Galatians 5:9. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
When we read, or hear this verse referred our first inclination is often, to think immediately of a couple of other scriptures.
James 1:12-16. 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
James 3:5-6. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
These references speak of the destructive consequences of letting small things influence our lives.
Like a little leaven, or yeast affects the whole loaf in a great and expanding way, so temptation toward little thoughts or little words, like Solomon’s little foxes,(Song of Solomon 2:15) will certainly bring a greater destruction.
(1) The origin of the temptation is emphatically the person’s own evil desire. James’s term is epithymia, a “desire” or “longing” especially with evil meaning. This is a call for us to take responsibility for our own lives and to deal with our sinful motives. Have you ever blamed your parents or other people for what you have become? Have you ever blamed circumstances for what you have done? Of course people and circumstances do affect us. However, one of the most significant ways we resist the work of God for our growth toward becoming “mature and complete” is that we blame factors outside of ourselves for our sin.
James is doing us a great good by forthrightly confronting this issue—that we are tempted to sin by our own evil desires.
(2) The action of the temptation is to drag away and to entice. This is a hunting and fishing metaphor (dragged away as by a predator; enticed as by a lure). With both terms James is warning his readers concerning who is really in danger in the temptation. When they are tempted, they are thinking about taking some pleasure—such as the pleasure of revenge on their persecutors. But who is really being captured? Who is really in danger? The Christians themselves are the prey!
(3) The effect of the temptation is sin leading to death. Here James adopts a childbearing image. The person’s desire does the conceiving (syllambano) and the giving birth (tikto) to sin; then sin’s full growth culminates naturally in its own act of producing (apokyeo); what it ultimately produces is death. It is vivid imagery, emphasizing how natural the progression is. This attention-getting imagery is designed to stop sinners in their tracks, seeing that death is the natural and terrible end of a life of sin, not just an occasional result for some sinners. Paul stated the same truth with an image of compensation: “the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23). God gave Adam the same assurance about the forbidden fruit: “when you eat of it you will surely die” (Gen 2:17). James is warning Christians to see the danger, and so to abhor sin, and therefore to deny the evil desire from which sin comes.
The extremity of the warning simply shows how seriously James takes the lordship of Christ. He expects that true believers will not go on giving themselves to sin. To accept Christ as Savior is to accept him as Savior from sin and so to turn from sin and follow him as Lord. James’s intention is that we should take the holiness of God seriously, realize the extremity of danger in a life of sin and turn from sin to follow Christ.
Having considered this subject thus far, we would be wise to heed the Apostle Paul’s exhortation.
1 Corinthians 5:7. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us
We should also, at this time, consider the observation of the Apostle Paul.
1 Corinthians 13:12. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.Matthew 13:31-33. 31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. 33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
Mark 4:3,8,20. 3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. 20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
1 Corinthians 3:6-8. 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
John 15:1-8,16. 1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Matthew 16:12. 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.
Luke 24:45-47. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.Ephesians 1:12-23. 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
LEAVEN IS ALL ABOUT INFLUENCE>
It only takes a spark To get a fire going
And soon all those around Can warm up in the glowing
That’s how it is with God’s love Once you’ve experienced it You’ll spread His love To everyone
You’ll want to pass it on
I wish for you my friend This happiness that I’ve found
You can depend on Him It matters not where you’re bound I’ll shout it from the mountain top I want the world to know
The Lord of Love Has come to me
I want to pass it on
Mark Cowan
Watchmen On The Pod 