Weeks before Passover, a search begins for “chametz” to eradicate it from our living space. Chametz means “leavened grain.”

"Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters." - Exodus 13:7

There is an intensive cleaning in Jewish homes throughout the world in obedience to this command to the Israelites. They search every room, every crevice of the home, car, office, backpacks, and handbags; any area that food could have been brought, to be sure there is no crumb of leaven found in all their living space. The eve of Passover is the deadline for completion. These living areas are to remain clean of leaven for seven days.

This spring cleaning in the spiritual sense is a command to all people today, Jews and Gentiles. We are to search ourselves and repent of any sin or evil we may find in our heart or our life.

"Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD." - Lamentations 3:40

"And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten." - Exodus 13:3

We can compare our spiritual journey with Christ to the journey of Passover. Jesus brought us out spiritual Egypt – the world, and out of the house of bondage of sin. He did this by the strength of His arm – “the arm of the LORD” – by paying the price of His blood for our sins.

Jesus brought us out of the bondage of sin, and death from sin, when He gave His life on the cross. Jesus is our Passover.

We follow Jesus, crucifying our flesh by repentance, following His burial by being buried with Him by baptism, following His resurrection by being filled with His Spirit. We are no longer slaves to sin.

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." - Romans 6:6 KJV [“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.” – Romans 6:6 NLT]

Just as the Israelites placed the blood of the lamb upon their house, we place the blood of the Lamb upon our house, our body. Just as lives were spared from death by the blood of the lamb applied to the doorposts and lintel, our lives are spared from spiritual death by the blood of the Lamb applied to our life by baptism in Jesus name.

The command, “there shall no leavened bread be eaten” can be compared to our new life in Christ, living a holy life overcoming sin, as Jesus told the man he healed at the pool of Bethesda, “Sin no more.”

"Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee." - John 5:14 KJV

And as Jesus told the woman taken in adultery, “Go, and sin no more.”

"When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?  She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." - John 8:10-11 KJV

The number seven represents completion. The Israelites were to have no leaven in their living space for seven days. In the spiritual, we are to completely remove sin from our life. Spiritually, we are to be unleavened.

"Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters." - Exodus 13:7

"Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." - 1 Corinthians 5:7-8