Romans 16:17-20 "
17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and [a]hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own [b]appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. 19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." In light of Paul's warnings in the scriptures we presented in part one it would do us good to contend for the true faith and doctrine. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 "4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but [a]divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ."
It is significant that Paul does not refer directly to the false teachers, but speaks of the divisions and obstacles they cause in the church. What then is the potential danger? Why such a serious undertaking? It is serious because it separates brother from brother, and it leads to destruction of the freedom and grace we have in Christ. We have so many churches in our world because of false teaching that has caused division. That's why Paul warns use in 1st Corinthians 16:13 to be watchful.
The Roman Christians had already learned the true gospel and as such had build the church at Rome on a solid foundation. Thus the warning to be on the lookout for false teachers. He told the Galatians that these teachers were eternally condemned because their false doctrine leads to division and destruction of men who where once Godly. Paul makes that very clear in passages like 1 Timothy 4:1-5 "But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will [a]fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3 men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; 5 for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer." Also in verse 16 "Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will [a]ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you." Jude wrote it like this "Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the [a]saints. 4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand [b]marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ."
As we go back to our text in Romans we find out Paul points out several descriptions of the false teachers and the division they create. They put obstacles in your way that are contradictory to the scriptures. Like taking Old Testament rituals designed for Israel and saying Christians have too follow. Such teachers only serve their appetites and not the Lord. Look at this list of how Paul and the other New Testament writers refer to these False Teachers.
Smooth talkers,
Use flattery,
They deceive,
deceitful workmen,
disguising themselves as Apostles of Christ,
They pervert the gospel,
Preach contrary to the gospel,
cunning, craftiness, deceitful wiles,
tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine,
desire the praises of men,
swerving people away from a pure heart, good consciences, and the sincere faith,
vain discussion,
desiring to be teachers but having no knowledge of the truth,
rejecting conscience,
shipwreck of their faith,
pretensions of liars,
seared conscience,
forbid marriage,
abstinence from certain foods,
godless chatter,
contradictions in their knowledge,
insubordinate men,
empty talkers,
factious men,
promotes circumcision,
perverted and sinful,
self- condemned,
loved being hired for wrong doing,
uttering words of vanity,
they are entice in the lust of the flesh by laciviousness,
live in error,
pervert liberty,
bond servants of corruption,
ignorant, unlearned of scripture to their own destruction,
does not confess that Jesus came from God,
denies that Jesus came in the flesh,
Antichrist,
does not abide in Christ, nor his doctrine,
does not have God,
defiles the flesh,
rejects authority,
reviles the glorious one,
scoffers, following their own desires,
set up division, worldly, devoid of the spirit,
will not endure sound doctrine,
have itching ears, turn away from truth to follow myths,
no longer children, grievous wolves not sparing the flock,
they shall rise from among us,
draw away disciples after them.
If you are not on the alert for these kinds of actions you might be swallowed up by their destruction.
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