"A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough" (Galatians 5:9). So writes the apostle Paul in a circular letter to the believers in the Roman province of Galatia. The analogy is clear, especially to those of us who bake bread. It doesn't take much yeast to make a loaf of bread rise. Likewise, it does not take many agitators to start a riot and it takes a relatively small number of people in a community to influence it for evil or for good. Examples abound.
In the congregations of Christians the same apostle began in Corinth, there was a man who had taken his father's wife (1 Corinthians 5:1-5). This was clearly an immoral sexual act, strictly forbidden by Holy Scripture (Genesis 49:4; Leviticus 18:8; Deut. 22:30, etc.). The Corinthian culture would not forbid such an act, filled as it was with the worship of many gods. The Corinthian Christians were influenced by their culture and had begun to feel their broad minded approach to sexual acts was the most loving, even if it was forbidden by ancient Israel's code of ethics. Paul pulls them up short with his analogy. "It won't be long," he warns, "before such thinking will influence your views on marriage, divorce, fornication, adultery and many other immoral acts. You must act at once. This man and his so-called wife are unrepentant. Make it clear by word and action that they are no longer welcome in your midst. Purge the leaven from the dough."
If you've paid attention and have been around more than a couple decades, you have surely noticed how the same thing is happening among modern Christians. Step by step, year by year, our views on sexual immorality have changed—and with them our views on marriage, home and family. As a Christian pastor I have noticed that a young couple planning marriage is exceptional that has not been sleeping together for some time and/or living together.
"Oh well, they are planning to get married, you know. And maybe it's best if they find out if they're compatible before they do get married. Besides, they don't plan to have children right away and have been taking precautions." So we join the culture and rationalize the tragic erosion of Biblical ethics, ignoring almost everything that God's Word teaches about the meaning and purpose of the sexual relationship, marriage and family in the name of broad minded love.
The Lord Jesus warned his disciples by using the same analogy. Ignore the teaching of God's Law about the Christian life and obedience to the will of God and it will not be long before you deny the same Scripture's teaching about the Gospel and the person and work of Jesus Himself. "Watch and beware of the leaven of the legalistic Pharisees and the broad-minded Sadducees," he warned (Matthew 16:1-12).
The 40-day Lenten season we are about to enter is an excellent time for us to examine carefully our faith in Christ's sacrificial death upon the cross for us and our commitment to take up our own cross-responsibilities to follow Him.
More needs to be written about the "good leaven" to be sure. Many times this good leaven, like all leaven, seems small and insignificant, but it does have some very good influence. I'd love to see you expand your comments, H.A.H. into a complete article. I'll be happy to post it.
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