[Steve Myers] The other day we were answering a question in regards to the resurrection and the Days of Unleavened Bread. But we were happy to find that many people were viewing that—maybe more than we originally thought, which was a very good thing, but it didn't exactly come off the way that we wanted. And one of the passages that it reminded me of was a passage over in James 3:2 it says, "We all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man." And so, I guess, we're not perfect.

[Darris McNeely] We're not perfect, are we?

[Steve Myers] Not perfect. But we thought we might take a minute to really delve into the meaning behind the things that we were talking about in regards to the Days of Unleavened Bread and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

[Darris McNeely] The question came up and the discussion came out of a program we were doing on the Holy Days that Christians observe from the Bible and we were talking about those days, we were talking about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and really what it comes down to is that we do observe the Days of Unleavened Bread, which were given by God to mankind to observe. Those days and the Days of Unleavened Bread have at their center the life of Jesus Christ because during the Days of Unleavened Bread He was resurrected after being in the grave for three days and three nights. He was accepted by the Father as a type of a wave sheaf offering that was a part of that ceremony as well, and so He was accepted, His sacrifice whole and complete, by the Father. And then as we observe the seven days of Unleavened Bread according to the pattern—especially with what Paul said in 1 Corinthians chapter 5, we observe it with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

[Steve Myers] We remove leaven from our homes that symbolize those things.

[Darris McNeely] …by removing the leaven from our homes. And that unleavened bread in itself is a picture of a perfect life and the only perfect life that's ever been was that of Jesus Christ and that's why He was accepted as the wave sheaf offering and it is His life in us, pictured by unleavened bread that allows us to put out the sin that so easily besets us.

[Steve Myers] And how are we going to do that? The means of keeping the Feast points to that fact. It symbolizes the fact it's Christ in us that makes all those things possible. The whole book of Romans talks so much about that. Romans 6:11 it says, "Likewise, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." So, we have the Passover. We certainly commemorate that and recognize His death; we have our sins forgiven.  But yet, if we're going to live a life that is removed from sin, the only way that's possible is by Jesus Christ living in us and through us.

[Darris McNeely] And it's important to note as well that Jesus, when He was observing that last meal with His disciples and changing the symbols of Passover from those of the Old Covenant to that of the New Covenant with the bread and the wine, He said that He would send a comforter to return and help His followers, His disciples–and that of course is through the power of the Holy Spirit and that is Christ's life within us, which is again the only means by which we can have a life without sin. And it's important also to understand that in Romans 5:10 Paul also mentions that it is by His life that we are saved. And so, again, that ties beautifully into the message of the Days of Unleavened Bread with the resurrected life of Jesus Christ living within the believer, a baptized, repentant believer, who is working against sin, striving against sin, but also understanding that any type of hope in that way is only with Christ within us.

[Steve Myers] I think it comes a lot down to Galatians 2:20, which you had mentioned you wanted to read that, that talks about the importance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we recognize during the Days of Unleavened Bread. That sacrifice that resulted then in His death and ultimately in His resurrection so that He can be in us.

[Darris McNeely] And Galatians 2:20 says, Paul writes, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." And so it is Christ's life within us that is the key and the important matter, and as we observe the Days of Unleavened Bread, we—and eat that unleavened bread on a daily basis during that period of time—we are showing that life of Christ within us.

[Steve Myers] Direct instructions, maybe just to conclude, 1 Corinthians chapter 5 where Paul talked about instructions for Passover, the Days of Unleavened Bread, he said in 1 Corinthians 5:7, "Purge out the old leaven," he says, "that you may be a new lump since you are truly unleavened." And then he gives a command, "Let us keep the feast," he says, "not with the old leaven, not the leaven of malice and wickedness, but," he says, "with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth"—literally the unleavened, the word 'bread' isn't even there. Unleavened of sincerity and truth—we're to be unleavened and he said the only way that's possible is through Jesus Christ who was resurrected and now lives in us and through us. So he says let us keep the feast.

[Darris McNeely] We will be posting a blog on our ucg.org site later today that will have some links to some helpful articles that have covered this subject in greater detail and show exactly the biblical teaching on this important, vital subject. So we hope that helps to understand and clarify exactly what the biblical teaching is on this matter. Thanks for listening. That's BT Daily. Join us next time.

Below are some links to additional material on our website that goes further to explain the subject. These articles will help you gain a better depth of understanding about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

What Does the Feast of Unleavened Bread Mean for Christians?

Does Easter Change Jesus' Resurrection?

What difference does it make whether you observe the Days of Unleavened Bread or Easter? Don't both honor Christ?