Note Those
Wolves Among Us • Sermon • Submitted
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· 13 viewsGo into false teachers, false doctrine, false apostles, false worship (Samaria), false prophets, etc. Explain what they look like and how they operate.
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Note Those Who Cause Division and Offenses
Note Those Who Cause Division and Offenses
Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.
Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.
As we learned last week, wolves hunt very cunningly. You don’t know you’re being stalked until the wolf suddenly appears. We also learned in our Galatians study that the legalists were introducing their doctrine in bits and pieces while also capturing the hearts of those in the church through relationship. And we also learned last week that “savage” is tied to placing heavy burdensome legalist doctrine and rules on the people.
Now continuing our study of “Wolves Among Us,” Paul tells the Romans to “note those who cause divisions and offenses CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE WHICH YOU LEARNED, and avoid them.” We know that most of the epistles were written to combat false doctrine. The false doctrine gained an entrance and had to be addressed. So where the heck were the leaders?! Anyway, the main idea of a wolf is the aspect of false doctrine whether through preaching or teaching.
Anyway, the main idea of a wolf is the aspect of false doctrine whether through preaching or teaching.
The word “note” means “to continue to regard closely—to watch, to notice carefully…paying close attention in order to be prepared to respond appropriately.” It means “to look at critically as the judge does.” It means to inspect. Later it had the idea of “spying out which includes an element of suspicion and distrust.”
There are two warning signs that alert the need for watching a person: 1) he or she causes divisions and 2) cause offenses. Both of these are in relation to a doctrine that is contrary to what they’ve been taught.
Division is “a division into opposing groups, discord…to cause two groups in place of one group…and is expressed in terms of attitudes…to cause people to be angry at one another or to cause people to not like one another or to cause people to think of one another as enemies.”
It has the idea of division, disunity, contention that is political in nature. It’s “objective disunity” mean that there’s a GOAL, AN END GAME TO THE DIVISION in the mind of the person causing it.
Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat.
Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat.
There are three leavens the Lord spoke about:
Leaven of the Pharisees
Leaven of Herod
Leaven on the kingdom
Leaven is hypocritical behavior probably implying hidden attitudes and motivations, pretense. To both the Hebrew and the Roman mind leaven was always tied to defilement. The leaven of the Pharisees is the doctrine or teaching they taught () that were designed to keep the people in bondage and line their pockets and increase their power and influence. The leaven of Herod was the hypocrisy of Herod but I believe it also was the political spirit that Herod operated in. The strife and self-ambition.
For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
Envy is zeal. It can be good. But when it’s bad, it’s jealousy and resentment. Self-seeking (a.k.a. strife) is “in a bad sense of those who seek only their own. Contention, strife, rivalry. It represents a motive of self-interest, mercenary interest”
Complete Word Study Dictionary, The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary – New Testament. It is also one canvassing for public office and scheming. The baseline definition was originally a day laborer. It came to means someone that does something for hire.
So wherever jealousy and selfishness are uncovered, you will also find many troubles and every kind of meanness.
Jealousy according to The Passion is “implies an obsession to promote one’s self at the expense of others.” The word troubles means “instability and disorder.” And, of course, “every kind of meanness.”
The Greek word for jealousy implies an obsession to promote one’s self at the expense of others.
THE IDEA IS THAT AT ONE TIME A CHURCH WAS FULL OF UNITY, LOVE, PREFERENCE OF ONE ANOTHER AND SOUNDNESS OF DOCTRINE. BUT THEN SUDDENLY THERE’S DISUNITY, INSTABILITY, AND DISORDER. IF YOU TRACE THIS TO THE SOURCE, IT’S A PERSON THAT IS CANVASSING FOR FOLLOWERS BECAUSE INWARDLY THEY ARE SEEKING THEIR OWN SELF-INTERESTS.”
Simmons, B. (Trans.). (2017). The Passion Translation: New Testament. BroadStreet Publishing.
Offenses is skandalon, which is “the trigger of a trap on which the bait is placed, and which, when touched by the animal, springs and causes it to close causing entrapment. The word and its deriv. belong only to biblical and ecclesiastical Gr. In the Sept. it answers to the word for pagís <G3803>, trap. However, pagís always refers simply to a trap hidden in an ambush and not to the results; whereas skándalon involves a reference also to the conduct of the person who is thus trapped. Skándalon always denotes an enticement to conduct which could ruin the person in question.”
Complete Word Study Dictionary, The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary – New Testament.
