Romans 139
Brian Kocourek
This morning I would like to
examine by the Grace of God Romans
I would like to examine what
the Apostle Paul is speaking here regarding these two statements concerning
good and evil. Noticed he says, I am glad on your
behalf that your reputation is such that that your obedience to the Word of God is known by quite a few people,
and then he says, but yet I would have you wise unto
all which is good, and simple concerning evil.
Now, I want you to notice that he
is telling them this not so much as a praise, but more so as an of admonition because
by doing so he is telling them more important than being obedient is to know
what you are obeying and why you are obeying. The Apostle Paul not only wants
them to be obedient to the Word, and he actually tells them here that he is
glad for their sake that they have a good reputation for being obedient to the
Word of God. But what he is conveying thought is that obedience for obedience
sake is not enough. The message he is bringing to them here is that although he
is glad that they are obedient, yet obedience without an understanding will not
last very long, and therefore he tells them to be wise unto that which is good,
and be simple concerning evil.
Now, this morning I want to
examine these two thoughts, of knowing or understanding that which is good and
being simple concerning evil.
Now, for the next few minutes
let’s examine the first of these two thoughts, Being wise in that which is
good. Now, remember, we can not examine this without keeping in mind the
context is that he was praising them for their reputation of being obedient,
but then he adds, but I want you to be wise in that which is good. So we se
that he is placing more importance on being wise in that which is good than
merely being obedient.
Now, that is not to say that
there is anything wrong with obedience. But if you do not know what you are
obedient to or why you are obedient, then you can be easily de4rceived even as
Eve was deceived. For this same Apostle warned the
2
Corinthians 11: 1- 4 ¶ Would
to God ye could bear with me a little in [my] folly: and indeed bear with me. 2
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one
husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear,
lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your
minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he
that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye
receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye
have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him].
Now, I like the wording better from the New
International Version.
NIV 2 Cor 11:4 For if someone comes to you
and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a
different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one
you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. 5 But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those
"super-apostles." 6
I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this
perfectly clear to you in every way. 7
Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the
gospel of God to you free of charge?
Look, Paul was a teacher, and
so when he preached he taught, he was not eloquent like a polished up preacher.
But just because his homilitical skills were not polished did not make him ignorant
concerning what he was teaching, and neither did brother Branham. He said, But
I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles." 6 I may not be a trained
speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in
every way. 7 Was it a sin
for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God
to you free of charge?
And I say, was it a sin for
Brother Branham to reduce his preaching to make it understandable to the least
educated among us? I don’t think so. And
neither was it sin for Jesus to do the same. Jesus came speaking many parables,
and we will find out what those parables were all about in the next few weeks
when we begin our series on the parables of Christ.
Notice that in verses 1-4 Paul
is making the case that the people have been too easily persuaded by men who
claim to be ministers of Christ, just like Eve was too easily persuaded to go
against the Word of God. Even though for a time she had been obedient to that
same Word, yet she allowed herself to become deceived away from that Word and
the Promise associated with obedience to that Word, which was eternal life.
And it wasn’t that she believed
a totally different word, as though the serpent came with an altogether
different Gospel. But the Gospel he preached was the same Message but with a
twist to it. And that same thing has happened in every age, and is happening in
this age as well.
Paul had to warn the Galatian
church of the same thing. He told them that they were in danger of doing falling
away from the pure unadulterated Gospel by the same conniving trick that satan
used in the beginning.
GALATIANS
1:6 ¶
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the
grace of Christ unto another gospel:
(Now, this
word another is not the Greek word allos which means totally different
altogether, but it is the Greek word heteros which means of another nature.
They were listening to men who were using the same words to bring a gospel that
had a different nature to it. They might have been saying what Jesus said, and
they might have been quoting the Scriptures, but the way they were connecting
scripture, and in the context they were quoting Jesus they were actually taking
the Gospel and presenting it in such a way as to present a false nature to it.
Now, the word nature means The
essential characteristics and qualities of a person or thing: And therefore, they were presenting the Word of God
in such a way as to present a nature or characteristic to the people which was
not God’s nature at all. And that is exactly what the serpent did to Eve. So
Paul goes on to say,) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him
that called you into the grace of Christ unto another (that’s, Heteros of a different nature) gospel. 7 Which is
not another;(this word is
allos meaning it is different, not only in nature but in substance,) but there be some
that trouble you, and would pervert
the gospel of Christ.(Now this perverting the gospel is the key to
their presenting it with another nature. The word pervert here was translated
from the Greek word Metastrepho which means to turn or twist. Therefore they
were presenting the Gospel with such a twist as that it would say what they
wanted it to say, and they put such a twist to the Words of Christ as to present
something altogether different in nature to that which Christ had presented.
And that is the same thing men are doing today when they preach the feminine
spirit of God, and the idea that the fullness of the Godhead is in the Bride.
They have taken the same words and by context and order, or by they way they
divide that word, and the order in which they present it, they have changed
it’s nature altogether. But now, here is the warning from Paul.)
