Verse of the day: Romans 16:17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause
divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid
them.
In a day and age when everyone seems to be easily
offended by most anything, we must be careful that we not shy away from
speaking and living God’s truth. Even amongst Christians it has become
unpopular to refute the heresies that are spread by those who, for the sake of “unity”
and “self-gain”, have been willing to compromise the Gospel message, doctrine,
and have allowed themselves to be swept away in the flood of feel good, all-inclusive,
messages that communicate that God will accept those things that are expressly
prohibited by God’s Word. Sadly, the result has been division within God’s
family and amongst local churches. This, before the world, brings much dishonor
to God, as the unsaved see a group of people who proclaim the love of God, but
cannot seem to find it within themselves to love one another. In doing so, we
allow our enemy, the devil, to use such division to make the church look like
hypocrites, and thereby making it more difficult to win others to Christ. The
Lord made it very clear that the gate to salvation is a narrow one, and it is
of no benefit to the cause of Christ to water down God’s Word for the sake of
trying to win someone (Mt 7:12-14). The Apostle Paul, throughout the Epistle to
the Romans, speaks of the unity between the Jews and the Gentiles. In this last
chapter, he issues the final warning about those that would cause division and
offenses that are contrary to the doctrines they had been taught. His final
verdict is to have nothing to do with them. It would do us well today to
continue following such an admonition. To Titus, the Apostle wrote, “A man that
is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject;” Titus 3:10. He
communicated this instruction to Titus in advising him to avoid foolish
questions, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law (Titus 3:9).
To Timothy he writes that he should turn away from those that appear to be
godly, but really were not of God, as evidenced by their lack of affection,
despiser of those that are good, lovers of self, covetous, and the such in
these last days (2 Tim 3:1-5). Here, the Apostle tells the Christians at Rome
that they should “note”, or “mark”, those that cause division. One commentator
wrote that this means that we should “observe attentively, cautiously, and faithfully;
be on guard against them.” (Phi 3:17). It was during this time that it was
likely that there were Jews who were insisting that Christians should also be
observing rites associated with the Law of Moses. Anything that is added to the
Gospel, and to salvation by faith alone, is corrupt and is not a true gospel.
This is where we as God’s children must tread lightly. The Apostle is not
saying that we are to treat these people harshly. We are to always speak the
truth in love (Eph 4:15); for it is by our demonstration of love that we might
turn such a one. However, there comes a time when we must break fellowship with
those who insist on teaching (whether in word or in deed) that which is
contrary to the doctrines found in God’s Word (and claim to be Christians). We
must not follow them or accept them as our teachers. Rather than accept their
divisive teachings, we must be the kind of student of Scripture that allows us
to immediately recognize falsehood, but still respond in such a way to promote
peace amongst God’s people (Mt 5:9; Rm 12:18). In all that we do we must always
have God’s glory as our aim and final outcome, even if it means that we stand
alone or as part of a very small minority (1 Cor 10:31-32); as those who cause
division by their falsehoods and offenses will someday stand before the Lord
Himself to give account (2 Pt 2:4-11; Jude 12-15).
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