Beware of Bad Leaven
By Allan E. McNabb

The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested Him by asking for a sign from heaven.  "Jesus answered and said to them, 'When it is evening you say, It will be fair weather today, for the sky is red, and in the morning, It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.  Hypocrites!  You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.  A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah'" (Matt. 16:2-4).

Later Jesus says to His disciples: "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees" (Matt. 16:6).  The disciples reasoned among themselves; they thought Jesus was talking about the fact that they had forgotten to bring bread with them.  When Jesus perceived it, He said, "'O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread?  Do you not yet understand . . .?  How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? -- but you should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees'" (Matt. 16:8-11).

Jesus Warning: Beware of False Doctrines
"Then the disciples understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees" (Matt. 16:12).

The Warning is Applicable to Us
This warning is applicable to every generation: Beware of the leaven of false doctrines.  It is applicable to erroneous religious doctrines and the doctrines of men - philosophy.  Paul says: "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ" (Col. 2:8).

So we must be on our guard to ensure that we are not deceived by the doctrines originating from men which permeate the mind.

Everything is Good or Evil
Now let's expand this metaphor and think about the world as a whole.  The fact is: Everything in the world is good or evil; therefore, it has a positive or negative effect upon us.

We Are Responsible
Yes, we are responsible for our actions and thoughts.  Exterior forces upon our mind cannot make us do anything - we always have a choice.  But the fact remains.  Those things with which we associate have a positive or negative effect upon us.  Paul says: "Do not be deceived: 'Evil company corrupts good habits'" (1 Cor. 15:33).

It is true that we must live in the world and therefore be exposed to evil (1 Cor. 5:10).  But, we often make choices that needlessly expose us to evil.  For example: if I watch TV programs and commercials that glamorize fornication and drunkenness, I have exposed myself to evil of my own volition.  We must beware of the "leaven" of evil.  The bad influences we bring upon ourselves will eventually overtake us to sin.

Put Evil Out of Your Life
We must put evil out of our lives to the greatest extent possible.  Although we live in an evil world, we are not forced to participate in evil.  Frankly, the opposite should be true; we are to expose the evil that is in the world.

Expose Evil
Paul says: "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light . . . And have no fellowship with the un-fruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.  For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret" (Eph. 5:8-12).

Now ask yourself: Are you exposing darkness, or are you just along for the ride?  Do you have fellowship with evil through casual contact, or do you go out of your way to avoid it?  Are you a light to the world that illuminates the path to God, or has your light become darkness?