February 9th, 2023
by Austin Weist
by Austin Weist
Intro:
In our churches today, we must constantly be on guard against those that would stir up trouble among the brothers and sisters. The elders are responsible for meeting with prospective members, (to request a clear testimony of one’s conversion, observing their life and holiness) before bringing them before the church for membership. But even in this process, there can be those that slip into the church A. with a false conversion. B. With traits of divisiveness.
What are we to do when divisive people raise their heads? As pastors, we of course are told to protect the flock of God and to address the issue. As a church, what are you to do as a member? When someone is divisive and constantly negative about the ministry and the leadership, you are to mark them, and avoid them.
In ways, this often serves as a sanctifying time for a church. When someone is confronted for causing division, the church is doing what God has called it to do. The person confronted can respond in two ways, they can repent and humbly accept the Biblical correction. Or, they in pride can dismiss the concerns and ultimately leave the church. Both of these scenarios are great for the church. They result in the church being sanctified and promoting unity and holiness.
In our text before us this evening, a break from the attributes of God, we see Paul closing out his letter to the believers at Rome. Right in the middle of his farewell, he beseeches the brethren in v17 to “mark them which cause divisions.” How do we do this Biblically? What do you do when someone is constantly complaining, talking bad about the church, or trying to raise division among the church family? Our goal is to allow the text to teach us this evening.
#1 – A Departing Warning from Paul.
A.V17. Brethren. Notice that Paul is addressing the believers here. He is addressing the Christians in Rome to notice the troublemakers in the church.
B.What is a troublemaker?
a.One that seeks to sow discord among the church. (By whispering to others what they don’t like about the church. By talking bad in front of their children and others about the leadership of the church.
b.Also, this refers to those that are trying to divide the body when it comes to doctrine.
C.Doctrine divides! Some people say that we should leave off of doctrine and just focus on love and peace. But we are commanded to study the Scriptures and to rightly divide the Word.
a.We do not know what a loving relationship looks like outside of how it is described by Biblical doctrine.
b.The most loving thing we can do for our brothers and sisters is to teach them, and to submit ourselves to, sound doctrine.
D.Paul is not saying to avoid doctrine here. He is saying to avoid heretics!
E.We are to avoid those who would try to teach and lead the church away into false doctrine.
a.(Baptismal Regeneration. Easy Believism. Work-based salvation. Women pastors. Etc.)
#2 – The motive behind the divisive. (v18a.)
A.These people that seek to cause division are not in it to build the kingdom of God, but they are in it for their own gratification. (belly)
a.This means they are in it more for their wealth, their pleasure, or their status.
B.We can conclude that this person’s motive is evil. Anything that seeks to divide the church and to encourage disunity among the flock of God is wicked.
C.The devil knows that a church divided against itself will fall. He often tries to divide from within, using people to accomplish his desire of splitting and hindering the work.
D.But we believe that the truth of God prevails! We must stand for truth, especially when it is attacked.
#3 – Paul’s criticism of the divisive. (v18b)
A.He says that these people use “smooth words” and “flattering speech” to deceive the hearts of the simple.
B.Every pastor must examine himself constantly, to make sure that he is not guilty of deceiving others by not handling the Word of God correctly.
C.The critic here that Paul tells us to mark and avoid will use all manner of speech to cause division.
a.“Can you believe that they did it that way?”
b.“If I was in charge, things would be much better in this ministry.”
c.“My old church did it better.”
D.The thing is, most people in our congregation are still simple and growing in their faith. Jesus warned us that is would be better for a person to have a millstone tied around their neck and be thrown into the abyss than to cause one of the sheep to stumble. (Matthew 18:6)
Conclusion:
There are many Christians that do not want to take the time to study God’s Word. They just want their faith to be simple and childlike. But there is a difference in childlike faith and childish faith. We are to be hild like in terms of submitting to the authority of God, but we are to be adults in our understanding of Scripture.
The New Testament believers were rebuked once for being satisfied in remaining babes in Christ and drinking spiritual milk, when they should have been seeking the meat of the Word. (1 Corinthians 3:2.)
Strong Christians that are studying the Word will not be drawn astray by the divisive people that Paul is warning about in this text. They will know to mark them and to avoid them. They will stop gossip by simply saying, “I don’t gossip.” They will encourage people to seek out the pastor and leadership if they have issues. They will not spread the slander, gossip, and divisive spirit.
