The Israelites were to consecrate their homes by removing any leavening in preparation for the Passover. This meant that they would have to eat unleavened bread which is dense due to its lack of aeration. The Passover is one of many instances of foreshadowing the sacrifice that would be made by Christ in order to cover over man’s sins. “…Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7 NIV). Removing the yeast from their homes was a demonstration of submission to God. Not only that, but it was a way of rooting out evil from their midst. “…whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born” (Exodus 12:19 NIV). If they were not willing to submit in this small way, then how could they possibly devote themselves to God?

Today, we are still to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. “…let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8 NIV). The old yeast is the ways of the Pharisees, which is evil. Paul recognized that the unleavened bread of this Feast is symbolic of sincerity and truth, which should be hallmarks of the life of every Christian (Vince Szymkowiak). We are not bound by the law to celebrate this in the manor that the Israelites did; however, Paul meant that our lives should demonstrate our celebration of the feast, of the sacrifice which Christ made on the cross.

Christ says that the teaching of the Pharisees is leavening and that a little bit of that leavening will work through the whole dough. “…be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:11 NIV). The yeast of the Pharisees is malice and wickedness. We should not entertain thoughts other than what God commanded of us. Like the dough, evil ways will penetrate all aspects of our lives if we accept just a little. Christ came to call sinners to repentance. Trying to live mostly right is not what is desired by God. We are to repent of sin in all areas of our lives in order to fulfill the purpose for which we were called, to glorify God. If we can demonstrate repentance in all aspects of our lives, only then can we fulfill what God chose us to do, “to be holy and blameless in his sight” (Ephesians 1:4).

Remember that “a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough” (Galatians 5:9 NIV). Just as the Israelites consecrated their lives before they celebrated the Passover, we too must consecrate our lives in order to give God the glory which he is due.

“My brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter “  (Romans 7:4-6).

As Christians, we are dead to the law through Christ. This is talking about the laws of Moses which is referred to for purposes of this question, “…and the pig, for though it divides the hoof, thus making a split hoof, it does not chew cud, it is unclean to you. You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you” (Leviticus 11:7, 8). We know this is talking about the laws of Moses for two reasons. First is says, “the Law”. Law with a capitol ‘L’ is God’s law or in the Old Testament, also the laws of Moses which comes from God. The second reason is Romans 13 which gives a very specific look at the command to submit to your governing authorities. So we know because of these two things that we are not dead to the “laws of the land”, but rather to the laws of Moses. A thorough study of the New Testament will also prove that the vast majority of the laws are also the commandments of Christ. So why is there a discrepancy between the laws before Christ and after? Why do some apply and others don’t?

The above passage from Romans 7 says that, “sinful passions are at work in…our body to bear fruit for death.” The laws were designed to prevent the Israelites away from sin. When Christ died on the cross, we were, “released from the Law” because it was no longer necessary. As it says, “we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.” We have the Holy Spirit to guide us and no longer need the strength that comes from the deliberate action of maintaining strict regulations. That is why it says we are free through Christ (Galatians 5:1).