Keep sharing good news without ads.
What is the best way to handle divisive people? Pastor Mike addresses this question as he preaches a recent sermon on Romans 16.
Thanks for tuning in to No Compromise Radio with pastor and author Dr. Mike Abendroth. Today on No Compromise Radio we'll be hearing Pastor Mike open the Word of God in a recent message he preached at Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, Massachusetts.
Now let's join Pastor Mike in progress as he preaches through the scriptures verse by verse with No Compromise.
Let me give you four or five questions to think through as we work through this section so you can understand it and by the grace of God apply these things to think properly about Christ's bride and Christian unity in a local church.
Question one, do you scope out divisive people? Do you scope out divisive people? Verse 16, I appeal to you family, brothers, those that came from the same womb, that's what brother means, to watch out or literally scope, how do you scope somebody out?
Give me other words that have scope in it today, laparoscope, telescope, microscope, scope, a bishop scopes, he sees, scope out those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught, mark them, watch out, there's danger.
When you're in that dangerous place with your daughter and somebody's already given you the warning, what you don't do is what we call in Nebraska lollygagging, you ever lollygag? I think it was Henry David Thoreau who said over there at Walden Pond, I saunter.
And you know what, if you're at Walden Pond, it's 25 below zero, February, saunter all you will, but there comes a point where the gospel of Christ Jesus has affected the church to save the church, deliver the church and then whatever Jesus wants, you know that spiritual warfare is true and that Satan undermining people and behind the scenes tries to bulldoze down what Jesus tries to build and you better watch out.
Paul says you've got to be on the lookout, this is a present imperative, always keep on the lookout, examine, scrutinize, military inspection, you know you watch these TV shows and a guy's in boot camp and all of a sudden got to have the bed just right and the closet just right and the uniforms just right, it's an inspection, you say well judge not lest you be judged, better throw that verse out because that's not the meaning of that verse, here's the verse for the day, watch, because if God is building, Satan is attacking, so no, no, this is just the elder's job, they're to do that kind of thing, no, no, you're to contend earnestly for the faith and you congregation are to watch this, it's for the bride's sake, it's for Christ's sake, keep your eye out, inspect.
Now here in Paul's case, see what it says in verse 17, to watch out for those who cause literally the divisions and create the obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught in Romans chapter 1 through 15, these were false teachers there at Rome, Paul mentions them later when he's in jail in Rome, these are unbelieving people, these are those who cause divisions with false doctrines, we don't know what those false doctrines are but they were contrary to Romans, Jesus isn't the eternal God, the incarnation is not true, no literal resurrection, Jesus not eternal God, scripture isn't sufficient, works righteousness salvation, God does most of it, you have to add a little bit, no substitutionary atonement, no propitiation, we don't really know, but one thing we do know is unity is important, church unity, you say, well why did Paul do chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4 in 1 Corinthians on church unity, because it's the body of Christ, Jesus isn't on earth now but his body is and with the same tender loving care that we treat Jesus, we're just supposed to treat the bride that way, listen to the importance of church unity in the prayer of Jesus, John 17, I do not ask for these only but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may be all one just as you Father are in me and I in you and they also may be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me, I in them and you in me that they may become perfectly one so that the world may know that you sent me and love them even as you loved me, church unity is important because it's the bride of Christ, James Boyce said, often these people are the ones who show up in a congregation suddenly, usually from another church where they have also caused trouble, though they give no indication of that when they come, they are knowledgeable and they usually have considerable abilities but what do they do instead of building the body, they promote doctrine that's out of step of the church, they subtly promote themselves, they contradict what Paul teaches, scope them out, it's an imperative.
