A little leaven leavens everything

I Timothy 1:15--This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

     I don't have to look hard to see sin in my life.  There is no need for bifocals or a magnifying glass, my sin is every before me.  My only hope and redeeming assurance is that Christ came to save sinners such as me.  The song says it well, "My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord, oh my soul."  It is with this understanding of myself that I tackle this topic.  My desire is to exhort and encourage every believer to, "lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares you,"(Heb. 12:1) and to understand that a little leaven(worldliness/sin) will affect your whole life.

     I Corinthians 5:6 tells us that, "a little leaven leavens the whole lump" but do we understand what this means?  Do we tell ourselves that having a little leaven in our lives is ok, and possibly good for us?  Do we justify our leaven by comparing it with the leaven in the lives of other believers?  We must understand that even though sin will always be in our lives, we are instructed to quickly strive to remove it when it becomes evident to us.  We cannot become content with allowing sin to reign in our lives; choosing to remain in it as opposed to running from it.  Let me address two areas that all Christians must continually critique to be sure leaven is not found: music and movies/T.V.

     Music.  How enticing it can be.  Does God's Word give us a guide to help us understand what we should and should not be listening to?  In a world where "Christian music" can mean so many different things, is there assistance to aid us in deciding what our ears should hear?  The answer is yes!  One such answer is found in Colossians 3:2.  It says, "set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth."  When listening to music evaluate where it takes your mind.  If it does not cause your thoughts to move upward, then avoid it.  Music was not originally intended for your entertainment, but for an avenue to express your love and gratitude for God.  As a Christian, do not look for music that satisfies your flesh, but music that causes you to remember how wonderful your Savior is.

     Movies/T.V.  Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy -- meditate on these things."  I remember being taught this passage and being encouraged to make sure every movie and program I watched passed this test.  Did I succeed?  No!  I am not proud of the choices I have made over the years, but through God's grace and patience, my desires have changed and my obedience has improved.  The world may tell us that we can decide what movies are appropriate based on the rating system of man (G, PG, etc), but when we see God's standard, we understand man's system is lacking.  For many years I wasted hours upon hours filling my head with unprofitable things, not redeeming the time; may you also come to your senses and recognize the futility of those choices.

     May the Lord open the eyes of our understanding(mine included) that we may clearly see the areas of our life that are full of leaven, so that we may purge them out, becoming more like Christ.  May He richly bless you as you obey His every command.