Beware the Leaven!

What has been running through my mind lately is the passage where Jesus warns His disciples to:

...Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. (Mark 8:15)

Now, I am not looking for anyone's interpretation of what this passage means because what I seek to explore is why it has been on my mind. Jesus explained His meaning later in the same account as given by Matthew:

Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. (Matthew 16:12)

Leaven is yeast. Yeast is familiar to me because my mother used it to make bread when I was a little girl. She added it to the dough and covered the dough with a towel and left it on a kitchen counter so the yeast could do it's work. We were always fascinated to come back and see the difference in the size of the dough.

The way yeast works is by permeating the bread dough until the dough is saturated with the yeast. For those who do not know about making bread, without yeast, you have something that lays down, more like a cracker than something that has been mixed with yeast, like fluffy bread.

Here's the definition of leaven as it applies to the words of Our Lord Jesus Christ:

2. An element, influence, or agent that works subtly to lighten, enliven, or modify a whole.

I used to spend quite a bit of time on the internet. I won't go into what got me started and how I was stopped, but I want to talk about a trend that I have seen over time. It was spoken of in the bible by our Lord in this passage as well as by many of the men who were inspired to preserve the Word of God for us by inspiration of The Holy Spirit of God in the Scriptures.

One very recent exposure I had to that kind of leaven is when I was introduced to a place where Christian women meet and post in forums online. For the most part, what I have seen there are women who want to be Christlike and are simply at various places in their maturity in Christ. Why this relates to this verse about the leaven is that I noticed that there were other women who were beginning to spend time at the site who had taken up another gospel.

I won't go into their heresy here though I will gladly discuss it with anyone who is interested but, under another heading. What set of the alarm was that the act of injecting that "leaven" was done with such a twisting of the Word of God and with such cunning that there were women all falling all over each other to defend those who came to spread such false doctrines.

Let me offer a few words of clarification. This was not about baptism or not to baptize. It was not about whether speaking in tongues is evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Nor was it the age old argument among believers as to whether there will be a rapture or whether the Lord will allow His people to endure the Great Tribulation. Neither did it relate to whether women should be shepherds of a congregation.

This is a new lie in my realm of experience. I had only heard whisperings of such heresy before. Now it was in my face as well as in the faces of all who came to fellowship and study at that sight. (Let me say here that the New Testament addresses it so it is not new at all.)

This is a lie that is so sprinkled with the truth that those who were not grounded in the Word of God and walking in His Spirit were swayed like tall grass on a windy day! Not many things are as frightening to me as was watching these women fall into the trap so adeptly set by the one who sent those who came bringing this other doctrine.

Now, before you begin to bash my head in with the Love thy Neighbor and Judge Not scriptures, let's go to the word. Now, what do you think Paul could have been talking about when he wrote the following words?:

"9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed." Galatians 1: 9

^"17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. ¹⁸ For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple." Romans 16:17-18

Paul says AVOID THEM! Avoid who? you might ask. Those who bring another doctrine! What I recognize in this passage is a reminder that sometimes you just can't stay in the company of those who believe and practice other doctrines where the scriptures are twisted so skillfuly.

Now, one of my gifts on Christmas day was a new revelation of yet another new doctrine. I call it a gift because I believe it has come to me as a revelation to protect me from it's dangerous beauty. It has already begun to raise it's pretty head among you. It is appealing to those who give honor to intellect. That was probably one reason why it has not shaken my faith or caused me to doubt my Lord as it is meant to do. LOL! This is what I think of man's intellect:

There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Proverbs 16:25

The biggest reason that it could not move me from my place in the Lord is that I know what the bible says. I can no longer easily quote chapter and verse, but I can taste the words from these who bring to me new ideas and discern from the beginning whether they are from the One True God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. If I am not sure, I wait upon the Lord and He eventually shines His light and all the lies are revealed.

Know this, I am by no means a theological expert. I have only read through the entire bible maybe once in my life, but today, I know more about God than I have ever thought I could know, by His grace and mercy. I make it a point to keep on learning all that I can about Him, from Him and from His word.

When these messengers come to you with their words, ask the Lord to reveal the lies that are sprinkled among the passages of scripture. He will. He promised. You have only to ask and wait for His answer.

By His Spirit, every believer who is submitted to the work of His Spirit can know like I know. I have no knowledge on my own, but as I am open to what the Spirit has to say I can know what God's desires are. I have allowed Him to change my desires to match His. I learned what His voice sounds like by reading His Word and I have opened myself and asked the Lord to lead me into a greater knowledge of Himself. My greatest desire is that He would pull me closer to Him. I have no fear of what I may have to give up in order to be closer to Him. I asked Him to take anything that stands between Him and me out of my life so that I can get that much nearer to Him.

2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 2 Timothy 3:2-5

The enemy is in the camp. His is dressed as an angel of light. Protect yourself. Get into the word and don't believe every thing that comes from his seductive tongue. He preys on desperate women and men who think they need more than is offered to them in the pages of scripture. Doubt is what he will sprinkle in your mind. Death is what he spreads in the midst of the words that virtually drip with honey.

If you feel the tug of the Holy Spirit telling you to turn away. For the Love of our Saviour, DO IT! Don't go up against this deceiver unless you have been called by God specifically to do so. The bible speaks of knowing when to flee. There is no shame in running from spiritual death. It is a wise man who knows his limits.

In Jesus name, I pray that all who read this be blessed with an abundance of the discernment that can only come from the Holy Spirit. Lord, I pray that you would shine your light on every trick of the enemy of your people, Satan. Reveal his deceit to all who are called by your name, Lord. Take from his service even those who bring his message thinking that it is acceptable to you. Let them know your love is available to them Lord. Let them know that there is only one God. Let their folly be revealed to them and let each and EVERY one of them turn to you in repentance. AMEN!