Purge out therefore, the old leaven, that is, the old person, the old nature, the sinful fleshly nature. It is still in you.
We come across people, increasingly, who believe in the doctrine of justification by faith very deeply, but they are not saved. Extraordinary! They hear clearly explained the doctrine of justification by faith alone, and they understand it. They grasp that Christ made an atonement for us, and that we may be forgiven, cleansed, justified, by faith alone. What a system of theology, what remarkable depth, what a plan of salvation. They learn even of the doctrines of grace, and God’s ordaining predestination love. But they are not saved. What gives us the audacity to say that? Well, because their lives are not the lives of Christian men and women. If they are tired, they lie in bed Sunday morning. If they feel like it, they pop off to a movie, a film, on Sunday afternoon, Sunday evening. There are people who believe in the doctrine of justification by faith, and they swear, they curse! There are people who believe in the doctrine of justification by faith, and you cannot keep them away from parties, because that is where their heart really is. They will dress in very challenging clothing, and flaunt sexual attributes and sexuality, and things like this. They love the old music and the old entertainment. They are still listening to the same songs, the same music, all the stuff that has been created in the sewers of this world. They are not saved. Have you actually been smitten and convicted in your heart: ‘O Lord, I did not realise how great a sinner I was, how evil I was, how much I deserve everlasting judgement. I have not yet cast myself at thy feet, and truly repented, and said, “Lord, change me, cleanse me, get rid of the old leaven of unrighteousness, of wickedness and insincerity, loving the things of this world. Give me a new nature, a new heart.”’ ‘Purge out therefore the old leaven, that you may be new lump as ye are unleavened.’