Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries |
Negative volition toward doctrinal teaching is the source of dissention, apostasy, and reversionism.
Friday, December 17, 2010
The Church of Rome was beginning to reject the messenger, (in this case the apostle Paul), which would accomplish Satan’s ultimate goal, the rejection of the message, the mystery doctrine of the Church-age.
“keep your eye” is the present active infinitive of skopeo which means to keep on having mental alertness.
The word for dissensions is the Greek noun dichostasia which means discord, disagreements, divisions or splits.
2CO 11:23 – imprisoned, beaten many times, often in danger of death.
2CO 11:25-28 – beaten with rods, stoned to death, three times he was shipwrecked, he spent night and days in the sea.he faced dangers from rivers, robbers, Jews, Gentiles, dangers in the city, wilderness, on the sea, dangers among false brethren; sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure upon me of concern for all the churches.
The word for hindrances is the noun skandalon referring to snares, stumbling blocks, things that offend others, influencing others to unbelief.
Of course our Lord warned us about these type of believers when He said
REV 3:11, “I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, in order that no one take your crown.”
ROM 16:17, Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching or doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.
You must have the ability to discern without becoming vicious or entering into a system of revenge, or bearing a grudge, or counter-attacking with your own set of MAS and SOT.
The command to turn away is the present active imperative from the verb epieikees, meaning to avoid, to turn away,
to evade.
The more doctrine you learn the more you are going to have the Royal Family honor code function of loving certain people from a great distance, which is impersonal love.
You do not hate them, you are not bitter toward them, not vindictive or implacable; you simply love them from afar.
1. Note that this passage infers that negative volition toward doctrinal teaching from a pastor is the source of dissention, apostasy, and reversionism.
2. Lack of authority orientation, as well as arrogance, causes the believer to resist the teaching of doctrine from another human being. (Arrogance competes with the man first and then the message).
This is what caused Paul to deal with those who may be thinking or saying such things as God was being unfair and unjust.
Perhaps, EPH 6:16, the flaming missiles of the evil one or the fiery darts of the wicked.
Perhaps these type of believers failed to destroy speculations and every arrogant thought raised up against the knowledge of God, and did not take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 2CO 10:5.
2CO 10:3-7, For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
2CO 10:5-7, We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. You are looking at things as they are outwardly.
But If anyone thought that God was being unfair and unjust and was thinking of saying such things as
ROM 9:19-21, You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” Who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use, and another for common use?
The rejection of spiritual authority inevitably leads to the rejection of the spiritual information which is the basis of transformation.
Resisting the teacher inevitably leads to resisting the teaching.
Resisting the under shepherd leads to resisting the over Shepherd and Guardian of your souls, 1PE 2:25, For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
Resisting the leader inevitably leads to resisting the leadership.
Resisting the preacher leads to resisting the preaching.
LUK 10:16, “The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”
3. Since arrogance and inordinate ambition sets up a revolutionary group, classified as a mutual admiration society, a click, a secret spiritual fraternity with their own vocabulary, it is quite obvious that those who resist doctrine always look for others who resist doctrine.
4. The only answer to a believer so involved is separation or avoidance as in our passage in ROM 16:17 which says and turn away from them.
This is such an important principle that Paul said to Timothy concerning the church of Ephesus in 2TI 3:5beware of those holding to a form of living the spiritual life, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.
To the Thessalonians Paul said in 2TH 3:6, Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the doctrine which he received of us.
2TH 3:14, And if anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that man and do not associate with him, so that he may be put to shame.
5. In these satanic divisions designed to discredit the messenger, (in this case Paul) and the message (in this case grace and forgiveness), it is because of the double standards of the carnal believers.
ROM 16:18, For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites or emotions – wanting to feel good]; and by their smooth and flattering speech they [messengers of false teaching] deceive the right lobes of the unsuspecting.