TAKE HEED AND BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN

1. "Then Jesus said to them, "TAKE HEED AND BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN [yeast] of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
2. Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine [teaching] of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
   Matthew 16:6,12 (NKJV)

• In the Bible term, leaven symbolizes wrong doctrine, hypocrisy, sin, weakness, or inappropriateness (Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1).

• A wrong teaching accepted by a believer could lead him or her astray.
• Jesus admonishes His disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
  WE are to beware of teachings of the false teachers.

1. "Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.
2. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house 🏘️ not greet him;
3. for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds."
   2 John 9-11 (NKJV)

• We also should be wary of being contaminated spiritually through the company we keep—the people we relate with (James 4:4).

"Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."
1 Corinthians 15:33 (NKJV)

• A number of believers in the church today do not have heaven as their goal.
  THEY do not have hope, and it shows in the way they live their lives.
• Remember, friendship, relationship, is by choice, not by force.
  YOU carefully choose whom you relate with.
• If your friendship with someone is affecting your spiritual life negatively, you would do well to put a stop to such a friendship.
• We should beware of anyone or anything that could lead us away from the truth we have known.

• Also, we should put aside anything that will not allow us to walk in the light of His Word which we have received (James 1:22-25).

1. "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud ☁️ of witnesses, LET US LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT, AND THE SIN WHICH SO EASILY ENSNARES US, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2. LOOKING UNTO JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
   Hebrews 12:1,2 (NKJV)

• There are legitimate things which are not sins but are weights that could weigh you down in your Christian race.

• In addition, any weakness, inappropriate behaviour allowed or condoned can lead to backsliding–the devil can make inroads into a believer's life through a weakness.

• If a believer relates, makes friendship with someone living in sin, such can influence him or her negatively (James 4:4).

1. "Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
2. Therefore purge out [clean out] the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
3. Therefore let us keep the feast, NOT with old leaven, NOR WITH LEAVEN OF MALICE AND WICKEDNESS, BUT WITH THE UNLEAVENED BREAD OF SINCERITY AND TRUTH."
   1 Corinthians 5:6-8 (NKJV)

• You would do well to heed the admonition given by the Lord Jesus Christ, to beware of the leaven—strange teaching of the false teachers.

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!