“Another parable spake he unto them: The kingdom of Heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” The leaven in the meal represents the progressive work of divine grace in the human heart. The leaven was not naturally in the meal, but being placed in it gave rise to fermentation which resulted in a radical change of the whole mass. So the principles of God’s truth, hidden in the heart of an individual, change his entire nature, and influence his life. The natural feelings are transformed, the affections are consecrated, and the mind elevated. Physically, the man appears the same; but inwardly, he has become renewed by the heavenly principles that animate his life. {2SP 247.1}

(247) "Endnu en lignelse fortalte han dem: "Med Himmeriget er det ligesom med en surdej, som en kvinde tog og kom i tre mål hvedemel, indtil det blev gennemsyret alt sammen" (Matt 13,33) Surdejen i melet fremstiller Guds nådes fremgang i menneskets hjerte. Naturen frembragte ingen surdej i melet; men den blev føjet til for at frembringe gærring, som aldeles forandrer hele dejen. Således skulle Guds sandhed, skjult i menneskets hjerte, forandre hele dets karakter og liv. De naturlige følelser forvandles, kærligheden helliges, og sindet forædles. Man ser ingen forandring på menneskets legeme; men indvortes er det blevet fornyet ved de himmelske grundsætninger, som påvirker dets liv.