Sovereign Grace Church

A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump

(GALATIANS 5:9)

Now, what does the apostle Paul mean by that expression—“A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” Let me give you an illustration. Have you ever had a rat problem? Neither have I. Now, I’ve had a problem with a mouse or two, but for that I usually use a mouse trap. But if I had a rat infestation problem, I suppose I’d go buy some rat poison. I was looking on the product page of one manufacturer in particular, TomCat Rat Poison. Do you know how much of their rat poison is good food? 99.9 percent. It’s the other 0.01 percent that kills the rats! You see “a little leaven leavens the whole lump,” and so that’s what the apostle is saying. You add 0.01 percent to the Gospel and you have no gospel message at all. Indeed, if you add something to the Gospel of Christ, all you’ve got is a phony perverted soul condemning message.

Beloved, our salvation is either all of grace, all Christ—or it’s works, it can’t be both. God’s word declares our salvation is “…not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2 TIMOTHY 1:9). So, if salvation is all of grace, AND IT IS…then it’s NOT OF WORKS! William Gadsby wrote, quote…

“…the Lord knows, I am an old man now, more than seventy years of age, and I speak it in the presence of God and you; and I say, if my salvation depended upon anything that I have done, or expect to do, I am sure to be damned. I have not a particle of hope on that ground. No. I have no hope but in this glorious “mystery of Christ,” in which all blessings were secured and settled, according to the purpose of the Three-One God before the world began!” * …end quote.

My friend, God teaches His people that their salvation is by His grace alone. Indeed beloved, our Lord and God is the author and finisher of it [JOHN 6:45, EPHESIANS 2:10, HEBREWS 12:2]. AMEN!

^{* The Mystery Of Christ by William Gadsby}