A LITTLE LEAVEN

Gal 5:7-10 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of Him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.

Paul compliments these Galatian Christians by telling them that when they first obeyed the gospel message of Christ, ye did run well. When they became Christians they entered a spiritual race, having a prize of eternal life, for all that faithfully completed the race. They had run well at the beginning of this race, and for a time thereafter. However, they were hindered along the racecourse; they faltered; they ceased to run well; they stopped running the course laid out before them by the truths found in God's holy word. Paul probably knew both, who caused them to stop, and why they stopped diligently running the race of life, but he still, for emphasis, asked them this question: who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

One lesson we can take from this scripture is that new-born Christians, that is babes in Christ, should be given a stern warning, that many stumbling blocks will be placed in the path before them by Satan. His main effort is to hinder their Christian growth and progress. Their racecourse will be filled with many distractions and hindrances that are worldly in their nature, which cater to mankind's earthly desires. They are intentionally place there by Satan, and those that follow him. Allowed to do so, they cause each child of God to veer from the path of righteousness, and on to the pathway of sin. When and where the word of God is sown in a young heart that results in obedience, Jesus tells us, that we can be assured that Satan will come immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts (Mark 4:15). Lest Satan should get an advantage of us, young Christians should never be found ignorant of his devices (2 Cor. 2:11).

How does Satan accomplish his deviousness? He does so by persuading men to seek worldliness, fame, and fortune, by becoming teachers of another doctrine - any doctrine that is contrary to that of God. In order for false teachers to successfully hinder young Christians, causing them to turn from God's New Testament truths, Satan convinces them to be lovers of riches and all other worldly desires. Satan teaches them to serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple (Rom. 16:18). Satan desires all false teachers to resist the truth (2 Tim. 3:8). He causes them to be filled with cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive (Eph. 4:14). Every newborn Christian needs to fully understand the deceiving temptations that Satan and his followers will assuredly place in their pathway of life. It is not a matter of "it may happen," but our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ assures us that "it will happen."

This persuasion cometh not of Him that calleth you. God, who called us to serve Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, did not persuade us to veer from following the truths found in His word. It was the work of Satan, and the false teachers that follow his ungodly doctrine, who brought many customs, ceremonies, rites, and teachings of paganism and Judaism into the church of Christ. To emphasize this truthful warning, Paul tells them, as well as us today, that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Just as a small amount of yeast will soon spread and leaven the entire loaf of bread dough, so it takes only a few teachers of error and ungodliness, who creep unnoticeably into the body of Christ, to cause the entire congregation of God's children to be lead away from the truth of God, as taught by Jesus Christ and His inspired apostles.

The nature of this letter tells us that Paul was deeply concerned for the faithfulness of the members of the churches of Christ in Galatia. However, it was his hopeful desire that this letter, as well as the gospel message of Jesus Christ, which he had delivered to them, and which they had first believed and obeyed, would cause them to never be otherwise minded. This being true, Paul was confident that they would remain likeminded as he was - firmly planted in the New Testament truths of Almighty God, and never be persuaded and misled by any teachers of false doctrine. Further, Paul was sure that God would repay all false teachers that troubleth you (and they) shall bear His judgment, whosoever he be.

May the leaven of false teachers forever be replaced with the leaven of the true gospel message of Jesus Christ!