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Saturday, July 30, 2011

The Leaven of the Pharisees: Salvation On Our Terms

# 493 - Today's Du-votional comes from: Mr 8:13-15 “And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side. Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. Then He charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."

In Matthew's account of this incident, the Pharisees and the Sadducees were the ones that had confronted Jesus asking for the heaven rending sign. Mark lumps the Sadducees with the Herodians. And with the latest confrontation still fresh in the minds of the disciples Jesus “charges” His disciples.

This is a very important word. To charge someone is to command them to take on a responsibility. Jesus was giving His disciples the charge to (1) “take heed” (that is pay attention to,) and (2). “beware.” (The word means “see”)

In a nutshell, He is giving His church the responsibility to pay attention to the teachings of these two groups and to “see” them for what they truly are. False teaching.

The primary false teaching of both groups was they wanted salvation on their own terms, and so they demanded a sign. This kind of false teaching is still with us today. (God must be the way we want Him to be or He is not going to be our God!) This is not a dog and pony show folks. Salvation is never on our terms, it is always on God's terms and His terms are simple. Believe, be baptized. Be saved. (Mr 16:16)

Father, forgive us. Why do we call Jesus, Lord, Lord, and not do the things He says? Help us to embrace Your terms, for Your kingdom, and cease from adding to or subtracting from Your Word. In Jesus name, Amen

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