02/19/2008

Romans 16:17 - 18 (HCSB)

¹⁷Now I implore you, brothers, watch out for those who cause dissensions and pitfalls contrary to the doctrine you have learned. Avoid them;  ¹⁸for such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

I was once on a committee at my employment that was a “standards” committee.  It was the committee’s job to review proposed standards (with regard to software development) and provide any feedback or comments.  The typical session would be: this one fellow who was kind of the coordinator would read the proposed change.  The members would banter about it a little and for the most part would offer minute suggestions here or there with little or no disagreement.

But this same fellow would then step in and point out one tiny wording or phrase and before you knew it, there was a long, protracted discussion and disagreement about the standard.  The end result was, very few standards passed the committee.

When I read the verses above, I couldn’t help but think of this fellow.  You know, there will always be those people who make an art out of picking things apart or those who have a talent for creating dissention.  Paul knew this and in his closing statements to the Roman church, he implored them to be cautious of those who will come into the church and cause such division. 

I’ve stated this many times before and I still stand by it.  The Gospel of Jesus is simple and we should never find ourselves cluttering up that simplicity with our own inventions. 

I see the Gospel and our growth in the Spirit sort of like a pyramid.  The beginning, the very top, is simple.  As we grow, we move down the pyramid so that we understand more about God and how we should relate to Him and others.  But the simplicity of the Gospel never changes.  And nothing we learn or understand in our spiritual growth should ever hinder that starting point of God’s Grace.

Beware of those who teach anything other than the simple message that we are saved through faith alone in Jesus.

Jeff Justus
Cleff Publishing
www.cleffpublishing.com 
©2008 Cleff Publishing, all rights reserved.

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