Focus: Contaminated Spirituality

Text: Mk.8:15

"And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the LEAVEN of the PHARISEES, and of the leaven of HEROD."

According to the Word of God, what is a leaven? Paul tells us that "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?" He implores us to "purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump…" He continues, "Let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of MALICE and WICKEDNESS; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1Cor.5:6,7,8). Therefore, leaven, in Scripture, is a moral corruption. It speaks of malice and wickedness. 

Luke tells us something about the leaven. He says, "Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy" (Lk.12:1). So leaven also speaks of hypocrisy.

The Lord Jesus Christ tells His disciples about three kinds of leaven. He says, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees" (Mt.16:6). Mark adds the leaven of Herod.

If you carefully examine the New Testament Scriptures you will find that the leaven of the Pharisees represent legalism; the leaven of the Sadducees represent liberalism; and the leaven of Herod represents worldliness. The truth is: when we let legalism creep into our faith, it then loses its life. When we let liberalism permeate our faith, it will certainly lose its integrity; and when we let worldliness mingle with our faith, it will surely lose its taste and charm. 

Our faith needs no mixture or adulteration. We must let the Christian faith maintain its authenticity, purity, power and witness.

Let's not allow legalism to corrupt the purity of our faith in Christ! Let's not allow liberalism to dilute the impact of our faith in Christ, and let's not allow worldliness to contaminate or weaken the force and influence of our faith!

Let's examine ourselves and ensure that we purge ourselves of this leaven of moral corruption and anti-spirituality! Paul exhorts, "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all FILTHINESS of the FLESH and SPIRIT, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2Cor.7:1).

We pray for the church of Jesus Christ to regain her purity and power in this day and age. The church has been weakened on all sides, but in these last days we pray for her to be supernaturally revived and spiritually enabled to fulfill her supernatural role in the world. Amen!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter