The Spiritual Journey (2)

Scripture Reading:

Exodus 12:17-20, 13:6-7

2 Corinthiians 7:1

Exodus 13:1-2

Romans 12:1

We can now clearly see that God’s purpose and goal in leading His people is for them to enter into the fullness of Christ. In typology, this journey moves from leaving Egypt, through the wilderness, and ultimately into Canaan—the good and spacious land. Before the Israelites could depart from Egypt, they first had to observe the Passover. The Passover marks the spiritual starting point of discipleship. Its significance lies in receiving the eternal life of Christ. Now, we turn to the second stage in the Exodus experience: observing the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

II. Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:15-20} —Christ is the Holy Life

[Rameses]

The Lord spoke to Moses that the Israelites must observe the Feast of the Unleavened Bread on the same day. Exodus 12:17 says, "So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day..." This clearly shows that the experience of the Passover is to be followed by the experience of the Unleavened Bread. In the Bible, “leaven” is a symbol of sin. “Unleavened” signifies the removal of sin (sinless). Therefore, the second experience after a person is reborn is to live a sin-free life. And the reason we are able to live without sin is because the life we received through rebirth is a holy life.

1. The Feast of Unleavened Bread Last Seven Days

   Exodus 12:18 says: "In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses..." On the same day that the Israelites observed the Passover, they also kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. Spiritually, this signifies the cleansing of sin and living a sin-free life. The Feast lasts seven days, with unleavened bread eaten daily. In the Bible, “seven” represents completeness—seven days in a week, a full cycle of time. These seven days symbolize a complete span of days, illustrating that from the moment of rebirth all the way to life’s end—the day when we meet the Lord, we are called to live a daily life free from sin.

2.  The Importance of Cleansing Sin

   Why must Christians cleanse sin and live a sin-free life? Based on biblical truths, we will briefly highlight three key points:

   1. Sin Causes God to Withdraw

      When a person is born again, he receives the life of Christ within and are united with God. God communes with us, and we are reconciled with Him. However, whenever sin enters, we are immediately separated from God. Isaiah 59:2 says: "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." This is why Christians must be extremely careful. Encountering sin is like encountering a tiger or a venomous snake—it separates us from God.

      When Jesus was crucified, His first words were: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). Our God is a glorious, holy, and righteous God—He does not compromise with sin nor tolerate it. Thus, when the Lord Jesus bore the sins of all humanity on the cross, He was forsaken by the Father—His most painful moment. Though He was the beloved Son of the Father and dwelled with Him, once He bore the sin of all mankind on the cross, He was separated from God. No wonder John the Baptist, upon encountering the Lord, spontaneously exclaimed: "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)

   2. Sin Holds People Captive

      Matthew 5:26 records Jesus’ words: "You will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny." This means that sin has the power to imprison and restrain a person—wherever one goes, sin follows. This reveals the terrifying nature of sin.

      Proverbs 28:13 says: "He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." This speaks of fallen humanity’s nature: after committing sin, people fear exposure and strive to hide it. Yet, our holy and righteous God, whose eyes search the entire earth, sees the depths of the human heart and does not overlook sin. Therefore, if a Christian is overcome by transgression, they must confess to God and renounce the sin—then God, in His mercy, will forgive. Otherwise, spiritual decline may follow.

   3. Sin Leads to Spiritual Death

      Romans 6:23 states: "For the wages of sin is death." This clearly affirms that sin results in death. Indeed, many Christians have applied the blood of the Lamb, eaten of the Lamb’s flesh, and partaken of the unleavened bread and bitter herbs. In fellowship, they stood and shared testimonies full of freshness and vitality. They eagerly participated in visitations and service. Yet, within a year or so, they seem to vanish. When visited, some excuse themselves, saying schoolwork is too demanding or work is too busy, offering all kinds of reasons to withdraw. But after some time, it becomes clear: these are not the true reasons. In fact, they secretly fell into sin. Sin not only separates them from God but also makes them fearful of drawing near to Him. Gradually, they avoid gatherings and stop serving, leading to spiritual death. This reveals one thing unmistakably: once sin enters, it must be thoroughly cleansed and dealt with, or it will bring about devastating consequences.

3. No Leaven Shall be Seen within Your Border

   "For seven days… no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters." (Exodus 13:7) This means that not only must there be no sin in oneself, even in one’s surrounding environment. In other words, everything visible inside and outside the house must be free from sin. All sinful objects and actions must be removed.

   2 Corinthians 7:1 tells us: “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” This means that once a person is born again, he should no longer sin or defile himself with uncleanness. He is called to live a holy life. So how is sin practically cleansed?

