Leaven is nowhere in the Scriptures to be of anything good or Holy. You will not find that reference anywhere. Leaven in every case represents evil.
Pardon my late entry to the discussion and I invite you to welcome me with open arms. Or, if not me, then welcome Christ in me as I do also you!
Something was being said that caught my eagle eye and almost brought out the "hawk" in me. But I am determined to keep my sharp beak in check and to speak softly and yet... I do want to try to correct what I see as a misunderstanding. It's about the two kinds of leaven. There has been good effort to stay away from debate and I'll give full respect (as if I'm an intruder) but let me interject something, please. It's short. Hopefully it is also sweet. It's also from the Gospel of Matthew but found in chapter 16 (not 13) so I apologize for that part but that's not my fault.
Here we go:
"Matthew 16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees ... Matthew 16:12Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees" (Matthew 16:6,12 KJV)
"Therefore let us keep the Feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness"
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The very fact that leaven there is called "old leaven" opens the possibility of some kind of new stuff. I don't know. Let's call it a new word, shall we? Mana-leaven. Stuff that proliferates. Or if you really hate that word leaven so much? Okay. You're correct. Maybe we should just call it mana. Jesus is the mana from heaven. Living a truly Christian life includes observing all of the true Christian Holy Days (or rather, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us in all truth so that we are observing the fulfillment of all) means putting out the ways of sin, while
growing (not merely sitting there like a
lifeless lump) toward the Kingdom that is coming to fill all the earth.
So now we are entering into the well known troubled waters of semantics. And as we search for a word or an action or metaphor that means that healthy life includes spiritual sexual function -- we might reach out to the bread of life which, by it's very nature, is HOLY but also able to increase to abundance! And to overjoy us. We know that Jesus is well beyond a Master and our hope soars as we try to bring down to simple words what it means to be impregnated with such great and grand hope. And we know that as that message is heard, and as others listen then they too are impregnated with hope and life and love --and so what if somebody comes and doesn't speak about it perfectly and mis-applies a metaphor or two. Why should we not just do like the bible says and if we see our brother sinning, not sin that leads to death, there is sin that leads to death, I'm not addressing that, but if we do? We are commanded to ASK GOD for them
(and He gives life). Just like we routinely ask God for ourselves. Just fly up a quick prayer. It's so easy.
And He gives life (upon our asking) -- it's like a guarantee given to the Body of Christ and I think it's something that increases our JOY - asking in faith is also so much easier than debate, or avoiding debate so carefully even as I see you guys doing so well...
"Father, forgive them."
Them there are Christ-Words in us and coming out of us! And(!) We know that if we ask according to H
IS W
ILL??? Then we have all that we petition of Him. Who here can say,
"My every prayer is answered?" <---- but that's what we are supposed to do and that is our calling. So when I say, "levan" is put in, and it's not perfect because I can't even spell it right? Just ask. It's okay. God loves us more than we do. But we will learn to love us more and more.
Okay, I'm gonna try to quiet my fluttering little bird heart and let you guys go with Peace and Thanksgiving in Our hearts! I know that's exactly what you want too, just like I know that I am praying according to His Will for His blessing here.
And that, my friends, was me. Interjecting a bit of leaven into this conversation. But in truth, this stuff is NOT leaven. It's salt. It's Col 4:6 salt -- and it's your grace toward me that lets me feel confident that you know what I mean even when I don't speak all that well.