It is “to slip, to stumble, cause of disaster.” It has the idea of “unexpectedness, knavery (dishonesty), and violence.” It was a “temptation to sin” by others. It’s the “idea of the evil which sin brings with it.”
And we can see from that the main weapon that causes divisions and offenses is FALSE TEACHING because doctrine simply means teaching.
Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
There are three leavens the Lord spoke about:
Leaven of the Pharisees
Leaven of Herod
Leaven on the kingdom
Leaven is hypocritical behavior probably implying hidden attitudes and motivations, pretense. To both the Hebrew and the Roman mind leaven was always tied to defilement. The leaven of the Pharisees is the doctrine or teaching they taught () that were designed to keep the people in bondage and line their pockets and increase their power and influence. The leaven of Herod was the hypocrisy of Herod but I believe it also was the political spirit that Herod operated in— strife and self-ambition.
Paul tells the Romans to “avoid them.” Avoid means to “purposely avoid association with someone…to have nothing to do with.” KEEP AWAY FROM THEM. It’s the idea of no longer trusting. We see that the Holy Spirit is explicitly clear—if someone starts causing divisions and offenses in the church, we are to keep away from them no matter how long we’ve known them. And the main weapon is teaching, although, anyone who causes division and tries to entice others to sin is to be avoided. You will notice a meanness about these people. And they dang sure don’t mind speaking ill of others even leaders. They are hypocrites who are only concerned with their own selfish gain. They are defiling. Wherever they go, there’s INSTABILITY AND DISORDER.
For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.
whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.
whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.
Belly is a word that can refer to the physical digestive system, but it is “what disrupts man’s relation to God—evil rooted in the innermost being of a man. The cause of all sin in thought and word and act is an evil heart and ungodly nature.” However, Paul’s use of the phrase might be pointing to the legalists and their observances of food laws.
For people like this are not truly serving the Lord, our Messiah, but are being driven by their own desires for a following. Utilizing their smooth words and well-rehearsed blessings, they seek to deceive the hearts of innocent ones.
Smooth words is only used here and refers “to friendly speeches and fine words.” It’s the idea of wooing others over. Politicians use this type of speech ALL OF THE TIME. Flattering is “to speak well of” but also means “EXCESSIVE PRAISE.” It’s “to use big words about a small person.” It’s to say how wonderful a person is when that person really isn’t. These individuals know how to speak to those who haven’t learned their identity in Christ, which is why it’s so crucial to embrace the lessons of learning how to live before an audience of One, being overlooked, being ignored, etc. All of those kill that MAN PLEASING heart.
The word “simple” is KEY! Simple is “pertaining to being unsuspecting or naive with regard to possible deception.” It describes “the one who does not do evil, who is upright…the one whom evil does not touch, who is innocent.” I.e. the simple are those who just can’t believe there are people out there so evil that they will do all of the things I just described.
Now, remember, it is I who sends you out, even though you feel vulnerable as lambs going into a pack of wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes yet as harmless as doves.”
Now, remember, it is I who sends you out, even though you feel vulnerable as lambs going into a pack of wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes yet as harmless as doves.”
Shrewd means discerning. So we’re to not do evil but we’re to also be discerning and understand that there are evil people out there including in the church who are wolves. Because those who aren’t discerning and swallow what everyone says are the prey of the wolves.
This shows us that not only do they teach false doctrine but they couch their doctrine in fine words and flattery.
And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
1 Cor 2:
For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.
The Passion says that the kingdom comes with power not simply impressive words. Power is referring to the miraculous power of God but it always speaks of “being able.” It means ACHIEVING POWER. Achieving power of what? Well, it can definitely speak of performing miracles, which the legalists couldn’t do. But as we learned that’s not always a good thing because there are lying signs and wonders. I believe that it’s not JUST THE ABILITY TO PERFORM MIRACLES TO PROVE YOUR PREACHING THE WORD. I BELIEVE IT’S ALSO THE ABILITY TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO THE SAME IMAGE. It’s the achieving power of God within a believer that takes them from thinking and living as a sinner to thinking and living as a saint apart from the Law but by the power of the Holy Spirit. IT’S THE ABILITY TO BREAK THE POWER OF SIN.
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
:1-
We know that Paul can’t be referring to the world because the world doesn’t have a “form of godliness.” He’s referring to those in the church, more than likely legalists, that are lovers of themselves, money, pleasure, no self control, unloving, unholy, etc. Outwardly, they appear to have a “form of godliness.”
