Today’s devotion comes from Galatians 5:7-12.
“7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?
8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you.
9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.
10 I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.
11 But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.
12 I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.” Galatians 5:7-12.
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A little false doctrine is not harmless. A little false doctrine can spread like “A little leaven (which) leavens the whole lump of dough.” Verse 9. A little false doctrine is also often hidden like a little leaven is hidden in a big batch of dough. It is so dangerous that Paul employs his very strong words both in today’s Scripture and elsewhere.
“Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,” Philippians 3:2-3.
“And Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Matthew 16:6. “Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Matthew 16:12.
We also see leaven used to describe boasting in 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, but this Scripture also comes back to the importance of cleaning out the old leaven and pursuing truth. “Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
But, there is hope!
Creeds a/k/a confessions, and even the simple acronym “TULIP”, can help us detect a little false doctrine. Without such help, we may hear preaching or teaching that seems a little “off”, but we cannot pinpoint what is wrong. We may dismiss that feeling of uneasiness, thinking that the preacher or teacher just had a bad day. But, with such help of the creeds etc., we can more easily pinpoint what is wrong and eliminate it from our consideration. In the right margin, there are “easy to find” links to the following Reformed creeds: Belgic Confession, Canons of Dordt, Heidelberg Catechism, and Westminister Larger Catechism.
In addition, we can trust the Holy Spirit to guide us in all truth. “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth …” John 16:13 Likewise, today’s Scripture states: “I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view …” Verse 10.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 