A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
Gal 5:9
As the Apostle Paul contends earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3) he addresses a common objection that is often leveled at those concerned with doctrinal purity. He tells the Galatians that “..a little leaven leaventh the whole lump..” The common objection is that error is less egrievous when present in the doctrine of small numbers of people.
To this the Apostle replies nay, a little error will corrupt the whole. A small number of people who hold to false teaching will eventually infect and corrupt the whole church. This is why we are instructed to “come out from among them and be seperate” from those who do not hold fast to sound words. The injunction of scripture is no mere platitude; we are to be workmen rightly dividing the word of truth. Scripture is our guide and that which is not from the Holy Spirit is by necessary deduction from the prince of the power of the air. (Ephesians 2:2).
Doctrine is a fence that keeps out what does not belong and keeps in what does. In the words of Charles Spurgeon “Be a Sectarian, my brother, be profoundly a Sectarian. I mean by that, hold everything which you see to be in God’s Word with a tighter grasp, and do not give up even the little pieces of truth.”
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