The word “form” comes from “metamorphoo,” is “refers to an external appearance” only. It’s putting on a mask to disguise who one really is. It’s like actors and actresses that put on an act to be people they really aren’t. The idea that Greek scholar Zodhiates gives is changing a Japanese garden to an Italian Garden. They might look different but both are still a garden.
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
1:
Transforming is the verb form of metamorphoo. You see that false apostles, prophets, teachers, etc. are able to put on a disguise and make deception look like revelation and even appear righteous, probably more righteous than you or me! They are able to shape their outward form in a convincing way of godliness.
The word “godliness” is important to understand because it has nothing to do with being a believer or having God live in you. The ancient idea was “respect for the orders of domestic, national and international life. Proper conduct toward them is godliness…Since these orders are under the protection of the gods it is understandable that this word came to refer increasingly to the gods.” It’s the “appropriate beliefs and devout practice of obligations relating to supernatural persons and powers.”
You see that godliness has nothing to do with God but these are able to go through the motions of Christianity and appear to have proper conduct in church (or whatever religion) but in the case of Christianity, they deny its power.
Deny is “to refuse to give thought to or express concern for—to disregard, to pay no attention to, to say No to.” “They deny that which gives power to godliness.”
Smooth words. Kingdom is word and power. Not in word only.
They may pretend to have a respect for God, but in reality they want nothing to do with God’s power. Stay away from people like these!
That which gives power is a Person. THESE SAY NO TO THE ACHIEVING POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BREAK THE POWER OF SIN OVER THEIR LIVES. I have seen this repeatedly. And those who refuse the Holy Spirit have left. These can sit for YEARS under anointed teaching designed to change their lives and not hear ONE word. Not only do they continue in the same sin and thought processes as usual, they get worse and worse. They are always hearing but never changing. And every single time, there was division, chaos, disorder, and instability.
Jude
Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
There have been some who have sneaked in among you unnoticed. They are depraved people whose judgment was prophesied in Scripture a long time ago. They have perverted the message of God’s grace into a license to commit immorality and turn against our only absolute Master, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Dearly loved friend, I was fully intending to write to you about our amazing salvation we all participate in, but felt the need instead to challenge you to vigorously defend and contend for the beliefs that we cherish. For God, through the apostles, has once for all entrusted these truths to his holy believers.
There have been some who have sneaked in among you unnoticed. They are depraved people whose judgment was prophesied in Scripture a long time ago. They have perverted the message of God’s grace into a license to commit immorality and turn against our only absolute Master, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Crept in unnoticed means they joined by stealth with evil intent or joined under false pretense. They have a form of godliness.
In closing, I want to give you a Biblical example of this other than Judas Iscariot.
Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city.
But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
Acts 8:
I want to point out a few things.
He claimed he was someone great.
He allowed people to say that he WAS the great power of God.
He operated in some demonic power.
Philip threatened his position among the people with a greater power.
He believed, was baptized and “CONTINUED WITH PHILIP” being amazed my the miracles and signs that were done.
But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time.
Acts 8:
In the Aramaic, verse 9 tells us that he boasted that HE WAS THE GREAT GOD. Verse 10 “dazzled by his sorcery” means they were all praying to him and bowing before him. It appears that whatever Philip did trumped Simon’s dark arts so that even he believed.
Now, there was a man who lived there who was steeped in sorcery. For some time he had astounded the people of Samaria with his magic, boasting to be someone great. Everyone, from the least to the greatest among them, was dazzled by his sorcery, saying, “This man is the greatest wizard of all! The divine power of God walks among us!” For many years everyone was in awe of him because of his astonishing displays of the magic arts.
But as Philip preached the wonderful news of God’s kingdom realm, and the name of Jesus the Anointed One, many believed his message and were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon believed and was baptized! Wherever Philip went, Simon was right by his side, astounded by all the miracles, signs, and enormous displays of power that he witnessed.
It appears that
“Continued” means “to continue steadfastly with someone (); to cleave faithfully to someone (); referring to those who continually insist on something or stay close to someone “
Complete Word Study Dictionary, The - The Complete Word Study Dictionary – New Testament.
Basically Simon attached himself to Philip’s ministry traveling with him and probably served in some type of capacity. But then the apostles showed up.
Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”
Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”
Acts 8:14
The apostles come to investigate the move of God in Samaria. So far the disciples had been water baptized. The apostles came to baptize them in Holy Spirit fire. Simon witnesses a visible manifestation of this and offers money for the same power. Peter basically told him, “To hell with your money.” He then says, “You will never have this gift or take part in this ministry, for your heart is not right with God.”
21 You will never have this gift or take part in this ministry, for your heart is not right with God.
And then the Bible shows us WHY Simon was like he was:
For I discern that jealous envy has poisoned you and binds you as a captive to sin.”
The NKJV says “you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” Poisoned means “to be particularly envious or resentful of someone - to be very jealous, to be terribly envious, to be bitterly envious.” Or BITTER ENVY. Who was Simon bitterly envious? PHILIP, OF COURSE. Even though Simon had believed, Philip was now the center of attention and performing even greater signs and wonders than Simon ever did. That desire to be admired and followed had not died. He was still bound in that iniquity, which means a “bent toward sin.” SIMON WAS A WOLF.
History tells us that he did not repent and instead became an enemy of the church and taught false doctrine.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Hippolytus
Hippolytus
Irenaeus’ disciple Hippolytus also understood Simon Magus as an apostate. Similar to the church fathers before him, he recounts Simon’s confrontations with the apostles in Rome, where he met opposition from Peter in particular for his teachings (Adversus Haereses 6.15). Hippolytus goes beyond Irenaeus by providing further information about Simon’s background. For instance, Hippolytus notes that a sorcerer named Thrasymedes mentored Simon and taught him how to deify himself (Refutation 6.2). Hippolytus denounces such teaching by stressing that it was perpetrated by demons and fully repudiated by the apostles.
Hippolytus provides a lengthy discourse comparing Simon to another well-known sorcerer, Apsethus from Libya. He recounts how Apsethus, who also believed himself to be divine, trained a flock of parrots to repeat the phrase “Apsethus is a god” and then sent them out to spread that message. The parrots failed to convince the area’s residents, who in turn trained the parrots to repeat that Apsethus had tricked them and that he really was not a god. When the Libyans heard this, they came together and burned Apsethus (Refutation 6.3). In giving this extra background information, Hippolytus apparently sought to remind his readers that Simon was a worthless magician and a fraud (Refutation 2.3).
Later Works
Simon also appears in the writings of others from the early church period, such as Tertullian, Epiphanius, and even in the so-called pseudo-Clementine literature, which depicts Simon as a deceiver (Haar, Simon Magus, 118–131). Throughout the post-New Testament literature, Simon Magus is viewed as a counterfeit believer and antagonist of the Christian faith. These disparaging portrayals continued through the medieval era and into early modern traditions in both literary and artistic renditions. As a result, it is likely that Simon Magus will forever be identified as the quintessential heretic (for a detailed discussion of Simon throughout the centuries, see Ferreiro, Simon Magus).
Bibliography
Barrett, C.K. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary of the Acts of the Apostles. Vol. 1. International Critical Commentary. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1994.
Bock, Darrell L. Acts. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007.
Some account say that Simon even claimed to be the Christ and “proved” it with supernatural deeds.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Simon Magus
Simon Magus
According to Irenaeus, Simon Magus was the one “from whom all the heresies take their origin” (Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses, 1.23.2 [Foerster]). Simon Magus, a sorcerer found in Samaria by Phillip, worked wonders among the people before Phillip converted him to Christianity (Acts 8:13). Following his conversion, Simon attempted to purchase the power of the Holy Spirit from Peter before being rebuked (Acts 8:9–24). Perhaps because the New Testament claims that Simon assumed the divine title of “the Great Power of God” (Acts 8:10, NAS), Irenaeus records that Simon actually believed himself to be God (Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses, 1.23.2 [Foerster]). In Irenaeus’ account, Simon preached himself as the god who first created “Thought, the mother of all”—his female companion (Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses, 1.23.2 [Foerster]). Irenaeus further records that Simon claimed that from thought, the angels and human beings were created, but because “the angels were governing the world badly,” Simon descended into human form “to bring things to order” (Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses, 1.23.3 [Foerster]). Irenaeus goes on: Simon promised that when “order” came, his followers would be saved, and “the world will be dissolved” (Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses, 1.23.3 [Foerster]). Although the account of Simon’s religious beliefs includes no reference to a saving gnosis, Irenaeus concludes that Simon gave the “falsely so-called gnosis” its beginnings (Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses, 1.23.4
Continue in Jude
TRIBE OF BENJAMIN AND IT’S IMPORTANCE TO THE END OF THE AGE. . .