Romans 16:17–20 NKJV

17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 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. 19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Paul’s commendations and greetings concluding with Greet one another with a holy kiss, all served to build unity in the body.

We remember the teaching of Romans 14

Romans 14:1 NKJV

1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.

Romans 14:5 NKJV

5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.

Romans 14:10 NKJV

10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Paul’s teaching Rom 14 is that we must not be too dogmatic when it comes to grey issues. The things Paul is speaking of in this chapter are eat meat that had been offered to idols, or drinking wine. Paul says these issues are issues of the conscience. But he encourages use to show deference. That is that if I have liberty to do these things then have that liberty before God and not before my brothers and sister who do not have that liberty.

Romans 14 was to build unity

So we can see Paul’s deep concern for unity and we can also see that unity is not uniformity. We don’t all have to believe everything exactly the same in order to have unity. But how far do we take that? At what point do we say that something is an issue that we must be able to agree on if we are to have fellowship? Where is the line?

There are a lot of good things that we can pursue that when begin to pursue it at all cost it becomes destructive.

Unity is one of those things. Pursue unity but if you pursue it at any cost the cost will soon become greater than you can afford.

Watch Out for False Teachers

Romans 16:17 NKJV

17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.

Watch in the same way a guard watches out on duty.

The primary identification here is that they cause divisions and offences.

Divisions - disunity or dissension (discord or arguments)

offences - stumblingblock or snare.

Romans 14:20–21 NKJV

20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.

Matthew 18:6–7 NKJV

6 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!

So these false teachers cause disunity and set snares or stumblingblock which lead to sin, in the way of God’s people. And their teaching is contrary to the doctrine which you have learned.

Doctrine has become a bad word among modern Christians. You may hear things like “Christianity is not about doctrine it’s about a relationship with Christ” It sounds good and is hard to refute but it devalues a key element of our faith “doctrine” (which is teaching). Another one that I have heard is that “Christianity is not about doctrine it’s simply about following Christ.”

To which my question would be how does one know how to follow Christ without the doctrine teachings of Christ and the Apostle?

Christ and the Apostles place a great deal of importance on doctrine.

Matthew 28:19–20 NKJV

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

In Rom 16 it is also how we identify false teachers what they teach is contrary to the doctrine which we have learned. (learned from the teaching of Christ, the Apostles i.e. the Bible and from sound teachers who teach the Bible faithfully.)

So what do we do once we have identified that someone is a false teacher? Avoid them.

Literally shun them. Don’t continue under their instruction. do not fellowship with them.

So Paul who is supremely concerned with unity, says that sometime we must divide, sometimes the only answer is to part ways.

Now, we must take this in light of what Paul told in Rom 12:14

Romans 12:14 NKJV

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Romans 12:18 NKJV

18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

Romans 12:20–21 NKJV

20 Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

So even our worst enemy we are to bless them feed them and overcome evil with good and as much as we can live at peace with all.

But with false teachers we must avoid them.

Who Are These Teachers?

Romans 16:18 NKJV

18 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.

They don’t serve our Lord Jesus Christ

They serve their own belly

They use smooth words and flattering speech.

During Paul’s time there were 2 major groups of false teachers. The Gnostics and the Judaizers.

Both of these groups were trying to infiltrate the church and teach their beliefs which were contrary to the apostolic teachings.

Paul doesn’t specify which he is referring to here and perhaps it doesn’t mater because this teaching is timeless and could apply to any false teacher.

There are many that would teach contrary to the apostles teachings. And there is only one way that I know to to test any teaching. And that is the Word of God. Test is. Check it out for yourself. Whether it’s me or someone else whether here at this church or some other church or conference, on Shine TV, YouTube, or some other web site always, always, always, test the teaching against scripture. We may not always agree on every point of what the scriptures say but we should be able to agree on the essential truths.

Don’t Be Naive

Romans 16:19 NKJV

19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.

Their obedience has become know to all but if they become deceived by a false teacher then their disobedience would become know to all.

I want you to be wise in what is good and simple concerning evil.

Much the same as the teaching of Christ

Matthew 10:16 NKJV

16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

I believe that the more we know the scriptures and study them and meditate on them the easier it is for us to identify when something does not agree with scripture.

We must be students of the Word. But not to study for the sake of knowledge or just to understand or build theories rather study so that we might know how to follow Christ. Doctrine that leads to practical Christian living.

The Real Enemy’s Ultimate Doom

Romans 16:20 NKJV

20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Paul here acknowledges that the real enemy is Satan.

Ephesians 6:12 NKJV

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Remember even false teachers are just tools of Satan. He is the real enemy of the church. He’s the one who seeks to bring disunity and dissension. He’s the one who sets snares and seeks to lead people away from truth.

But Paul also reminds us of his ultimate end. When Christ went to the cross the prophecy was fulfilled.

Genesis 3:15 NKJV

15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”

His head has already been crushed by Christ but the day is coming when Satan will be cast into the lake of fire and then he will be crushed once and for all under the feet of the saints. No longer able to divide and deceive the Church.

Until that day

Ephesians 6:13–18 NKJV

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—