Romans 132
Mark
them which cause sedition contrary to the Doctrine
Brian Kocourek
This morning we will continue with our study of the Book of Romans, and we are quickly now approaching the end of this study. This morning we will pick up at verse 17 and in this verse we see a warning from the apostle Paul.
ROMANS
Now in reading this verse we find
quite a sound warning from the Apostle Paul concerning the Doctrine. He tells
us to mark them which cause divisions and offenses concerning the doctrine
which ye have learned. Now, he is not telling us to mark them and avoid those
who teach the doctrine as some are teaching. But he is telling us to mark them
which would cause divisions concerning the doctrine, and this is a very strong
reprimand coming from the Apostle.
First of all he says I beseech you
brethren, and the word beseech, is a form of exhortation, or admonition. In
other words these are not words that the Apostle is speaking lightly. He is
calling to our attention something and we should pay close attention to what he
is telling us.
The next words he says here are
“mark them that cause divisions and offences that are contrary to the doctrine
which you have learned.” Let’s break this down for the next few minutes.
First of all he says to mark them.
Now, what do you suppose the Apostle means by telling the people to “mark
them”?
This word “to mark” means to fix
one’s eyes upon, to observe and to take heed. Now, why would the Apostle Paul
be pointing out to the people that they should keep an eye on these people?
Because, these are brethren that are
causing divisions and offenses that are contrary to the doctrine that they have
learned. In other words they are doing
something that is wrong with the doctrine.
These people are causing divisions,
and the Greek word here is dichostasia and comes from
two words, the first which is “dis”
meaning two or again and stasis which actually means sedition, dissension,
insurrection or uproar. In other words they are causing strife.
The other thing the Apostle points
out is that they are causing offenses which are contrary. Now the Greek word
for offenses here is the word skandalon in which we
get our English equivalent scandal. Literally it is a stumbling block, an
occasion of stumbling, a thing that offends, 1a) the movable stick or trigger
of a trap, a trap stick; a trap, snare; any impediment placed
in the way causing one to stumble or fall.
So here we find the Apostle warning
the people of those brethren that would be doing things that are contrary to
the doctrine and which would be causing the people to fall or to stumble
because of the things they are doing.
And what are we to do when we see
that there are ones causing sedition and who are doing things which are
contrary to the doctrine we have been taught? He said avoid them!
Romans
Now, sedition is “conduct or language inciting rebellion against the authority involved.” And the word insurrection is “the act or an instance of open revolt against the authority”.
Now as I said these are not innocent bystanders we are talking about here. These are they who get some sort of vendetta and they openly try to do harm to the authority of the doctrine. In the next verse the Apostle gives us a clue as to the motives behind these ones we are to mark.
18 For they that
are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good
words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
Here he let’s us know their real motive is their own belly. Brother Branham said there are three things that will get a man, or minister if he is to be got. And those three things are 1st Money, then 2nd is Popularity, and 3rd is Women. And since women type the church, we can see that to be popular with the women would also mean to be popular among the churches.
Now, Jesus was never popular among the churches in his day, and neither was William Branham. They were rejected by the church world.
And the Apostle tells us that these do not serve the Lord Jesus but themselves. And they use good works and fair speeches to deceive the hearts or understanding of the simple. The simple are those who are harmless themselves. People in whom there is no guile. Just plain old sheep who just want to do what is right and live a right life.
Now, why would the Apostle warn the believers to be on the lookout for these kind of men? Because he knew the great danger that these men could do to the church by turning them away from the doctrine to works programs and fair speeches. Now what are works programs? Just look around at the churches and you will find them in abundance. They look good to the eyes, like mission programs, and feeding the poor, and all those sorts of things, but those things maybe alright, but the focus of the church should be the doctrine, not feeding the poor.
The Apostle James told us feeding the poor is religion. And that is all it is. And it has all become a big competition among denomination and even in the Message. You never will outdo the Catholic church when it comes to missions if all you are doing is to feed the poor? In fact the unbelieving world has more money into feeding the poor than your church could ever do. Even Jesus said, the Poor you will have with you always. The United Nations and UNICEF feed more poor than your church could ever think to do, so that is not what the Gospel is all about.
