Beware

Read Matthew 16:1-12

Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came,

 and hailing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.

He answered and said to them, 

“When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’;

“and in the morning, “It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’  Hypocrites!  You know how to discern the face of the sky,

 but you cannot discern the signs of the times.

“A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign,

 and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” 

 And He left them and departed.

Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

Then Jesus said to them, 

“Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”

Then they understood 

that He did not tell them to beware the leaven of bread, 

but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

                                                                                             Matthew 16:1-6,12
Do you know what you believe, and why you believe it?  Is what you believe based on the Scriptures?  Can you support your beliefs from the Bible and not take verses out of context?  Is what you believe based only on what you have heard from pastors, priests, evangelist, and those on television?
We are not all Bible scholars, but we should all have a good idea of what the Bible says.  We should believe it, read it, as often as we can, from cover to cover, and ask God to reveal His truths in it.
Most Pastors, priests and evangelists are good people, they truly believe what they teach.  I know I thank God for some very well educated pastors, that have come into my life.
One in particular, couldn’t emphasize enough the need to read the Word of God.  “Study to show thyself approved.”  (2 Timothy 3:15) was a quote he used.  He always asserted that any teacher, no matter how good is “human”, therefore, imperfect and prone to make the odd mistake.  He noted that no church, no denomination has it all right, all make mistakes although, they do their best to get it right, for the most part.
It is therefore, up to us as individuals to read the Scriptures, to know what God is saying.  To know that we are in the right place with God.
Throughout the history, the church, has let the leaven of the Pharisees creep in, every now and then.
The Pharisees simply put, let traditions and man’s interpretation of Scriptures get in front of what God’s word actually said.  They covered the spirit and original intent of the Word of God with traditions and mistaken interpretations, thus changing it’s meaning.

Something to think about

Millions of books have been written, interpreting the Scriptures. Each writer with  a slight bias derived from what they were taught.
That is understandable no factual book has ever been written without some kind of bias. It’s the consequence of “being human” and the free will God has given us.
The bottom line in all of his however, is to be aware of what is being taught.  Read the Scriptures.  Question doctrines that you don’t understand.  If it is truly based on the Scriptures, it will stand to independent scrutiny, and those preaching it will not be afraid to have it questioned.