I’m sitting here eating a peanut butter and blackberry jelly sandwich. I have to tell you it is wonderful. I have a friend who can easily overindulge with peanut butter and banana sandwiches. One of my favorites is peanut butter with bread and butter pickle chips. As I listen to the news I find it distressing to think so many people have recently become ill and a few have actually died from eating contaminated peanut butter. How can something so good become so deadly when it contains something one cannot see?
Do you remember Jesus telling His disciples to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees? See Matthew 16. There was something in the good teachings of the religious establishment that was dangerous. And so it is in today’s world. Jesus warns us to beware of false prophets. See Matthew 24. People come with wonderful sounding ideas claiming to be speaking for God. They often tell us they have new truth for new times. Usually 99% of what they have to say is more than okay. The contamination of heresy doesn’t have to be much. But it can destroy.
The one idea that makes Christianity different from all other religions is that salvation is free. It is a gift of grace. The Good News is that Jesus paid it all. But how many times do we hear people say such and then follow up with a “but.” What most often follows the “but” is the contamination. It is the yeast.
When a person truly understands the wonder of what God has done, the good works and the Godlike life that follows is the fruit of being redeemed.
Written by Roger Bothwell on February 9, 2009
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574