And the Apostle makes it clear that by good works and fair speeches these men will deceive the simple sheep.
The Gospel is not about how fine a sermon you can produce or how fair a speech you can give. This same Apostle said, “I did not come unto you with words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration and in power of the Holy Ghost.”
That is what the Gospel is all about. But if they are not out doing good works, then they are using fair speeches to attract the people, and that is the danger and that is what we are to be on guard against.
Now a fair speech is one that is pleasant to the hearer. It is not like those given by John the Baptist who came stirring up the hornets nest, nor are they like those given by Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God who came to the temple and took a whip and drove out the money changers and who called the Pharisees serpent seed. Nor are they like those given by William Branham who said denominationalism is of the devil and is the mark of the beast.
A fair speech is like the
politicians do. They say things that they know you want to hear and so they
tickle your ears with their sweet words. I remember quite well in the 1992
election campaign, I heard Bill Clinton giving a speech to a group of people in
one city in the
But later that same day, I heard him
giving another speech at a city on the East Coast and he was saying just the
opposite as what I heard him saying earlier that same day. I thought that
hypocrite. What a deceiver, and yet there are millions of people who did not
care, because when he was speaking to them he was telling them what they wanted
to hear, and so they did not want to think any different. In the Book of Hosea
we are warned by God of the same thing.
HOSEA 4:6 ¶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (now this word knowledge actually should have been
translated discernment, for it is discernment that the people lack) because thou hast
rejected knowledge (in fact they actually have rejected
discernment. And if that isn’t the world we live in today. You never hear talk
in a complimentary way anymore about that discerning young man, or that
discriminating taste. On the contrary, the word discerning and discrimination are
looked down upon as being some sort of twisted backward chaotic notion that
someone might be possessed with. But God says here that because the people are
not discerning and in fact have turned away from being discerning, he will turn
Himself away from them), I will also reject thee, that thou shalt
be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also
forget thy children. (and how could you be
a priest of the most High God if you can not even discern what is of God and
what is not of God?) 7 As they were increased, (as they became
numerous, or as they became multitudes that is when they began to move away
from the discerning Spirit of God.) so they sinned against me: (that is when they
sinned against me) therefore will I change their glory (reverence or reputation) into shame.(why
is it that so many men start out with a heart felt conviction in their soul but
when their ministry begins to attract the people they begin to compromise their
stand on the Word of God and soon one by one they begin to drift off into
things that become very shameful. Just look at Oral Roberts, he got so big that
he began to speak of an 80 foot Jesus holding him hostage for $40 million
dollars to build a hospital or whatever. And what about Jimmy Swaggart who got so big he thought he could speak evil of
William Branham and after he did, he got caught in a shameful act and his
ministry became late night talk jokes. And what about Jim and
Tammy Bakker. Again their ministries began
with sincerity and humility but when they began to increase they turned away
from discernment and discretion and soon became caught up in shame.)
God continues, 8 They eat up the sin of my people, (That mean they devour the sins of
the people,) and
they set their heart on their iniquity. (and remember, the
heart always represents understanding, so we see here they set their
understanding on their iniquity. Iniquity is to know to do right & you
won’t do it.)
ANGEL AND THREE PULLS 51-0414
E-18 Jesus said, "Many will
come and say, 'Lord, have not I...'" He said, "I didn't know
you." No, you never... See? Many
will confess and say, "I have cast out devils in Thy Name, and in Thy Name
I prophesied," preachers and so forth, and everything. He'd say,
"Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity. I
didn't even know you." Some people might've went out and had some kind of
a fleshly idea, tried to get popular, or some big education, or could speak a
few swell words and made some money out of it. Jesus said, "You workers of
iniquity, I didn't even know you." And iniquity is something that you
know that you ought to do and will not do it. That's right.
