Rom
16:17-20 (ESV) I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause
divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been
taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their
own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the
naive. 19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I
want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under
your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
NOTE: After greeting
many of the people he knew in the church, Paul seems to step and to add a
thought he did not originally address. It is a warning about brothers who cause
divisions and create obstacles. They are not serving God but rather themselves or
as Paul, say their own appetites. It may be power or control or a sense of
self-importance, but they are more interested in what they get out of a
situation. These people call themselves believers and they may even be
believers, but they have allowed the flesh to control their thinking. Knowledge
can be very good, but it can also corrupt when it is not applied. Application
prevents us from abusing knowledge. We are called (in Romans) to transform or
renew our minds. That will help us in the battle described in Romans 7 against
the flesh. But to transform our mind requires more than just study of the word
of God, we have to use it--apply it. Otherwise, we will have knowledge and we
will be like the believer Paul warns against in this verse. James say a similar
thing, "but be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving
yourselves."
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