Your biggest threats are the hardest to see.
Romans 16:17-20 (NIV)
17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
Listen to passage & devotional:
Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 32: The Order and Discipline of the Church
We also believe that
although it is useful and good
for those who govern the churches
to establish and set up
a certain order among themselves
for maintaining the body of the church,
they ought always to guard against deviating
from what Christ,
our only Master,
has ordained
for us.
Therefore we reject all human innovations
and all laws imposed on us,
in our worship of God,
which bind and force our consciences
in any way.
So we accept only what is proper
to maintain harmony and unity
and to keep all in obedience
to God.
To that end excommunication,
with all it involves,
according to the Word of God,
is required.
Summary
The 8th chapter of this letter to the Romans forms the basis for our assurance more so than any other chapter of the Bible. It begins with a reminder that there's no condemnation for those in Christ, explaining that we've been adopted as sons of God, who is working out all things for our good. We've been squarely in God's hands since before time began, and nothing will or ever could separate us from His love!
So it's a bit surprising to read a warning here at the end of this letter to watch out. You'll always be held securely in God's hands, but you need to keep your eye out for those who will continually try to pry you out!
Once again, as we've read so many times these last couple of weeks, the danger doesn't lie outside of the Church, but comes from within it. Insiders will cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to what you've learned. Sometimes these obstacles will be explicit false teaching. But most of the time (especially in our contexts), these efforts to divide will so subtle that they're hardly noticeable. One or two begin to drop their Spiritual Disciplines in favor of filling their time with worldly pursuits, and soon many more will follow.
It's no secret that we live in a world and society that's becoming increasingly hostile to Christianity, but I think that ultimately this pressure will only make our churches stronger, as it almost always has in the past. What is far more dangerous and scary is the smooth talk and flattery that percolates from within our own ranks which can deceive the minds of naive people.
Dig Deeper
Paul's instructions for us here are entirely defensive in nature: watch out, and keep away. All of us, but especially our deacons, elders and pastors, need to be ever vigilant and on the lookout for divisive and scandalous people (the Greek word translated obstacle in v17 is skandalon). When such people are identified, they must be put out of the flock.
But since these types of people employ smooth talk and flattery, identifying them can seem impossibly difficult! They seem so nice, so solid and orthodox, and they tell everybody exactly what they want to hear.
But there's one tell-tale attribute: their appetite. Are their motivations set on glorifying Christ alone, or is their overriding goal building themselves up? Trying to determine another person's motivation is a dangerous business, and ought not be done lightly. Great patience must always be extended, because at a certain level we all stumble and default to words and actions that seem the best for us at the moment, but ultimately detract from Christ. Before judging others' motivation, always be sure to check your own (Matt. 7:3-5).
But watch out nonetheless, and keep away from those who show no indication or desire to serve our Lord Christ.
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the God of peace, who will soon crush Satan under your feet;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will serve Christ and not your own appetite, and for wise discernment as you evaluate the motivations of others;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
Read the New Testament in a year! Today: John 10