In fact we are told in Scripture
that if we regard iniquity in our heart the Lord will not even answer our
prayer. BEHOLD
A GREATER THAN SOLOMON IS HERE 62-0721
E-86 "But if I regard iniquity in my heart,
then God will not hear my prayer," said David. What is iniquity? Iniquity
is something that you know that you're doing that you ought not to do and still
won't repent of it. If I regard iniquity in my heart, knowing that I should do
it, and don't do it, then God promised, the Bible promises that God will not
hear your prayer, if you know you should do it and won't do it. That right,
brethren? That right, brother ministers? It's true, if you regard iniquity...
9 And there shall be, like people, like
priest: (in other words, there will be no
difference between the people and the priests, and so the priests will tell the
people just what they want to hear. The Apostle Paul again warns us that in the
last days this will come to pass.
II TIMOTHY 4:3 For
the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; (Notice, it is because they will not endure, that
means they will not put up with sound doctrine, tried and tested doctrine, so
because they will not put up with the doctrine, they will after turning down
the doctrine). but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; (The people are the ones with itching
ears and they are the ones that will heap to themselves one teacher after
another after another of those that will tell them what they want to hear. And
look at what will result from this.) 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and
shall be turned unto fables.
Now, in getting back to Hosea 4:9 and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their
doings. 10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: Eat what?
Spiritual food he is talking about. they shall commit whoredom, and
shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.
11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take
away the heart. And what are these whoredoms
and new wine that will take away the understanding? Whoredom is to compromise
your vows with your husband. To receive another in the place
of your real husband. And so they teach another Jesus and so the people
receive another spirit. And the teaching of another Jesus by another Gospel
brings forth another spirit that enters into the people, and they have left off
from taking heed to the Lord. 12 ¶ My people ask counsel at their
stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the
spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they
have gone a whoring from under their God.
What a desolate condition these
people end up. And that is why the
Apostle Paul warned the people for nearly the last three years of his life that
seducers and imposters would wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived
themselves.
II TIMOTHY 3:13 But evil
men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and
hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned [them];
Oh, how important it is to know the
one who is doing the teaching. What is he saying.
Where did he learn from? How is it that this one knows and others don’t know?
What is there about this one that he can teach these things so clearly? Notice
how the true will always stay with the Word and be able to balance the things
that are the Spoken Word with those things that are the Written Word.
And Paul said to know of whom you
are taught. You see a man come on the seen preaching the Word of God, you
should ask, how did he learn, and Who taught Him? For God never works apart from man, and if
you follow the history of the church you will find that God never raised up a man from one place and then bring men from a
completely different place with the same word. God has always had a system. And
the light first always comes to the Prophet that receives that Word directly
from God Himself and God vindicates that the man has His Words by bringing to
pass the things the man declares.
156-2
And that is what all the warnings
are about that first of all came from Jesus warning us about wolves in sheep’s
clothing, and then the Apostle Paul said that he ceased not to warn the people
for the last 3 years of his ministry.
I TIMOTHY 1:6 From
which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 7 Desiring to be teachers of the law;
understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
These are those men who are running
here and running there and they are running without a message. Look, if it were
not for the need to teach the doctrine I would go nowhere, but because the cry
for this Spiritual food in due season is so great God has saw fit to open the
doors I have passed through. But others run to these places and go there empty
with nothing more than they already know themselves. My challenge to all the
ministry who will read this sermon is that if you can not go to these places
and teach them the doctrine of the message then just stay home and do you r own
congregation a favor, and stay with them.
HEBREWS 5:12 For
when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you
again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become
such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk [is]
unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them
that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses
exercised to discern both good and evil.
And if the people in these countries
do not wish for the strong meat, then I have nothing to offer them. I’m a meat
and potatoes man. And if there is not meat at the table, I go away hungry. Meat
is the only thing that will really satisfy a hunger.
ACTS 20:26
Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I [am]
pure from the blood of all [men]. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you
all the counsel of God. 28 Take heed
therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the
which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the
Even the Apostle Peter spoke in his
2 Book of warnings of false teachers coming in and bringing into the message
destructive heresies that would even deny the One that bought them.
