In Matthew 13 there are seven parables. The first four parables are concerning the plant life. The first parable is concerning the sower coming out to sow (vv. 1-23); the second is concerning the enemy coming to sow the tares (vv. 24-30, 36-43); the third is concerning the mustard seed (vv. 31-32); and the fourth is concerning the woman taking the leaven and putting it into the fine flour made of the wheat (vv. 33-35). All these four parables are concerning the plant life. If we just remain in the plant stage, we will have trouble. We will be troubled by the wayside, the birds, the hidden rocks, and the thorns, signifying the anxiety of this age and the deceitfulness of riches. We will also be troubled by the mustard seed being changed in its nature into a big tree and by all kinds of leaven.

All kinds of "isms," such as Judaism, Catholicism, Protestantism, socialism, nationalism, racialism, and liberalism, are different kinds of leaven. A number of years ago, a medical doctor told me that we should set up some hospitals. This is liberalism. Another person came to me and said that the church in his locality was thinking about opening a school and using the church meeting hall for this purpose. We need to realize that if we get in the realm of setting up hospitals or schools, we will have all kinds of troubles, and all kinds of germs will creep into the church life. I saw this happen in mainland China. The missionaries set up hospitals and schools, and these became a part of the big tree with big branches, good for lodging the birds. The thought of having hospitals or schools is something of liberalism. This is why the Lord said that the gate is narrow and the way is constricted which leads to life (Matt. 7:14). We need to beware of any kind of leaven such as liberal thinking coming into the church life. A little leaven leavens and corrupts the whole lump, the whole church (1 Cor. 5:6).

The fifth and sixth parables in Matthew 13 do not speak concerning the plant life. The fifth parable is concerning the treasure (v. 44) and the sixth is concerning the pearl (vv. 45-46). Can you leaven a treasure? A large diamond could never be leavened. Can you leaven a pearl? Even if you bury the pearl with leaven, the pearl can never be leavened.

Matthew 13 shows us that while the Lord is working, His enemy is also working. When we remain in the stage of the plant life, we can easily get germs. But when we are transformed from the plants to the precious treasures and even become the New Jerusalem, there will be no possibility of our getting any germs. By that time we will all have been transformed into precious stones, which the enemy has no way to leaven.

We need to be on guard against any kind of leaven coming into the church life. Some in the church life may desire to be in a certain position. This is the leaven of ambition. Our opinions are another kind of leaven which can corrupt the church life. If no one takes our opinion, we may be offended. Opinions and the ambition for position or rank kill the church life. These things can be among us because we are still fleshly, natural, and in the old creation.

Many years ago I observed one brother who was seeking to be in the eldership. He thought he should be one of the elders, but he never became an elder. Because of his unfulfilled ambition, he gave up the church life and set up a meeting in his home. He also hired a preacher to be his home pastor. Eventually, from that division which he set up, some negative writings were put out which defamed Brother Watchman Nee. This is an illustration of the leaven of ambition. Today there are all kinds of leaven, but one day we will be in the holy city, the New Jerusalem, which is impossible to be leavened.