Wed., 7/6/16 Devotion (Matt. 16:12)

Today's encouragement comes from Matthew 16:12, where our Redeemer uttered these words:

"Then [the disciples] understood that [Jesus] did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

The doctrine of both modern-day Pharisees *and* Sadducees is to be reject-ed by the true church of Christ. The hyper-conservative Pharisees, being driven by fear, exalt self, family, the Bible as a dead letter, and tradition over Christ, the church, and the gospel. The hyper-liberal Sadducees, motivated by position, exalt self, the state, prestige, and money over the same truths and graces of God. The basic commonality that Pharisees and Sadducees share is their utter (and usually secret) hatred of Jesus, and His redeemed people.

Let us not be fooled by religion. All hypocrites (of whatever stripe) have an agenda of heresy. Let us love, and cling to Christ alone; and “beware" of the "doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

[Puritan quote of the day: "The more love a Christian receives from God, the more he sees himself a debtor to free grace, and the sense of his debt keeps his heart humble . . . “ —Thomas Watson, in, "A Body of Divinity"]