II PETER 2:1 ¶ But there
were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false
teachers among you, who privily shall bring in
damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by
reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken
of. 3 ¶And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise
of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth
not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
II PETER 3:3 ¶ Knowing this first,
that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for
since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the
beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by
the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the
water and in the water:
And thus we find John doing the same
thing in I JOHN 4:1 ¶ Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because
many false prophets are gone out into the world. and II JOHN 1:7 ¶ For many deceivers
are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the
flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves,
that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full
reward. 9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He
that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both
the Father and the Son. 10
¶ If there come any unto
you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into [your] house, neither
bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God
speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
Even III
JOHN 1:8 We therefore ought to receive such,
that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth. 9 ¶ I wrote unto the
church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the
preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 10 Wherefore, if I come, I will
remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and
not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth
[them] out of the church. 11 Beloved,
follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of
God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
And also in the
Book of Jude.
JUDE 1:3 ¶
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common
salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye
should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the
saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old
ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into
lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
And now in this hour we have
received a vindicated prophet who could do not less. William Branham vindicated prophet of God,
using the Church Age Book and many of his last sermons such as the Anointed
Ones at the end Time, and Satan’s Eden, and Seed cannot be heir with the Shuck,
etc. And he warned us to take our stand with the Word and to exercise
discernment concerning these false ministries, and to be ever so careful to way
the Spirit by the Word.
ANOINTED ONES AT END TIME 65-0725M 25
Now, anointed one is "one with a message." And the only way
the message can be brought out is by one that's anointed; and that would be a
prophet--anointed. "There shall rise false
anointed teachers." A prophet teaches what his message is: anointed
teachers, but anointed people with false teaching, anointed ones: christs, plural; prophets, plural. And if there is such a
thing as a Christ, singular, then these would have to be anointed ones that
their prophecy of what they were teaching would be the difference, because they
are anointed ones, anointed.
ANOINTED ONES AT END TIME 65-0725M 46 Notice. The same anointing water brings
forth the wheat, brings forth the weed. The same Holy Spirit that anoints the
church, that gives them desire to save souls, that gives them
power to perform miracles, It falls on the unjust the same as the just:
the very same Spirit. Now, you can't make it another way and understand Matthew
24:24. He said, "There shall rise false christs," false anointed ones, anointed with the
genuine thing, but be false prophets of it, false teachers of it. What would
make a man want to be a false teacher of something that's Truth? Now, and we'll
get down to the mark of the beast in a few minutes, you'll see it's denomination. See, see? False teachers, false anointed,
anointed christs, but false
teachers. It's the only way you can see it.
ANOINTED.ONES.AT.END.TIME_ JEFF.IN V-5 N-3
SUNDAY_ 65-0725M
Let's go now, close. Anointed ones, christs in the last days, but the
false teachers as false prophets... Notice how striking. Now, I want you to
compare this (We haven't got time to read it out.), Matthew 24:24 with II
Timothy 3:8. Matthew 24:24 said in the last days (See?) there'll come false christs, false anointed ones, false prophets, and shall
show signs and wonders exactly like the real one--real one and shall--and shall
almost deceive the very elected. 257
Now, notice. That was Jesus speaking. Here come Paul right behind Him and said,
"Now, in the last days there will come religious people (See?), having a
form of godliness, and lead silly women, led away with all kinds of worldly
lust (Then they wonder, say, "Why do you pick on them women?" Oh, for
goodness... They just don't even see it.)--lead silly women, laden with divers lust (away from things like--that's of the...?...
See?)... And as Jannes and Jambres
(Matthew 24:24, false christs,
false anointed, doing signs and wonders to deceive the elected)--now as Jannes and Jambres withstood
Moses, so will these reprobates..." Reprobate mind concerning the faith,
not a faith, the Faith. One faith, one Lord, one...?... You can't have one
faith without believing in one Lord. You can't have two baptisms, not one for
the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost. There's one baptism, Jesus Christ. That's
right. See? False baptism...