4. Not to Investigate the Past, Just Cleanse the Present

   Before being saved, many Christians engaged in improper behavior—having been raised in sin and living in a sinful world. After believing in Jesus and receiving the light of the Holy Spirit, they realize they’ve committed many sins, some hidden since childhood, middle school, university, and beyond. Now, we must be fully assured that when we received the Lord Jesus, His precious blood washed away all our sins and defilements. We need to be very clear: all past sins, big and small, have already been forgiven by the Lord. We do not need to dig into the past. Instead, we must be watchful from now on. If we sin, we must immediately come before the Lord and thoroughly deal with it. But what if we sin again? We still come before the Lord by faith, trusting in the eternal power of His blood, and earnestly ask for forgiveness, praying to be cleansed by His blood.

   Actually, when we believed in the Lord Jesus, our lifetime of sins—past, present, and even future (yet to be committed)—has already been forgiven. Yet in spiritual experience, when we sin again, it separates us from God. It’s like a child who fights at school and, upon returning home, feels too guilty to draw near to their parents. The parents may not even know what happened, but the child’s conscience condemns him, making him avoid speaking or approaching. In truth, if the parents knew, they would forgive—but the child still must confess. Likewise, when Christians sin, they need only to humble themselves before God, confess, and ask to be cleansed by the blood.

5. The Practice of Removing Sin

   Now let us elaborate more concretely the experience of practicing the removal of sin:

   1. Confession

      When a normal Christian commits a sin and comes before the Lord to confess, if the sin involves others, he must first confess to God and also to the person offended. The same applies if there is estrangement between them.

      One of the Lord’s greatly used servants, Meyer, although praised as a spiritual man, was still human, and his Adamic nature remained vulnerable. One Sunday, before stepping up to preach, he saw a colleague do something foolish, and he angrily rebuked him. Afterwards, he felt deep sorrow within. Returning to his room to prepare his heart before the pulpit, the Holy Spirit prompted him to confess to the colleague. He immediately rang the bell to summon him. The colleague came in fear, expecting another reprimand. Fellow workers stood nearby as Meyer, with sincerity and humility, said, “What you did earlier was indeed foolish, but I should not have lost my temper and rebuked you. Please forgive me.” At that time, the hierarchical distinction between British ministers and workers was very clear. Meyer was a well-known minister, yet he humbly and courageously confessed to his colleague. In his written testimony, he described how, after that confession, his spirit lifted again to the blue sky.

      Confession should not be substituted with alternatives. A Christian couple quarreled one morning. The husband felt distressed at work and wondered how to reconcile with his wife. He remembered her fondness for strawberries and bought some on his way home. His wife, knowing his temperament well, accepted the gesture. Though the gift soothed her anger, but it was merely an alternative form of apology. He should have first confessed for rebuking her harshly—whether he bought strawberries or not. Confession followed by a gift would have been even better.

   2. Removing What Is Evil, Unclean, or Unholy

      Idols, injustice, and impure things must be completely eliminated. As 1 John 5:17 says, "All unrighteousness is sin." Therefore, one must search the house for borrowed books, or items of unknown origin, to return them to their rightful owner. Stolen goods must be repaid. Unclean and unholy items—such as gambling devices, drinking ware, celebrity photos, or obscene images—must all be cleared away thoroughly.

III. Consecration to God (Exodus 13:1–2) — Christ is Lord

[Rameses]

Exodus 13:1–2 records: "The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Consecrate[a] to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.'“ This verse presents a challenge to us: can we truly walk the path in the wilderness? Will we spend our entire lives walking in the Lord’s way? After being saved, whether we can progress swiftly on this journeyor not, the key lies in whether we have consecrated ourselves to God as holy. From the New Testament perspective, this consecration refers to offering ourselves to God—meaning we allow Christ to be the Lord.

At the time, the Israelites observed the Passover. In terms of experience, this signified encountering Christ as eternal life. Their observance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread represented experiencing Christ as a holy life. Now, God was taking them a step further to experience Christ as Lord.

1. The Meaning of Consecration

   What is consecration? From the New Testament perspective, it means living for the Lord. Put simply, it is living for Jesus. As the lyrics of the song we just sang go: "All belongs to Christ"—that is, surrendering sovereignty to the Lord. When we give the Lord full sovereignty, we live for Jesus. This is a sacred, solemn, and profoundly important spiritual experience. If we do not consecrate ourselves to the Lord, we cannot move forward. At last year's special conference, our central message focused on the altar—a call for us to consecrate ourselves and let Jesus be Lord. Many of us responded and consecrated ourselves then, but soon reclaimed what we had surrendered. Let us understand clearly: we must firmly consecrate ourselves to the Lord, allowing Jesus to truly be our Master.

