|
|
|
4000 E.
Collins Rd. “Preaching
the Living Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)” |
|
|
|
FINAL
WARNING ABOUT FALSE TEACHING (Romans
16:17-18) 6/28/09 Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor I.
KEEP AN EYE OUT
FOR FALSE TEACHING (17-18) A.
This is the
third time Paul uses the phrase, “I urge you” (parakaléō). He “urged”
the Romans to be living sacrifices to God (Ro 12:1) and urged them to pray
for his present trials (Ro 15:30-31). Now he urges them to be on guard for
false teachers. 1. He literally asks them to keep a look out (skopéō - to look at, scope out; Eng. scope)
for false teachers and false teaching. This was a major theme of the apostles
to the early church (Ac 20:28-31; 2Co 11:13; Ga
1:7-9; Ep 4:14; Ph 3:2-3; Co 2:8; 2Th 3:14; 1Ti 4:1-3; 2Ti 4:3; 2Pe 2:1-2;
1Jn 2:19; Ju 1:19; Re 2:2). 2. Two consequences which are the result of false teaching
are “dissensions” and “stumbling-blocks.” a) “Dissensions” (dichostasía - to stand apart) means to cause believers to be at odds with each
other due to major doctrinal differences. The idea is that false teaching can
be detrimental to the body if some are persuaded by it and it causes dissensions
in the body. If left unchecked, the result can be divisions, factions, and
church splits (schísma - tear, split, or division). b) “Hindrances” comes from the Greek word skándalon and literally referred to the trigger
or stick used for a bait or trap. Metaphorically, it is a trap of some sort
that causes a person to stumble or sin. The warning is that false teaching
can cause some to stumble, sin, or fall away. Faulty doctrine leads to faulty
living. 3. The earmark of false teaching is that it is contrary
to the sound biblical teaching given by the apostles. Through their apostolic
authority, God delivered His inerrant truth (Ac 2:4; Ep 2:20; 2Pe 3:17-18).
The church today must know and be able to defend the doctrines that were
given by the apostles (even from the book of Romans): a) Inerrancy of Scripture (Ro 1:2; 16:26) b) Deity of Christ (Ro 10:9; 14:9) c) Depravity of Man (Ro 3:10-12; 5:12) d) Salvation by Faith Alone (Ro 3:21-22; Ro 10:9-10, 13) e) Godhead (Ro 1:7; 8:9-11) f)
Satan (Ro
16:20) g) Eternal Security (Ro 8:38-39) h) Church (Ro 12:4-5; 16:5) i)
Spiritual Gifts
(Ro 12:3-8) j)
Separation (Ro
12:1-2; 13:13-14) k) Second Advent of Christ (Ro 11:25-27; 13:11-12) l)
Eternal State (Ro
8:18-23) 4. Paul then gives what could appear as a harsh
commandment to the believers in Rome. They were to “turn away” from false
teacher. “Turn away” (ekklínō - bend or turn out or away) is a
present imperative that literally means, “you must keep on turning away from
and avoiding” the false teachers. Obviously, as long as they promoted false
teaching and were unwilling to submit themselves to sound biblical teaching
they were not welcome in the church. B.
Paul describes
the false teachers even further by saying that they were not servants (douleúō - to be a slave, to serve) of the
Lord (vs. 18). 1. However, they were slaves of their own “appetites” (koilía - belly or stomach) which
figuratively means their own fleshly and carnal impulses. 2. John MacArthur depicts these false teachers and
their fleshly appetites: a) No matter
how seemingly sincere and caring false teachers or preachers may appear to
be, they are never genuinely concerned for the cause of Christ or for His
church. They are driven by self-interest and self-gratification—sometimes for
fame, sometimes for power over their followers, always for financial gain,
and frequently for all of those reasons. Many of them enjoy pretentious and
luxurious lifestyles, and sexual immorality is the rule more than the
exception. (in
loc.) 3. These false teachers were able to feed their
appetites by using their smooth talk and flattering words. It is the immature,
the unlearned, and the naïve that are deceived by them. II.
WOLVES IN
SHEEP’S CLOTHING TODAY A.
The admonition
to keep a look out for false teaching is still upon the church today. It
would be safe to say that there is no new false teaching in the sense that
the Bible deals with all false teaching. However, we could say that today’s
false teaching comes in new packages. Therefore we are to be doctrinally
sound and not easily swept away (Ep 4:14) B.
Some of the
ones we have dealt with at GBC are: 1. DaVinci Code 2. Spiritual Warfare Movement 3. Christian Mysticism 4. Emerging Church 5. Recent Letter on revelations to
the church |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
