Let’s follow the example of the priest and each morning get rid of the old ashes, stir up the fire, and offer a burnt offering to the Lord (Rom. 12:1–2). The phrase “stir up” in 2 Timothy 1:6 means “stir up the flame into life again.” Is the flame burning high on the altar of your heart (Luke 24:32), or are you getting lukewarm (Rev. 3:15–16) or cold (Matt. 24:12)?
Let’s also keep the leaven out of our lives (6:14–18), which includes hypocrisy (Luke 12:1), false doctrine (Gal. 5:8–9), and corrupt living (1 Cor. 5:6ff.).
The sin offering was so holy that it could not remain in the defiled camp; it had to be taken outside the camp (5:11–12; see also Heb. 13:10–13). The priests were permitted to eat their share, but only in the holy court of the tabernacle because whatever the offering touched was made holy. Fellowship with God and one another depends on purity (7:19–21).
