THURSDAY March 18, 2021
A Little Leaven
You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.
Galatians 5:7-10
Paul stated to the Galatians the terrible effects of deception and sin in a person’s life––a little leaven [sin] leavens the whole lump. Judaizers planted these false ideas and heresies into the Galatians’ heads about legalism and works for salvation. Yet the Galatians needed to stand in their liberty of faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.
Paul warned the Galatians, “These Judaizers are trying to persuade you away from the truth––a little leaven leavens the whole lump.” Paul basically told the Galatians, “Wake up to what you have been taught. Do not listen to these heretical teachings!” It was important for the Galatians to remain in the truth of God. Paul also warned anyone trying to take the Galatians away from their faith in Jesus Christ that they would bear the judgment of God! God would deal with them!
This same concept applies to us today. Christians need to read the Word of God to understand the truth. You see, if we allow a little darkness in our lives [sin], then pretty soon we are going to have a lot of darkness [sin] in our lives. A little leaven [sin] can destroy us! So we must be careful how we live our lives. Christians live by faith and rest in the grace of God for their salvation. However, they still need to live their lives in holiness:
…rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:13-16).
Daily we miss the mark of holiness, but we must make it our aim to live up to this standard of holiness. Are you living a holy life?
Holy is the way God is. To be holy He does not conform to a standard. He is that standard. He is absolutely holy with an infinite incomprehensible fullness of purity that is incapable of being other than it is.
~A. W. Tozer~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!