1. UNBELIEF is a SNARE and a stumbling block to those who BELIEVE. The father of the oppressed child in Mark 9:24, BELIEVED yet begged to be delivered from UNBELIEF, “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I BELIEVE; HELP THOU MINE UNBELIEF” [Mark 9:24] In contrast, an UNBELIEVER knows not God and cannot ask His help until He acknowledges Him, “The SACRIFICE of the WICKED IS AN ABOMINATION to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight” [Proverbs 15:8] LEAVEN OF UNBELIEF is corruption of TRUTH in those who focus on the MESSENGER but have little or no respect for the MESSAGE. There is no doubt the Apostles loved Jesus as MESSENGER of GLAD TIDINGS but gave scant regard to His MESSAGE until after Pentecost, “Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and UPBRAIDED THEM WITH THEIR UNBELIEF and HARDNESS OF HEART, because they BELIEVED NOT them which had seen him after he was risen” [Mark 16:14] If Jesus so REBUKED the Apostles, how much so the thousands who shouted HOSSANAH at His entry to Jerusalem but missed the day of Israel’s VISITATION, “Let us LABOUR therefore TO ENTER INTO THAT REST, lest any man fall after the same EXAMPLE OF UNBELIEF” [Hebrews 4:11]
2. LEAVEN OF UNBELIEF is as OLD WINE forced into NEW BOTTLES, “And no man putteth NEW WINE into OLD BOTTLES; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the BOTTLES SHALL PERISH” [Luke 5;37] Israel, over the years, had oracles of God but by the time of Jesus’s earthly ministry had strayed to doctrines formulated from TRADITION, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their HEART IS FAR FROM ME. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for DOCTRINES the COMMANDMENTS OF MEN” [Matthew 15:8-9] Their teachers spoke glowingly of God and taught the people His Promises but when He stood in their midst, they denied Him and sought every opportunity to denounce His DIVINITY, “I AM COME IN MY FATHER’S NAME, and YE RECEIVE ME NOT: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” [John 5:43] By denying who Jesus said He is, Israel rejected the LIVING BREAD from heaven and were stuck with SOUR DOUGH of UNBELIEF, ‘And Jesus said unto them, I am the BREAD OF LIFE: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That YE ALSO HAVE SEEN ME, AND BELIEVE NOT” [ John 6:35-36, 51] Consequently, if any parades himself as a Christian or Minister of the GOSPEL and deny Jesus as God manifest in flesh, he is guilty of UNBELIEF, “For IN HIM DWELLETH all the FULNESS OF THE GODHEAD bodily” [Colossians 2:9]
3. LEAVEN OF UNBELIEF is a constant peril by reason of FALSE TEACHERS, “… even as there shall be FALSE TEACHERS among you, who privily shall bring in DAMNABLE HERESIES, even DENYING THE LORD that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction” [2 Peter 2:1] The manner of “DENIAL” is peculiar to the age but the purpose is the same; FALSE TEACHERS draw men away from Christ to a “GOSPEL” patterned after their own likeness, “Having a FORM OF GODLINESS, but DENYING THE POWER thereof: FROM SUCH TURN AWAY” [2 Timothy 3:5] Todays as in the days of Jesus, the POWER of the GOSPEL to change a woeful SINNER to a SAINT remains the MYSTERY OF GODLINESS “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” [1 Timothy 3:16] This is the ROCK on which the Church is built and if by wilful silence or denial teach otherwise he kneads SOUR DOUGH into FRESH MEAL, as it is written: “… Thou art the CHRIST, the Son of the living God. … and UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” [Matthew 16:16-18] UNBELIEF is the reason we have Shepherds who are not weaned from LUST and Shepherds who have no resemblance to Jesus Christ, “… HYPOCRITES! for ye compass sea and land to MAKE ONE PROSELYTE, and when he is made, ye make him TWOFOLD MORE THE CHILD OF HELL than yourselves” [Matthew 23:15]
4. LEAVEN OF UNBELIEF is STALE BREAD of new age brands of Christianity; silent on God in Christ, loud on “Perverse disputings of MEN OF CORRUPT MINDS, and DESTITUTE OF THE TRUTH, SUPPOSING THAT GAIN IS GODLINESS: from such WITHDRAW THYSELF” [1Timothy 6:5] Though they bestride the land as Colossus, they shall fade with the twilight as Pharisees and Sadducees. Remember how Jesus diligently taught His disciples and transfigured before Peter, James and John, yet they succumbed to UNBELIEF of the day, “And he began to teach them, that the SON OF MAN MUST SUFFER many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be KILLED, and AFTER THREE DAYS RISE AGAIN. And he spake that saying openly. And PETER TOOK HIM, and began to REBUKE HIM” [Mark 8:31-32] It got so bad, Peter took Jesus aside to REBUKE Him; we can only imagine what would do to the Church in days ahead, “For there shall arise FALSE CHRISTS, and FALSE PROPHETS, and shall SHEW GREAT SIGNS and WONDERS; insomuch that, IF IT WERE POSSIBLE, they shall DECEIVE THE VERY ELECT” [Matthew 24:24] As we look forward to Christ’s appearance, let every man ascertain his foundation that we should not run in vain; purging ourselves of LEAVEN OF UNBELIEF that we are not caught unawares, “… Take ye heed, WATCH and PRAY: FOR YE KNOW NOT WHEN THE TIME IS” [Mark 13:32-33]
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