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Answers to Catholic Converts, 3 Rebecca states, " Some examples of other words in the Scriptures which are used both in the context of evil and the context of good: Leaven--the kingdom of God vs. the
leaven of the Pharisees I respond: It appears that Rebecca has done some serious Bible study. I can only commend her for doing so, while at the same time encourage all the Board members to follow her example. For the information of those members who are unaware, for centuries the Roman Catholic Church forbade the reading of Scriptures by the laity, as well as the translation of the Bible into their native tongue. To be caught with a Bible was a crime of the greatest magnitude, one worthy of the ultimate penalty: death. We are indeed blessed to be living in a country and at a time when freedom of religion, as well as freedom of speech, are enjoyed by us all. That being said, I would first like to address the issue of leaven representing the Kingdom of Heaven. In the parables of the Kingdom, Jesus gives us crucial information pertaining to what Christians can expect during the Church Age, prior to His 2nd Advent, (at which time the world, as we know it, will terminate). For purposes of our discussion, I will use Matthew 13 as our model. The Parable of the Four Soils teaches many truths, not the least of which is the truth that not all who profess Christ will endure to the end. Jesus warns us that a requirement of salvation is endurance to the end, Matt. 24:13. He teaches there will be many who profess to be Christian, but only in the good times. When tribulation comes, and it will, they fall away. In this teaching we are to understand that, although they had water baptism, joined churches, fed the poor, read the Bible, etc., they were lacking something essential to salvation. They lacked the Holy Spirit. Although they had the outer garments of the professing Christian, including the ability to cite Scripture, they had not the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. They had not the Fire Baptism which is given by the gift and sovereign power of Jesus Christ, the Word of God. Those Christians representing the fourth soil had received the gift of the Holy Spirit. The soil of their heart was prepared, regenerated by the Spirit beforehand. The seed, the Word of God, when sown, took root in their soul, bringing forth fruit. Godly fruit is a necessary byproduct of a true Christian. "By their fruit ye shall know them." Participation in religious rites or church membership is not enough to prove one's salvation. So, in this parable we are taught the mixture of regenerate and unregenerate Christians in professing Christendom. Matt. 13:11 is a hard saying. The Lord's disciples questioned the wisdom of His teaching by His use of Parables. Jesus responded that He does so because it is not His will that all understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. He hides His teaching from those who, though they claim to see and hear, are, in reality, blind and deaf. Only those to whom He has given eyes to see and ears to hear will understand the deep meaning behind these parable mysteries. This same principle holds true in understanding the Revelation. Mystery Babylon will forever remain a mystery to the unregenerate. But to the blessed, who have been given eyes to see and ears to hear, the mystery is no longer a mystery. Daniel also taught this truth: "None of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand." (Dan. 12:11). The second parable, verse 24 ff., continues in the same vain as the preceding parable, but adds more information. As before, we discover the kingdom of heaven on earth, i.e., the visible, professing Christian Church worldwide, is comprised of all who claim Jesus as the Christ, both wheat and tares. In their early stage, tares may pass for wheat, just as unregenerate Christians may pass for regenerate Christians at first. Time will reveal their true nature. These false Christians have been sown into the Lord's Church by the enemy, a man. The Greek text uses the word 'anthropos' to indicate a literal man as the enemy, (verse 28). The Lord infers the Antichrist is responsible, one who imitates the work and miracles of Christ. It is important to note that the Church is admonished not to 'root up' the so-called tares before their time. Some wheat may be rooted up with them, meaning that conversions to true Christianity will take place. Do not be so eager to destroy those who do not hold your same orthodox beliefs. Furthermore, the Lord states that the reapers will be the ones to gather the tares, the false Christians, for burning - a symbol of eternal judgment. This they will do first, before the true Christians are gathered to meet the Lord in the air. The reader is asked to note that both of these parables do not teach the conversion of the world to Christianity prior to the return of the Lord. The professing Christian Church will be a mixture of true believers and unbelievers when Christ comes in the flaming fire of judgment. The reader should also note that the Lord is already teaching the modus operandi of the arch enemy of Christ and His people - he will be a false