Romans 16:17: I Appeal To You, Brothers, To Watch Out For Those Who Cause Divisions And Create Obstacles Contrary To The Doctrine That You Have Been Taught; Avoid Them.

Romans 16:17

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. (ESV)

The Apostle Paul loved the people in Rome very much. We have just read in previous verses his intimate greetings to his many friends. He viewed these people as part of the family of God. They were his brothers and sisters. Paul now demonstrates his love and care for his family members by warning them to avoid those who would bring false doctrines into the church.

We are often reminded by Scripture that we need to love one another. One of the ways that we love one another is by protecting each other from false doctrine. There is only one book in the New Testament in which there are no warnings against false teaching. The Lord knew that the enemy of our souls would be at work trying to destroy the church. One of his primary weapons is false teaching.

Our love for each other is a result of the love that we have received from God himself. All that we know of his love, and the rest of his character and nature, comes from the Word of God he has given to us. Any distortion of that truth affects our understanding of how we relate to him, and by extension, how we relate to one another. This is why false teaching hinders us loving one another properly.

Paul says that the response to these false teachers who would cause divisions and create obstacles to the faith is to avoid them. Far too many churches are not equipped to deal with false doctrine. They do not bring discipline. They do not want to be perceived as mean spirited. One of the most loving things you can do for the body of Christ is to avoid false teaching and the false teachers who bring it.

How much do you love the body of Christ? Do you love the church enough to put a stop to false teaching? If you are in a church that permits false teaching you may need to ask your pastor to lovingly put a stop to it.

Comments

Romans 8:18: For I Consider That The Sufferings Of This Present Time Are Not Worth Comparing

Romans 8:18 [18] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (ESV) Perspective. What an important word. Let's be honest. We do not like the idea of suffering. We will do almost anything to avoid any kind of suffering. Some churches have gone so far as to preach against the idea of suffering, declaring it to not be a part of the true believer's life. Paul is not shy about the topic. Paul uses the sufferings of this present time as a means to consider the greater glory that awaits us. Perspective. Paul is not in any way attempting to diminish our suffering. A view toward eternity puts our suffering in a proper understanding. Yes, our suffering is terrible. In the grand scheme of eternity it is not even worth comparison. Maybe you are thinking that Paul does not know what he is talking about when it comes to suffering. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul describes countless beatings, often near death,

Romans 15:20-21: And Thus I Make It My Ambition To Preach The Gospel, Not Where Christ Has Already Been Named

Romans 15:20–21 [20] and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, [21] but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (ESV) We need to be reminded continually that the message of the Gospel is intended to move all across the world. Jesus said that his followers were to preach the Gospel, starting in Jerusalem, and continue preaching the Gospel to the whole world. Christians have not always been good at delivering the Gospel message as far and as often as they should. In the first century church it took intense persecution to motivate the disciples in Jerusalem to bring the Gospel to Judea and Samaria. Once the disciples fled to new regions they shared the Gospel wherever they went. Would the disciples have preached the Gospel without the persecution? We may never know. Some probably would have stayed in their co

James 2:18: I Will Show You My Faith By My Works

James 2:18 [18] But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (ESV) There are certain things in life that go together. Peanut butter and jelly. Double stuff Oreo cookies and milk. Faith and works. James raises the point that someone might argue that faith and works can be separated. "One will say, "You have faith and I have works." Is it ok for works to be separated from faith? James is making the argument that faith and works are not to be separated. James is saying to the one who has faith only, with no works, that he wants them to see his faith by his works. In other words, if you are going to claim to have faith, but have no works, you have no evidence of faith. If I am to believe that a person has genuine faith I can only see that by their works. Faith brings action. There are so many people to claim to have some kind of faith, yet when it comes down to it, their

Every Day Devotion

Search This Blog