WATCH OUT AND BE ON YOUR GUARD AGAINST THE LEAVEN
6 THEN JESUS SAID TO THEM, “TAKE HEED AND BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN [yeast] of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
12 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 symbolises wrong doctrine, hypocrisy, sin, weakness or inappropriateness (Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1).
A wrong teaching accepted by a believer would lead him astray.
Jesus admonishes His disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 16:6).
Note:
• Believers are to beware of teachings of the false teachers (2 John 7-11).
• We also should be wary of being contaminated spiritually through the company we keep, the people we relate with (1 Corinthians 15:33; James 4:4).
• Believers should beware of anything that can lead them away from the truth they have known (John 8:32; 2 Timothy 2:16-18).
• Also, we should put aside anything that will not allow us to walk in the light of God's Word which we have received (James 1:22-25; Hebrews 12:1,2)
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 loophole found as a weakness in a believer's life.
If a believer relates, makes friendship with someone living in sin, such can influence him/her negatively: "ADULTERERS AND ADULTERESSES! DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD IS ENMITY WITH GOD? WHOEVER THEREFORE WANTS TO BE A FRIEND OF THE WORLD MAKES HIMSELF AN ENEMY OF GOD" (James 4:4 NKJV).
6 YOUR GLORYING IS NOT GOOD. DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT A LITTLE LEAVEN LEAVENS THE WHOLE LUMP?
7 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.
8 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 will do well to heed the admonition given by the Lord Jesus Christ, to beware of the leaven, strange teachings, of the false teachers.
Peace!