Romans 132

Mark them which cause sedition contrary to the Doctrine

August 17, 2003

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 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 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.

 

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 16:17 ¶ Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them  Is that all we are to do Paul? Yes, that is all. Just avoid them. Don’t go near them. Just let them alone.  Notice, these are not people who are just ignorant of the doctrine, and don’t know any better. But these are men who willfully use means to dissuade and cause sedition, insurrection and harm to the doctrine, and those who would stand by it.

 

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 Midwest and he was telling them just what they wanted to hear. Oh, it was a dandy and I remember it well because it sounded real good.

 

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 4:6My 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 SMYRNAEAN CHURCH AGE - In every age we have exactly the same pattern. That is why the light comes through some God-given messenger in a certain area, and then from that messenger there spreads the light through the ministry of others who have been faithfully taught. But of course all those who go out don't always learn how necessary it is to speak ONLY what the messenger has spoken. (Remember, Paul warned the people to say only what he said, I Corinthians 14:37, "If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD. What? Came the Word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?") They add here, or take away there, and soon the message is no longer pure, and the revival dies down. How careful we must be to hear ONE voice, for the Spirit has but one voice which is the voice of God. Paul warned them to say what he said, even as Peter did likewise. He warned them that EVEN HE (PAUL) could not change one word of what he had given by revelation. Oh, how important it is to hear the voice of God by way of His messengers, and then say what has been given them to say to the churches.

 

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 church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

 

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...