the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Also
(Rom 6, 12): "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye
should obey the lusts thereof."

"For our passover also hath been sacrificed, even Christ."

["For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us."]

22. Here Paul assigns his reason for the statement just made--"Ye are
unleavened." They are a new, unleavened or sweet lump, not because of
any merit on their part, not because of their own holiness or
worthiness, but because they have faith in Christ as the Passover
sacrificed for them. This sacrifice makes them pure and holy before
God. They are no more the old leaven they were when out of Christ. By
this sacrifice they are reconciled with God and purified from sin.

23. Likewise for us God institutes a new ordinance, a new festival.
The old has given place to something wholly new. A different and
better Passover sacrifice succeeds that of the Jews. The Jews had
annually to partake of their offered sacrifice, but they were not
thereby made holy nor pure from sin. Theirs was a sign or earnest of
the true Passover to come, the Passover promised by God, in the shed
blood of which we are washed from sin and wholly healed--a Passover
the partaking whereof we must enjoy by faith. We have now one
perpetual and eternal Easter festival, wherein faith is nourished,
satisfied and gladdened; in other words, we receive remission of sins
and comfort and strength through this our Passover, Christ.

24. The meaning of the phrase "sacrificed for us" has been explained
in the sermon on the Passion of Christ. Two thoughts are there
presented: First, necessity of considering the greatness and terror of
the wrath of God against sin in that it could be appeased and a ransom
effected in no other way than through the one sacrifice of the Son of
God. Only his death and the shedding of his blood could make
satisfaction. And we must consider also that we by our sinfulness had
incurred that wrath of God and therefore were responsible for the
offering of the Son of God upon the cross and the shedding of his
blood.

Well may we be terrified because of our sins, for God's wrath cannot
be trivial when we are told no sacrifice save alone the Son of God can
brave such wrath and avail for sin. Do you imagine yourself able to
endure that wrath of God, or to withstand it if you will not consider
this and accept it?

25. The second thought presented in the sermon mentioned is, the
necess