reprimanded the whole congregation and told the Corinthians to expel the offender, lest the sin spread and contaminate them just as yeast inundates and puffs up bread dough – this picture being important to the meaning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which followed the Passover (1 Corinthians 5:2-6).

Up to that point the Corinthians had not comprehended the magnitude of Christ's sacrifice. They didn't fully understand that once their sins were repented of and covered by Jesus’ shed blood, their lives had to reflect a new commitment. They were no longer to give in to their former sinful habits.

Writing to the Romans on the same subject, Paul asked: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:1-4).

When we observe the Passover next week, we are reminded of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins. We should be mindful of the promise we made to God when we were baptized. The days of unleavened bread picture our desire to "walk in newness of life" by allowing Jesus, our Passover, to live His life us.

With these thoughts I wish us all a rewarding Sabbath!