Number two, second question, that's not all, number one do you scope out divisive people, we'll use a little alliteration today, do you shun divisive people, do you shun divisive people, what does it say at the end of the ESV verse, verse 16, these people that cause divisions, it says, like the weak welcome them, like the strong welcome them, like these hard workers give them a holy kiss, bring them in tightly, what does the text say, it says avoid them, well you know we'll have some friendly discussions, we'll kind of debate it a little bit, this word to turn away means this, it is the opposite of the word that means to bend in to hear and incline yourself to someone, my hearing is worse than my eyesight and the common theme at our home now is we know dad just says over and over and over, besides where are my glasses, dad says, what did you say, what was that again, can't hear you, and so I'm like leaning in, I'm doing two things now, I actually am looking at their lips because if I lip read I can hear a little bit better seemingly or understand and I'm also leaning in, you know I could do that, I could get one of those big trumpets they put in your ear, remember those trumpet ear deals, lean in, I gotta hear you a little bit better and Paul says when people come and want to rape the church of Christ, they want to sully the bride, you don't lean in to them, you do the opposite, you get away from them, you stiff arm them, saints, they serve, you give them the holy kiss, weak, you open up your arms and people that want to rip asunder what Christ is building you're to shun, it's exactly what the text says, avoid them, turn away, alienate, this word is used when a soldier runs the wrong way, I'm not to discuss and debate and to talk and to be friends, I'm to run, I'm to go AWOL from that, William Newell who's very level headed and he's not caustic at all, he's a kind commentator, he says, mad dogs are shot, infectious diseases are quarantined, but evil teachers who would divide to their destruction and draw away saints from the teaching contrary to the doctrine of Christ and his apostles are everywhere tolerated, but they seem nice, they seem friendly, even the loving apostle John, if anyone doesn't abide in the teaching of Christ, does bring not this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not give him a greeting for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.
Question three, number one, do you scope out divisive people, number two, do you shun divisive people, I hope so because you're commanded to do both, do you see the motives and strategies of divisive people, scope, shun and see, do you see their motives and strategies, verse 18, for such persons, by the way that's written in that way that shows a little bit of contempt, such persons, for such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, because friends if they did they would build up, they would help, they would put together, they would point to Christ, they don't serve, they can say they serve all they want, but when you're dividing Christ's bride you're not serving the Lord, notice the Lord Christ, it's the Lord's church, what do they serve then if they don't serve the Lord, no matter what a divider says they're not serving Jesus when they divide, not when they attack as the bride of Christ, but their own bellies, their own appetites and how do they do it, they're kind, they're nice by smooth talk and flattery and they have a target, the target isn't the strong, the target isn't the mature, the target is you know what, the strong and the mature would never buy into that because they realize how valuable the church is to Christ Jesus, so we know who to go for, let's get the weak, verse 18, they deceive the hearts of the naive, the dividers don't serve Jesus, they serve themselves, commending themselves, justifying themselves and they keep on deceiving the weak, the unwary, the wise see right through schisms, the wise and mature see through divisions and I will say again I think for Paul it was false teachers in this particular case, but the passage still talks about how do we deal with people who want to divide local churches and to rip, to tear the church that Jesus purchased with his own blood, the best way people do it is through something that God absolutely hates with a passion, Proverbs 6 it says there are six things the Lord hates, yes even seven which are an abomination and if you thought to yourself, you know if your kid said daddy what does God really hate, daddy what's an abomination to God, well you know what I'd probably say things like abortion because I think it is an abomination, I'd say child sacrifice, I'd say idolatry, I'd say ritual prostitution, I'd say the occult, I'd say sacrificing defective animals and many of the things I just listed are found right from the book of Deuteronomy, God says they're an abomination, six things the Lord hates, yes even seven, it's just a little figurative way to say, there are a lot of things that God hates but here's seven of them, six yes but seven for the emphasis on the seventh, what list would you come up with?
Here's the list that the wisest man in the world short of Christ came up with, haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, what does God hate the most in this list, what's the biggest abomination and one who spreads strife among brothers, that's a good way to divide a church, spreading strife, spreading gossip, spreading slander, gossipers having the goal of wanting to make themselves look good at the expense of others yet ignoring Proverbs 18, the first to plead his case seems right until another comes and examines him, say well you know what, I've been told that if it's true then it's not gossip or slander, well friends then you need to realize that you're naive and you're the exact kind of target that people have to go after because that's totally unbiblical.
