I Corinthians 5:6-7

1 Corinthians 5

6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

A little yeast (leaven) quickly overtakes a lump of dough. Once it has been added to dough, it cannot be removed. It spreads throughout the entire lump. It will be at work and the evidence of that will be seen in the bread.

Likewise, a little sin can spread quickly and lead to our destruction. What is the ‘little sin’ in your life? The very fact it has been dubbed a ‘little sin’ probably makes it even more dangerous. It is something we know is there but have grown apathetic towards. Sure, its something we shouldn’t do, but what does it hurt? Don’t be deceived- that little sin in your life can grow, double in size like yeast, and invite more sin in.

In this particular passage, Paul is talking about sexual immorality. Perhaps this is an easy example to see this happening through… Maybe it begins by watching movies that contain just a little sexual content. This then leads to something that has a little nudity or explicit content. Maybe you’re lingering on revealing pictures that are posted on facebook, in magazine ads, or commercials that are inappropriate. It won’t be long before your desire for this grows, and soon your view of the people you see changes. They are no longer images of our Creator but they are objectified and used for your personal viewing pleasure. How long before this then grows and progresses? Not only will this consume your own life, it will rip apart the relationships you have with those around you.

Again, this is just an easy example. You can replace that sin with any other. Gossip, lying, cheating, stealing, even just a bad attitude… it grows and consumes you. So… cleanse it out like verse seven says. Get rid of it while its still ‘little.’ Be the new creation that God has called you to be. Christ died for that sin, let Him conquer it in you.

2 Timothy 2:22- So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.