Hello To All:
It is my most fervent desire, that many of you, are making the connection between unbelief and leaven. The lifeblood of "unbelief," is "the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." When we come together, with agreement regarding the revealed truth of the King's Book; then, "the leaven," is driven out; and, "unbelief," is overcome! But, our agreement must be absolutely grounded in the "revealed truth of the King's Book." If we allow human reason to influence our understanding; then "the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees," will come rushing back; and the "Oppression of Unbelief," will continue it's destructive and victory robbing ways, in our lives and in the lives of our brethren.
Returning to our text, from the previous posting ("Beware of the Leaven"), we find written, at verse seven, the following, regarding the disciples: "And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread." In the previous verse, it is written: "Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." The disciples are given a clear warning from our Lord Jesus Christ; and, instead of looking to Jesus, for help in understanding the meaning of His warning: "They reasoned among themselves." After "they reasoned among themselves," they came to a conclusion, regarding the meaning of God's Word: they decided, that they were being rebuked, because they had forgotten to bring some bread with them. They came to a wrong understanding, of the meaning of God's Word, because: "They reasoned among themselves."
Further on, in the text, Jesus rebukes them, when He says: "...why reason ye among yourselves..." He further rebukes them, by twice taking them to task, because: they "...do not understand..." Finally, at the end of our text, the disciples do come to an understanding of the meaning of what Jesus has said to them. They recognized that "the leaven," was referencing: "the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." Can we all say: Thank you Jesus, for opening their hearts and minds, to understand the truth of your Words.
Now, many of us are probably smugly sitting back, and thinking about how foolish the disciples were. We are congratulating ourselves, because we think that we would not have missed the meaning of the Word of Jesus. But, if we are willing to humble ourselves before the Lord our God; we should be looking at ourselves, in a mirror, and seeing that very same foolishness, in our own lives. The institutional church is filled with "leaven," that has been embraced as truth; because, we have reasoned among ourselves, and decided that our conclusion is true: never mind the reality, that others, "reasoning" about the same portion of the King's Book, have come to an entirely different conclusion, based on their reasoning processes; and the leaven continues to pour, in seemingly endless waves, into our assemblies and into our individual lives: robbing us of the power and authority, that our Lord Jesus Christ, would pour into our lives - if only we would believe!
We find the following, recorded in the gospel of John, in chapter 8 and verses 31 and 32: "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." We have looked at this text, in a previous post, but it is good to do so again. Our Lord Jesus Christ is clearly claiming the Word of God as His own Word. The King's Book belongs to the King Jesus. If we are to purge out the old leaven, from our lives, we must look to Jesus Christ; and to no one else. Jesus is the Truth; and if we want to know what is true: then we must know Jesus and trust Him to reveal the Truth of His own Book. We must reject the "leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." We must stop being as those that: "Reasoned Among Themselves." This is absolutely essential and foundational to being: "Victorious Disciples in Jesus Christ." Can the church say Amen and Amen and Amen!
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Beware of the Leaven!
Hello to All:
In the gospel of Matthew, we find written at chapter 16 and verses 6 to 12, the following:
"Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
Which, when Jesus perceived, He said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 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?"
The "Pharisees and the Sadducees," were Jewish religous groups, consisting of those individuals who were in positions of authority in the religous communities of the Jewish people. They were the leaders. They were the teachers. They were the preachers. They gave guidance and counsel regarding right practice and right living. They were the ones who took the position that they knew the Word of God. But, they did not agree on matters of right teaching, right preaching, right practice and right living. Nor, did they agree on the meaning of the Word of God. In so many ways, they were very similar to the leadership stuctures and practices, so common to the present day church that claims allegiance to Jesus Christ; and what did our Lord Jesus Christ have to say, regarding these authorities: "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." At the end of our text, that "leaven" is identified as "the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."
Let us pause for a moment and think about our neighborhoods and the communities that we live in. Are the churches, that we are familiar with, are they in agreement with one another? Are the church leaders in fellowship with one another? Is their teaching and preaching in agreement with one another? For most of us, the answer is, quite simply: No! Rather, our communities and our churches, are filled with "the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." Rather then seeking to build up the church that Jesus Christ has established, our church leaders are, most often, seeking to maintain their viewpoint, and have involved themselves in competition, for the few souls who still claim to believe, but have yet to find a good church home. Certainly, there are exceptions to this indictment; but, by and large, we are guilty, before the Lord our God; and, I include myself in this indictment: who am I to make any claim about knowing what is true and what is right? It has been stated before; but, let it be stated again: do not believe it simply because you heard it from me, or from anyone else! If you cannot open the King's Book and put your finger on the text, to confirm what you have been told - then you cannot believe it - because it might not be true. Everything must be affirmed by the King's Book as it is revealed by our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only way that we will be able to recognize the difference between "the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees" and the Truth of Jesus Christ!
Until next time, by beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
In the gospel of Matthew, we find written at chapter 16 and verses 6 to 12, the following:
"Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
Which, when Jesus perceived, He said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 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?"
The "Pharisees and the Sadducees," were Jewish religous groups, consisting of those individuals who were in positions of authority in the religous communities of the Jewish people. They were the leaders. They were the teachers. They were the preachers. They gave guidance and counsel regarding right practice and right living. They were the ones who took the position that they knew the Word of God. But, they did not agree on matters of right teaching, right preaching, right practice and right living. Nor, did they agree on the meaning of the Word of God. In so many ways, they were very similar to the leadership stuctures and practices, so common to the present day church that claims allegiance to Jesus Christ; and what did our Lord Jesus Christ have to say, regarding these authorities: "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." At the end of our text, that "leaven" is identified as "the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."
Let us pause for a moment and think about our neighborhoods and the communities that we live in. Are the churches, that we are familiar with, are they in agreement with one another? Are the church leaders in fellowship with one another? Is their teaching and preaching in agreement with one another? For most of us, the answer is, quite simply: No! Rather, our communities and our churches, are filled with "the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." Rather then seeking to build up the church that Jesus Christ has established, our church leaders are, most often, seeking to maintain their viewpoint, and have involved themselves in competition, for the few souls who still claim to believe, but have yet to find a good church home. Certainly, there are exceptions to this indictment; but, by and large, we are guilty, before the Lord our God; and, I include myself in this indictment: who am I to make any claim about knowing what is true and what is right? It has been stated before; but, let it be stated again: do not believe it simply because you heard it from me, or from anyone else! If you cannot open the King's Book and put your finger on the text, to confirm what you have been told - then you cannot believe it - because it might not be true. Everything must be affirmed by the King's Book as it is revealed by our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only way that we will be able to recognize the difference between "the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees" and the Truth of Jesus Christ!
Until next time, by beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)