Parting Principles for Remaining Faithful

1st Principle: Be watchful and guard against division

Explanation: Paul brings his letter to its final conclusion with a warning to the believers to guard against “them which cause divisions.” The verb tense is a present continuous, meaning this group was already in existence. Paul informs the readers that these specific divisions would be the result of false teachers and their doctrine. If such was allowed to enter the Church, the result would not be good.

Examples: some modern examples facing the Church of the 21st century:

Embracing the so-called “third way” to minister to homosexuals

Using the lens of Critical Race Theory (CRT) to enhance our gospel witness

“Unhitching” from the OT because it is not necessary for our witness

Argument: Note that these examples are in the form of internal attack on the integrity of the Church. These are not divisions that originate on the outside with the pagans. This brings to mind Paul’s parting charge to the elders from Ephesus when he warned that group in a similar fashion:

Acts 20:29–31 KJV 1900

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Application: How do we guard against such division? Look at end of v. 17 where Paul says, “contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned.” Paul’s expectation was that they knew the Scriptures.

Treasury agents who track down counterfeits are trained by handling real currency. When the agent is familiar with the genuine, anything else is counterfeit.

Know the Word!

2nd Principle: Value the Community of Faith (Romans 16:21-23)

Explanation: Paul focuses attention on eight (8) individual believers by name. This is not accidental nor is it unimportant. Moderns have a tendency to downplay such lists and the entire section Chapter 16 from verse 1 down to verse 16, a section dedicated to the listing and accomplishments of almost 30 people.

Argument: These are some of the people who God sent to assist Paul in his missionary work to the Churches. These are his fellow-laborers in the field; they are his prayer warriors; they are part of his financial support system; and they are part of his family. They are basically unknown to us, but they were vitally important to Paul and to the success of his ministry

God never intended for us to live the Christian life as loners. There should never be any “Lone Ranger Christians.” We are called to community, and we are to value each other. There is something warm and wonderful when we know the ones we worship and serve with. We are not meant to be strangers who simply meet in the same building at the same time once or twice a month.

Application: Take time to appreciate the other members of the family. Pray for others in the family of faith at Smyrna.

Galatians 6:10 ESV

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

3rd Principle: Acknowledge the Power of God (Romans 16:25)

Explanation: The final three verses of Paul’s letter to the Church at Rome is a doxology of praise to God. By definition, a doxology is "A form of words that offers praise to God, especially for his work of creation and redemption. Scripture records a number of these forms of praise which were used in both public and private worship” Paul ends several of his letters with a doxology as does Jude, the Book of Hebrews, and the Revelation.

Paul is directing the believer’s attention to the foundational and fundamental element of recognizing God’s power. It is God Himself who is to be the object of our worship and praise. Paul reminds them that it only by and through the power of God that we can proclaim the Gospel, and it is by His power that the Gospel penetrates the hearts of those who hear it.

Argument: As the community of faith gathers to worship, it must never neglect its dependence upon the power of God. This very same point was included in last week’s message from Romans 15:14 -21, but it is a truth of which we need to be reminded on a regular basis. It is so easy for us to start thinking that we have “Church” figured out and we can do it. We cannot.

Application: Pray for God’s presence to be on display in our services in a powerful and meaningful manner. The Spirit of Christ IS here, and He is present before we get here. He is the One who invites us into His presence. But, and here is our area of need, we allow ourselves to be distracted from His presence. We tend to fill our minds and hearts with so many lesser things and end up missing Him as we spend time in a service that is set up for His praise and worship.

4th Principle: Strive to influence the culture through the proclamation of the Gospel (Romans 16:26-27)

Explanation: Paul’s parting challenge to the Church at Rome is for them to be engaged in the mission. He reminds them that God has revealed the mystery of the faith for a purpose. In His mission of Redemption through the Crucifixion and Resurrection, Jesus expanded the scope of salvation history to include the Gentiles in fulfillment of His promise to Abraham.

Jesus was the One who gave His mandate to the Church immediately prior to His Ascension when He commanded His disciples to make disciples of the nations through the Gospel. Paul echoes this Commission when he reminds the Church at Rome that God’s purpose is that the Gospel will be taken “to all nations for the obedience of faith.”

Application: Our Church services on Sunday are supposed to have purpose. One such purpose is for us to celebrate what God has done for us in Christ - we praise Him for delivering us from the bondage of sin. We praise Him for His goodness and grace, and we, hopefully, gain encouragement by the communion of saints as we gather.

Our time together is also designed to challenge us and to move us out of our comfort zone. By its nature, the Word of God IS authoritative. Believers have been delivered from the darkness of sin for a purpose - we are called to serve Him outside our gathering. We are called to to be involved in bringing the nations to the obedience of faith.

This means we are called to engage the culture as followers of Christ. We are called to live our lives with purpose, contending for the faith once delivered (Jude 3), and taking a public stand against all that opposes Christ. The mission field awaits!