   In ancient slave societies, when a master bought a slave, from that day onward, the slave was no longer free and had to live under the master's authority. Likewise, “letting Christ be Lord” means that from the moment we consecrate ourselves, Christ becomes our Master, governing our lives—not that we consecrate and then continue to be our own lord, living for ourselves. May the Lord's great love conquer us, that we may receive grace before Him and learn—like the slaves of old—to no longer live casually or in freedom, but to seek His will in all things, great or small. As the hymn says:

   Be Thou supreme, O Jesus Christ,

   My soul exults in Thee;

   To be Thy slave, to do Thy will,

   Is my felicity

2. The Importance of Consecration

   So why must we consecrate ourselves to the Lord?

   1. Consecration enables us to complete the Lord’s path

      Whether we can follow the Lord to the very end depends on whether you and I consecrate our lives to live for Him. James 1:8 says, "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways." Being double-minded means desiring the Lord while still living for oneself. Without a clear goal, we easily veer off course—leading to desertion or failure halfway. How regrettable!

   2. Consecration brings light and revelation

      To follow the Lord faithfully till the end, we need to continually encounter His manifestation—through personal devotion, Scripture, or church meetings. Without consecration, there is no illumination or revelation. In Matthew 6:22–23, Jesus says: "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" Here, it says that the eye is the lamp of the body, if the eye is good (original text: pure), the whole body will be full of light. This purity is focus on Christ alone, desiring Christ alone—that is consecration: allowing Him to lead as Lord. The result is light and revelation.

      Luke 24 records, after Lord Jesus was crucified, there were two disciples desperately leaving Jerusalem for Emmaus. The risen Lord drew near to them and walked with them, "But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him." Their departure symbolized a decline in spiritual life, disengagement from service and fellowship. They couldn't even recognize Jesus when He drew near. Until they were near the village they are going, the Bible records, "He (Jesus) indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, 'Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.' And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him..." (Luke 24:28-31) It indicates clearly that when they let Jesus be the Lord and He break the bread, their eyes were opened and they recorgnize Him. Only when Christ is given lordship through our consecration do our spiritual eyes open to receive revelation. On the contrary, if we reclaim back our consecration, or we do not offer ourselves, but instead be our own lord, we will not receive the Lord's manifestation in our prayers, Bible readings and fellowships, because revelation stops.

   3. Consecration builds faith to experience full salvation

      Faith is an essential factor to enter Christ’s fullness. We enter the fullness of Christ through faith, and enjoy the full salvation through fatih. But to sustain and grow in faith, we must consecrate ourselves. Let's look at some examples from the Old Testament.

      Consider Abraham: after receiving God’s call, he left Ur of Chaldea and move to Canaan, he lived a life of tents and altars. Then God tested him. God required that Abraham's faith should reach the peak, therefore God said to Abraham, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, to land of Moriah, and offer him as a burnt offering on one of the mountain I tell you.” Without hesitation, Abraham obeyed. He brought a servant and Isaac and went to Moriah. In faith, he built an altar, laid Isaac on the altar to offer as burnt offering. As he lifted the knife, the angel called out, "Abraham, Abraham...Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." Then he saw a ram caught in the thicket—offered it instead—and named the place Jehovah-Jireh (The Lord will provide). Because he consecrated Isaac, Abraham’s faith reached its peak. If Abraham didn't offer up Isaac, he would not have experienced God’s provision. Likewise, we too must consecrate in order to encounter Jehovah-Jireh, then our faith will grow and the fullness of His salvation.

   4. Consecration leads to knowing God’s will

      Romans 12:1–2 says: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." The sequence is clear: consecration precedes understanding God's will. All who consecrate themselves are oriented toward pleasing God and obeying His will. God would naturally be pleased to reveal His will to them. Take Abraham again—each time the Lord appeared to him, Abraham built an altar (symbolizing consecration). This became a gateway for ongoing manifestation from the Lord, guidling him to walk the way before him. So if we continually consecrate, the Lord will consistently reveal His will to us.

3.  The Firstborn Is Purchased by God, Redeemed by His Mighty Hand, and Ought to Be Consecrated

   At that time, all the firstborn in Egypt were to be slain. Only the firstborn of Israelite’s households were spared—because of the substitution of the lamb. The “firstborn” symbolizes all Christians who have been redeemed. The “lamb” symbolizes Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! Through the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus completed on the cross, we have been redeemed and are no longer destined for destruction.

   1. God's Sovereignty

      Therefore, the Lord instructed Moses: "Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine." (Exodus 13:2) This means the firstborn, having been redeemed, must be set apart for God.