1828 edition of Noah Webster's Dictionary says slander is a false tale or report maliciously uttered intending to injure the reputation of another by lessening him in the esteem of his fellow citizens, exposing him to impeachment or punishment.
Ken Sand who writes books about how churches should make peace says even if the information you discuss is true, gossip is always sinful and a sign of spiritual immaturity. I don't think the church has a gossip problem but I think the church can have a gossip listening problem, receiving gossip.
The Bible says a dishonest man spreads strife and a whisper separates what? Close friends. How do you divide a church that has good doctrine? Well this is an easy way to do it. John Wesley understood how important it was to keep Christ bride unsullied and spotless and without any rips.
Here's what John Wesley had with other ministers who were Methodist to make a covenant. Here's their covenant, this would be a good covenant. We will not listen or willingly inquire after ill concerning one another.
That if we do hear any ill of each other we will not be forward to believe it. That as soon as possible we will communicate what we hear by speaking or writing to the person concerned. That until we have done this we will not write or speak a syllable of it to any other person.
That neither will we mention it. Wise words from John Wesley who understands what gossip is and how it destroys. How Romans says it's a product of the corrupt mind. Jeremiah it's used by wicked people, stirs up trouble, breaks relationships.
If there's sin in a church or in relationships we know what to do don't we? Matthew 18 says you go to the person because that seeks to minimize sin and its effects. But the opposite is when you gossip and or receive gossip it doesn't minimize the effects it expands them doing the most damage, maximizing damage.
Gossip is sinful, you go to the person if you have issues. Slander is sinful, you go to the person if you have issues. Bethlehem Bible Church receiving gossip is sinful. You are not to receive it, you are to shun that kind of behavior.
Receiving slander is sinful. Thomas Watson the Puritan said we must not only raise a false report but not take it up. To divulge a report before we speak with the party and know the truth of it is unmerciless and cannot acquit itself of sin.
The same word Watson said in Hebrew to raise slander signifies also to receive it. The receiver is even as bad as the thief. It is well if none of us have received stolen goods. When others have stolen away the good names of their brethren have not we received these stolen goods?
If I were to and I have had people come to me and say did you hear about such and such about an elder? I would probably say now I would say something different. I don't want you to sin, I don't want to sin by hearing it.
Do you think I'm naive? Do you think I'm immature that I would listen to this? Do you think I'm going to do the opposite of 1 Timothy 5? Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two and three witnesses?
I will not receive that. Don't be Satan's pawn, don't stir up trouble. I read this week about a Yiddish folklore story about a rabbi who was defamed by someone speaking malicious things about him and the man went to the rabbi for forgiveness.
How can I make amends he asked the rabbi. The rabbi sighed. Take two pillows go to the public square and there cut the pillows open, wave them in the air then come back. The rumor monger quickly went home, got two pillows and a knife, hastened to the square, cut the pillows open, waved them in the air, hastened back to the rabbi's chambers.
I did just what you said rabbi. Good. Now to realize how much harm is done by gossip go back to the square and collect all the feathers. When you hear gossip you should think Christ bride. When you hear slander you should think Christ bride.
Question four. Are you surging in discernment? Question four. I've got to go through here fairly quickly but just let me say in the context of church division Paul knows they're obedient but he wants them to turn up the notch a little bit when it comes to scene division for what it is.
For your obedience is known to all Rome 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. There's some growth to be had he says in you to gossip less, to divide less, to hear gossip less.
And finally question five. How are we ever going to do all these things? How has the church existed throughout the centuries? It can't do it on its own. Question five. Are you self-reliant? Are you self-confident?
Look at the confidence that Paul has. He's not saying I'm confident in you Rome, I'm confident in your leaders, confident in the elders. He says I'm confident in God because he loves his church and here it says the God of peace will soon crush Satan.
Why does he bring up Satan? Because Satan's the slander, Satan's the divider, Satan energizes trouble under your feet. This is an illusion right here from Genesis chapter three. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Paul says there's going to be an end to this. God can make a church full of schisms, a place of peace and eventually Satan will be consigned to the lake of fire. The bride hater Satan, his ultimate destiny is destruction.
