Proving Yeast

A Baker’s Guide to James

Dough will not rise if the yeast is dead. If you bake dough without living yeast you get unleavened bread, or matza. The reason the dough will not rise is because there is no life in it.

As James said, “In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” And he went on, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” (James 2:17 & 2:26, NASB 2020)

If the dough rises, however, you can be sure there is living yeast in it. Risen dough is evidence that there is life in the yeast. James said something similar; “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” (James 2:24, NASB 2020)

Risen dough is the result of life at work in the yeast. You see that life in the form of risen dough. In James 2:23, we read that Abraham believed God and was credited with righteousness. This is recorded in Genesis 15:6. The evidence James finds for this is Abraham’s offering of Isaac (see Genesis 22:2 and following). James wrote, “You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected [or completed (teleio)];” (James 2:22, NASB 2020).

If living yeast is permitted to be incorporated into dough, there will be a resulting change. The dough will take on new properties and characteristics. The dough is perfected, or completed, as evidenced by its rising.

In just the same way, if anyone opens their heart to Jesus by faith, the Holy Spirit will be incorporated into that person. (1 Corinthians 6:17 & 19) That brings about change and seeing that change it’s obvious that they have Life in them.

Just as yeast mixed into dough pervades the whole lump, so the Holy Spirit incorporated into a person pervades that person. Those who have opened the door to Christ Jesus are joined to and filled with the Spirit of God. The result is that they take on new properties and characteristics, sharing in the very nature of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17, 2 Peter 1:4)