Upholding the law by faith is leaven? Romans 3:31
Learning from the misadventures of the Israelites is leaven? 1 Corinthians 10:6-11
Learning from the types and shadows of the law is leaven? example: 1 Corinthians 9:9-10
Leaven
The most prominent idea associated with leaven in connection with the corruption which it had undergone, and which it communicated to bread in the process of fermentation. It is to this property of leaven that our Saviour points when he speaks of the "leaven (that is, the corrupt doctrine) of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees," Mat_16:6 and St. Paul, when he speaks of the "old leaven." 1Co_5:7.
(Another quality in leaven is noticed in the Bible, namely, its secretly penetrating and diffusive power. In this respect it was emblematic of moral influence generally, whether good or bad; and hence our Saviour adopts it as illustrating the growth of the kingdom of heaven in the individual heart and in the world at large: because
(1) its source is from without;
(2) it is secret in its operation;
(3) it spreads by contact of particle with particle;
(4) it is widely diffusive, one particle of leaven being able to change any number of particles of flour; and because
(5) it does not act like water, moistening a certain amount of flour, but is like a plant, changing the particles it comes in contact with into its own nature, with like propagating power.
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Romans 3:31
An important question remains. When we say that salvation is by faith and not by law-keeping, do we imply that the law is worthless and should be disregarded? Does the gospel wave the law aside as if it had no place? On the contrary, the gospel establishes the law, and this is how:
The law demands perfect obedience. The penalty for breaking the law must be paid. That penalty is DEATH. If a lawbreaker pays the penalty, he will be lost eternally. The gospel tells how Christ died to pay the penalty of the broken law. He did not treat it as a thing to be ignored. He paid the debt in full. Now anyone who has broken the law can avail himself of the fact that Christ paid the penalty on his behalf.
Thus the gospel of salvation by faith upholds the law by insisting that its utmost demands must be and have been fully met.
Romans 10:6-13
In the events that happened in the time of the Exodus, we see teaching that applies to us. The children of Israel were actually examples for us, showing us what will happen to us if we also lust after evil things as they did. As we read the OT, we should not read it merely as history, but as containing lessons of practical importance for our lives today.
In the verses to follow, the apostle is going to list some of the specific sins into which they fell. It is worth noticing that many of these sins are concerned with the gratification of bodily appetites.
10:7 Verse 7 refers to the worship of the golden calf and the feast that followed it, as recorded in Exodus 32. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, he found that the people had made a golden calf and were worshiping it. We read in Exo_32:6 how the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play, that is, to dance.
10:8 The sin mentioned in verse 8 refers to the time when the sons of Israel intermarried with the daughters of Moab (Num. 25). Seduced by Balaam the prophet, they disobeyed the word of the Lord and fell into immorality. We read in verse 8 that in one day twenty-three thousand fell. In the OT, it says that twenty-four thousand died in the plague (Num_25:9). Critics of the Bible have often used this to try to show a contradiction in the Sacred Scriptures. If they would read the text more carefully, they would see that there is no contradiction. Here it simply states that twenty-three thousand fell in one day. In the OT, the figure of twenty-four thousand describes the entire number that died in the plague.
10:9 Paul next alludes to the time when the Israelites complained about the food and expressed doubt as to the goodness of the Lord. At that time God sent serpents among them and many perished (Num_21:5-6). Here again it is noticeable how food gratification was their downfall.
10:10 The sin of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram is referred to here (Num_16:14-47). Again there was complaining against the Lord because of the food situation (Num_16:14). The Israelites did not practice self-control with regard to their bodies. They did not discipline their bodies or put them in a place of subjection. Rather, they made provision for the lusts of the flesh, and this proved to be their downfall.
10:11 The next three verses give the practical application of the events. First of all, Paul explains that the meaning of these events is not limited to their historical value. They have a significance for us today. They were written as a warning to us who are living after the close of the Jewish age and during the gospel age, “to us to whom the revenues of the past ages have descended,” as Rendall Harris put it so well.
10:12 They constitute a warning to the self-confident: Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. Perhaps this refers especially to the strong believer who thinks he can dabble with self-gratification and not be affected by it. Such a person is in greatest danger of falling under the disciplinary hand of God.
10:13 But then Paul adds a marvelous word of encouragement for those who are tempted.
He teaches that the testings, trials, and temptations which face us are common to all. However, God is faithful, who will not allow us to be tested beyond what we are able. He does not promise to deliver us from temptation or testing, but He does promise to limit its intensity. He further promises to provide the way of escape, that we may be able to bear it. Reading this verse, one cannot help but be struck by the tremendous comfort it has afforded to tested saints of God through the centuries. Young believers have clung to it as to a life-line and older believers have reposed on it as upon a pillow. Perhaps some of Paul's readers were being fiercely tempted at the time to go into idolatry. Paul would comfort them with the thought that God would not allow any unbearable temptation to come their way. At the same time they should be warned that they should not expose themselves to temptation.
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1 Corinthians 9:9-11 KJV
For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
It is clearly stated in Deu_25:4 that an ox should not be muzzled while it treads out the grain. That is, when an animal is used in a harvesting operation, it should be allowed to partake of some of the harvest. Is it oxen God is concerned about? God does care for oxen, but He didn't cause these things to be written in the OT merely for the sake of dumb animals. There was a spiritual principle involved to be applied to our life and service.
9:10 Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? The answer is “yes,” our welfare was in His mind when these words were written. When a man plows, he should plow with the expectation of some remuneration. So likewise, when a man threshes, he should be able to look forward to some of the harvest in recompense. Christian service resembles plowing and threshing, and God has decreed that those who engage in these aspects of His service should not do so at their own expense.
9:11 Paul speaks of himself as having sown spiritual things for the Christians at Corinth. In other words, he came to Corinth preaching the gospel to them and teaching them precious spiritual truths. That being so, is it asking too much if in return they should minister to him of their finances or other material things? The argument is that “the wages of the preacher are greatly inferior in value to what he has given. Material benefits are small compared with spiritual blessings.”
This is not really relevant to the discussion. Paul is saying those who minister the word of God need to be paid, so they can continue in their work.
(My father lived by faith and took a secular job to maintain his Christian work. We were poor. This is particularly applicable to our situation.)