We need mature believers to stand for truth!
V20. The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet.
In our churches today, we must constantly be on guard against those that would stir up trouble among the brothers and sisters. The elders are responsible for meeting with prospective members, (to request a clear testimony of one’s conversion, observing their life and holiness) before bringing them before the church for membership. But even in this process, there can be those that slip into the church A. with a false conversion. B. With traits of divisiveness.
What are we to do when divisive people raise their heads? As pastors, we of course are told to protect the flock of God and to address the issue. As a church, what are you to do as a member? When someone is divisive and constantly negative about the ministry and the leadership, you are to mark them, and avoid them.
In ways, this often serves as a sanctifying time for a church. When someone is confronted for causing division, the church is doing what God has called it to do. The person confronted can respond in two ways, they can repent and humbly accept the Biblical correction. Or, they in pride can dismiss the concerns and ultimately leave the church. Both of these scenarios are great for the church. They result in the church being sanctified and promoting unity and holiness.
In our text before us this evening, a break from the attributes of God, we see Paul closing out his letter to the believers at Rome. Right in the middle of his farewell, he beseeches the brethren in v17 to “mark them which cause divisions.” How do we do this Biblically? What do you do when someone is constantly complaining, talking bad about the church, or trying to raise division among the church family? Our goal is to allow the text to teach us this evening.
#1 – A Departing Warning from Paul.
A.V17. Brethren. Notice that Paul is addressing the believers here. He is addressing the Christians in Rome to notice the troublemakers in the church.
B.What is a troublemaker?
a.One that seeks to sow discord among the church. (By whispering to others what they don’t like about the church. By talking bad in front of their children and others about the leadership of the church.
b.Also, this refers to those that are trying to divide the body when it comes to doctrine.
C.Doctrine divides! Some people say that we should leave off of doctrine and just focus on love and peace. But we are commanded to study the Scriptures and to rightly divide the Word.
a.We do not know what a loving relationship looks like outside of how it is described by Biblical doctrine.
b.The most loving thing we can do for our brothers and sisters is to teach them, and to submit ourselves to, sound doctrine.
D.Paul is not saying to avoid doctrine here. He is saying to avoid heretics!
E.We are to avoid those who would try to teach and lead the church away into false doctrine.
a.(Baptismal Regeneration. Easy Believism. Work-based salvation. Women pastors. Etc.)
#2 – The motive behind the divisive. (v18a.)
A.These people that seek to cause division are not in it to build the kingdom of God, but they are in it for their own gratification. (belly)
a.This means they are in it more for their wealth, their pleasure, or their status.
B.We can conclude that this person’s motive is evil. Anything that seeks to divide the church and to encourage disunity among the flock of God is wicked.
C.The devil knows that a church divided against itself will fall. He often tries to divide from within, using people to accomplish his desire of splitting and hindering the work.
D.But we believe that the truth of God prevails! We must stand for truth, especially when it is attacked.
#3 – Paul’s criticism of the divisive. (v18b)
A.He says that these people use “smooth words” and “flattering speech” to deceive the hearts of the simple.
B.Every pastor must examine himself constantly, to make sure that he is not guilty of deceiving others by not handling the Word of God correctly.
C.The critic here that Paul tells us to mark and avoid will use all manner of speech to cause division.
a.“Can you believe that they did it that way?”
b.“If I was in charge, things would be much better in this ministry.”
c.“My old church did it better.”
D.The thing is, most people in our congregation are still simple and growing in their faith. Jesus warned us that is would be better for a person to have a millstone tied around their neck and be thrown into the abyss than to cause one of the sheep to stumble. (Matthew 18:6)
Conclusion:
There are many Christians that do not want to take the time to study God’s Word. They just want their faith to be simple and childlike. But there is a difference in childlike faith and childish faith. We are to be hild like in terms of submitting to the authority of God, but we are to be adults in our understanding of Scripture.
The New Testament believers were rebuked once for being satisfied in remaining babes in Christ and drinking spiritual milk, when they should have been seeking the meat of the Word. (1 Corinthians 3:2.)
Strong Christians that are studying the Word will not be drawn astray by the divisive people that Paul is warning about in this text. They will know to mark them and to avoid them. They will stop gossip by simply saying, “I don’t gossip.” They will encourage people to seek out the pastor and leadership if they have issues. They will not spread the slander, gossip, and divisive spirit.
We need mature believers to stand for truth!
V20. The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet.
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