Thomas Brooks says Christ our champion has already won the field. Satan is a foiled adversary. Christ has led him captive and triumphed over him upon the cross. Well, then Paul has a few more folks he wants to greet.
He says Timothy verse 21, my fellow worker greets you. So do Lucius and Jason and Socipiter, my kinsmen. I, Tertius, which means three, by the way some people would name their kids those things. So if you have 15 kids, you've got number one, two, three, or most of times they'd name slaves like that.
So if you had five slaves, so maybe this guy was a slave, his name was number three. He wrote the letter for Paul. Paul didn't write the letter. Paul dictated the letter to number three, greet you in the Lord.
Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, a city treasurer, we saw his limestone pavement in Corinth not that long ago. And our brother, number four, greets you. Quartus. Number three and four, they're probably brothers and brothers.
But you know, we need strength to do this. Who's adequate for any of these things in Romans from how to submit to the government to how to deal with the weak, how to deal with the strong, how to keep a unified church?
Who is adequate? And finally we see that great doxology, verse 24, is in the best manuscripts and now look at this great transition from division and their own appetites. Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ.
The gospel saves and the gospel strengthens. That's where we get the word steroids. The gospel just doesn't save you. Glad I got that over with. This gospel, the good news about Christ Jesus and explicated in Romans, strengthens.
You want to be stronger against temptation? You want to be stronger in holding the truths of the gospel? You want to be stronger so nobody takes you as a weak person and tries to gossip to you? It's all about the gospel.
According to the revelation of the mystery, something that God knew but he told us in time that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic warnings has been made known to all the nations according to the command of the eternal God to bring about the obedience of faith.
To the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ. Amen. I read this week of a man named John White and he was a psychiatrist serving in a hospital, serving a man named Howard who was given all kinds of electroconvulsive treatments for his psychosis.
And they began to talk a little bit and Howard was evangelized by Dr. White. This man had served in the military and had some friends killed and other things and he asked the doctor, what about forgiveness?
I want it so bad. What's your religion? Russian Orthodox. What does your priest say about how you get forgiven? Well, he doesn't talk too much. The doctor said, do you know you could go to God who could forgive you?
Because Christ died, he shed his blood. But I'm too bad for that. And then White said unaccountably, I grew angry. No logical reason, it just happened. What do you mean you're too bad? I don't deserve ever to be forgiven.
The doctor said it didn't really sound like what a psychiatrist is supposed to say, but I said it anyway. You're darn right you don't. Yeah, but I can't be a hypocrite. I've got to make amends. I have to do something.
Who do you think you are to say Christ's death was not enough for you? Who are you to feel you must add your miserable pittance to the great gift God offers you? Is his sacrifice not good enough for the likes of you?
The account says we continued to stare at each other and suddenly Howard began to both cry and pray at once. He said there's something indescribably refreshing about the first real prayer a man prays, especially when he doesn't know proper prayer talk.
God, I didn't know. I'm real sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. More sobs, tears, runny nose, I passed him a box of Kleenex. God, thank you. It's amazing. I didn't know it worked like that. I thought, but I don't know much.
Gee, God, I don't know how to say it. Thank you. Thanks an awful lot. Gee, God, thank you. He mopped his face with Kleenex. He said his eyes were shining when he shook my hand. Thanks, Doc. Thanks a lot.
How come nobody ever told me? And the gospel of Christ Jesus in the book of Romans guards the gospel so that Jesus did it all. And our only response is not anything to save us, but thank you that God did it all.
No Compromise Radio with Pastor Mike Abendroth is a production of Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, Massachusetts. Bethlehem Bible Church is a Bible teaching church firmly committed to unleashing the life-transforming power of God's Word through verse-by-verse exposition of the sacred text.
Please come and join us. Our service times are Sunday morning at 8 .30 and 11 a .m. and Sunday evenings at 6 p .m. We're located on Route 110 in West Boylston, Massachusetts. You can check us out online at bbcchurch .org or by phone at 508 -835 -3400.
The thoughts and opinions expressed on No Compromise Radio do not necessarily reflect those of WVNE, its staff, or management.