      Isn’t this true? We were once under the curse and judgment of the Law—but God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place, that we might escape that judgment. Since He redeemed us, it is rightful that we offer ourselves to Him. Like this watch I on my wrist: because I paid for it, I have the right to own and use it. If the watch could speak and told me I couldn’t use it, that would be unjust—because I paid a price for it. 1 Corinthians 6:20 reminds us: "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body." We were purchased with the high price of Christ’s precious blood. It’s only right that He has full ownership of our lives—and that we offer ourselves wholly to Him.

   2. The Love of Christ Compels Us

      Moreover, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, willingly went to the cross to redeem us—paying a great price out of love. Paul writes in Galatians 2:20: "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." When we truly grasp the greatness of His love, our natural response is to lay ourselves before Him with gratitude:“ Lord, how deeply You love me—Your great love has stirred me. I gladly and respectfully offer You all that I am and I have.” Oh! Brothers and sisters, who can remain unmoved before such compelling love? When Christ’s love pours down like mighty waters, we can no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who died and rose again for us.

      Take Peter, who followed Jesus for three and a half years. Before Jesus’ crucifixion, He foretold Peter would deny Him three times. And indeed, on the night of Jesus’ betrayal, Peter followed behind, a servant girl said, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee." Peter denied before them all and said, "I do not know what you are saying." Peter went outside of the gateway and another girl said, "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth." Peter denied again with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.

      Imagine how heartbroken and disappointed the Lord must have been—not only because of Peter’s denial, but also because the other disciples scattered in despair. Yet, Jesus’ love for His disciples never changed. After His resurrection, He remained on earth for forty days to seek them out and strengthen them. Oh? what unrelenting love! Love that will not let me go!

      Remember the scene by the Sea of Tiberias? Peter led seven disciples back to fishing. That night, they caught nothing. At dawn, Jesus stood on the shore, yet they did not recognize Him. Instead of rebuking them, Jesus gently asked: “Children, do you have any food?” They answered, “No.” Though the disciples had forgotten the Lord and turned back to worldly comforts, He did not reprimand them. Rather, He tenderly awakened their hearts with a miracle:“Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” They did—and the catch was overwhelming. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter: “It is the Lord!” Peter, upon hearing this, jumped into the sea to meet Him.

      On shore, they found bread and fish prepared over coals of fire, and they were filled by the meal Jesus provided. In that moment, they deeply realized the Lord’s unwavering love and care. Could they turn away from Him again? Then Jesus asked Peter:“Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these? ”Peter answered: "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” Jesus asked this three times—not to condemn, but to restore. Now the Lord asks each of us: "Do you love Me more than your nets?" The nets represent our livelihood and security; the fish our enjoyment. Is our love for Jesus deeper than for these? Peter answered: “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” Dear brothers and sisters, the Lord is asking us now. Do we love Him more than worldly pleasures? May our response be like Peter’s: “Yes, Lord; I love You. I willingly and joyfully consecrate my entire life to You.”

4. How to Consecrate Ourselves

   Brothers and sisters, how should we offer ourselves to the Lord? We come before Him and declare: “Lord! I offer You my spirit, soul, and body, and all that I am, possess, and am capable of—fully and completely consecrated unto You.” We must also clearly remember the specific year, month, day, hour, and place where we made our consecration to the Lord. That marks the true beginning of living out a consecrated life.

   The Lord’s servant, Meyer, once described his own experience with consecration. When he sought to offer himself, satan spoke to him: “If you offer a part… the Lord will demand more. The more thoroughly you give yourself, the more the Lord will ask of you. One day, you’ll be left with nothing.” These thoughts made him fearful of consecration. But thank the Lord—just as Meyer was pondering on this, the Lord said to him: "Don’t earthly parents love their children? If your daughter were to say to you, ‘I now entrust myself to you—guide my life,’ would her father say to the mother, ‘Since our daughter has entrusted herself to us, let’s feed her what she dislikes, dress her in clothes she hates, and pair her with someone she can’t stand’? Of course not. Parents would thoughtfully discuss: ‘Our daughter has given herself to us—let’s buy what she enjoys eating, give her what she loves wearing...’” Oh! If earthly parents know how to love their children and bring them joy, how much more the Lord—who shed His blood and gave His all for us—would never treat us harshly. That moment, Meyer was deeply enlightened. He knelt down humbly and offered everything he had to the Lord.

   A hymn says:

   Take my life , and let it be

   Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;

   Take my moments and my days,

   Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

   Take my will, and make it Thine;

   It shall be no longer mine.

   Take my heart; it is Thine own;

   It shall be Thy royal throne.

   Take my love; my Lord, I pour

   At Thy feet its treasure-store;

   Take myself, and I will be

   Ever, only, all for Thee.

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