Christian, planting his false followers in the professing Church. He is able to do this because the existing Church leadership is 'asleep.' They are not 'on watch' as they should. The third parable adds yet more information concerning the state of the Church in this Church Age, verses 31-32. Jesus prophesies that, though the beginnings of His Church are humble and less than spectacular in the eyes of the world, as lowly, in fact, as the common mustard seed, of little apparent worth, it will grow into a monstrosity. From a humble, lowly beginning it will mutate into that which is unnatural. A mustard seed does not, by nature, grow into a tree. An herb is not a tree, nor is a tree an herb. Therefore, Christ is telling us that in the days future to the Apostles, there will be a professing Christian Church which will receive honor in the world, not tribulation. It will be viewed as great and magnificent, not lowly and despised. It will be considered to be the greatest of all churches. I ask the Board members if they can guess the identity of this church. Christ adds an ominous sign by describing this church as having the birds of the air lodge in its branches. Previously, Jesus explained the birds as coming from the 'wicked one.' Thus, it is this church which will become "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hateful bird," (Rev. 18:2). It will become Satan's Seat. The end days of the Church Age will find evil abounding in this professing Christian Church, yet the unsaved world will not recognize it. Once again, the notion of a world converting to true Christianity is disproved. The reader will note another sign of the Church of the Antichrist - it will be viewed by the world as magnificent. It will claim more members worldwide than any church on earth. Now that I have laid the necessary groundwork, I will address Rebecca's premise that leaven in the kingdom of Heaven represents good, though it represents evil when used in context with the Pharisees. We have just seen how Christ is portraying, through parables, a Church Age which is infected with wickedness propagated by Satan. For Christ to now teach a successful Church Age in which the world converts to true Christianity is contradictory to His previous Parables. The first biblical reference to leaven is found in Exodus 12:15. The Israelites are told to "put away leaven out of your houses." They are told this because leaven, as taught by the Lord, is symbolic of sin. Leaven puffs up bread, unleavened bread is flat. This symbolizes the human condition. Puffed-up sinful pride comes before a fall, yet the humble and contrite are welcomed by Christ. The Pharisees were prideful, claiming they understood all spiritual matters. Yet Christ called them the blind who lead the blind into the pit. If we are to fellowship with Christ, we are to come to him as little children, admitting ignorance, willing to listen and learn, bearing a humble and contrite spirit. The absence of leaven also typifies Christ, the unleavened bread eaten at the Lord's Supper. Please note: a type is symbolic; it is but a shadow, not the substance. It is not literal, nor is it the real thing. Further references to leaven in the OT also symbolize sin. Leviticus 7:13, 23:17, and Hosea 4:5 are the OT Scriptures which command leaven be present. These are the exceptions, not the rule. In context, they may be understood to symbolize our ever-present sinful condition, our less than perfect praise to God. Another interpretation infers that the Gentiles, always viewed as objects of loathing, will themselves be converted to become wave offerings before the King. The first reference of leaven in the NT is in Matthew 13:33, the very passage in question. The second reference is Matt. 16:6, where it is clearly viewed in an evil light, which Rebecca rightly understands. It should be noted that the disciples misunderstood Christ's teaching here. They mistook Him teaching literal leavened bread, when they should have interpreted the leaven to symbolize the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. We need also take this teaching to heart by rightly differentiating between the actual body and blood of Christ, which is in Heaven at the right hand of the Father, with the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper, which symbolizes and remembers the body of Christ broken for us, His blood shed for us. Paul teaches that leaven is symbolic of evil human pride in 1 Cor. 5:6. In Galatians 5:9 Paul is teaching the permeating evil influence of false doctrine, which he represents as leaven. Thus, there are no positive references to leaven in the NT. Therefore, in the Parable of the Leaven, Jesus teaches that evil, both in doctrine and deeds, will permeate the visible, professing Christian Church to such a degree, that no part of it will be left untouched by sin. Once more, the dream of a converted world to true Christianity is proved to be false. Rebecca's comparison of Jesus, the Lion of Judah, with Satan, the roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, is one which holds many truths. Lord willing, next time I will answer this as well as address others' questions.
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