8 But
though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that
which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any
[man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be
accursed. 10 ¶ For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I
seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of
Christ. 11 But I certify you,
brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12 For I
neither received it of man, neither was I taught [it], but by the revelation of
Jesus Christ.
God had told Eve not to eat of
the forbidden tree for as long as she did not do such she would live forever,
but the day she did so she would Most surely die. Now, Even had remained
obedient for many, many years. But because she did not really understand the
promise she opened herself up for deception.
And The Apostle Paul is
likening the Corinthian’s to that of Eve, and those false ministers that were
working the people like the serpent worked on Eve, and The Apostle Paul called them Super
Apostles. Now, it is not that these men were really Super Apostles, but Paul is
being facetious. He is speaking tongue in cheek, because in verse 11 he goes on
to describe these men as workers and ministers of Satan, who transform their
own selves as ministers of Christ, when actuality they are by no means
ministers of Christ.
II CORINTHIANS 11:4 For
if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if]
ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which
ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him].
Now, notice in verse 4 he says they bear with these men so easily enough. In other
words, He is telling them they are too easy going, and when they should be
challenging these men, they just accept what they are being told by these men.
II CORINTHIANS 11:5 ¶ For I suppose I was not a whit behind the
very chiefest apostles.
Then in verse 5
he calls them super apostle. The word very is translated from the Greek word
huper which means in essence, super. It means above and beyond or superior to.
Therefore he is saying “why do you put up with these guys who come on
as though they are superior to the Apostle, when they are nothing but ministers
of Satan. “
II CORINTHIANS 11:6 But
though [I be] rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly
made manifest among you in all things.
Here he is saying, “Look, I might not be refined in my speech like these guys
appear, but I am not stupid. And I have been thoroughly made manifest before
your very eyes, and yet why would you
turn down what God had proven to you in favor of someone who can talk in a
polished up manner.”
Then in verse 13-15, we find him warn, II CORINTHIANS
and then verse 19 II CORINTHIANS
EPHESIANS 5:15 See
then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
We are not to walk blindly as some who would say we
do not have to understand, all we have to do is believe, and yet how can you
believe if you do not understand what it is you are believing?
ROMANS
Matt 10:16 Behold
I send you forth as sheep among wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves
MALACHI 3:16 Then
they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened,
and heard [it], and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that
feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 17 And they shall be mine,
saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare
them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. 18 Then shall ye return,
and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God
and him that serveth him not.
The elect know between good and evil, between
righteous and unrighteous, between those who serve God and those who do not.
DIVINE HEALING 54-1219M 279 May I,
instead of him this morning, standing and quote to this generation, "For
except a man be born again, he can't understand these things, the Kingdom of
God," as He said to Nicodemus of old. You can't understand it; you'll never
understand it, until God comes into your heart. And you'll be a part of Him,
then you'll say, "Yes, Lord, every bit of the Word's inspired. I believe
every bit of It. I believe It's the Truth. And here I am, Lord, to walk in the
Light." As long as you're borderline out there, you can't believe it. You
can't do it. May the Lord help you this morning to see the supernatural.
CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH 55-0220E E-66
Jesus said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the
Kingdom." You can't understand it. It's a mystic, mythical thing until
you're born again. There the very Life of God comes in you. Everlasting,
Eternal Life, Zoe, God's own Life comes in you, and then you're a part of God.
You're a Son of God or a daughter of God. And then you see as God sees. You
believe as God believes.
LAMSA: Isaiah 28: 89
For all tables are full of
vomit and filthiness, so that
there is no place clean. To
whom shall he teach knowledge, and whom
shall he make to understand the report.
Those who are weaned from the
milk and drawn from the breasts. For
filth is upon filth, filth
upon filth, vomit upon vomit,
vomit upon vomit; a little here, a little there; For with difficult
speech and with an alien tongue
will he speak to this people.
For I have said to them, This is the place
of my rest wherewith I may cause
the weary to rest, and this is the
place of tranquility; but they
would not listen. So their Word of the Lord
was to them filth upon filth, filth upon filth vomit upon vomit vomit upon vomit
a little here little
there that they might return and fall
backwards an be broken and snared and taken.
IS THIS THE TIME. pg.2
For all tables are full of
filthy vomit, there is no place! Who would
He teach knowledge And whom would
He cause to understand the Message? I believe it was Doctor
Lamsa who wrote the Lamsa Bible translation who said.. On time was
speaking an didn't know
he was there. He came back and was talking about the urim thummim --the he was
speaking of that light and he
said "what is the matter
with these people today? He said "The reason the people
the translator could not translate the
Bible correctly was that the
translator tried to
translate it the high yiddish and Jesus
speaking spoke in the common
class just like the street people
spoke. You know there is
scripture over in Luke that
says "The common people heard
Him gladly. He spoke in their language I hope that is so again.
SHALOM. pg 34 The Elected see,
knows It' always through
every age that they know it.
JOHN 6:44 No man can come to me,
except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the
last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught
of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
Romans