Watch Out For Those Who Lead You Astray
Scripture Texts: Romans 16:17-20
Introduction.
I wonder if this text strikes you as a bit odd or out of place. Paul is clearly at the end of writing this letter. He just finished giving warm, personal greetings to 24 people in the church in Rome, and he closed his greetings saying:
Romans 16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
We are expecting an “I love you, good bye,” and instead we have an “I love you and oh by the way.” Many times in Paul’s letters he is in the midst of a thought and something else comes to mind and so he will follow that thought for a while and then come back to the original thread.
This text is one of those. As Paul is thinking about and remembering all these people he loves and cares about, suddenly it comes to his mind to give them some warning. That is how much he cares for them and their spiritual wellbeing. He knows the dangers of the Christian life and he wants to wake them up to those dangers.
This is a good pastor, a good father to the flock. This is like a father sending his son or daughter off to college or out into the world. This is what true love looks like, the genuine care of souls.
I warned each of my sons of the spiritual dangers they would face and be challenged with as they went off to college. And as I have said to you before, I warned the three that went to Christian colleges more seriously than I did those going to state schools.
In Christian schools the dangers are much more subtle, more smooth talking. The enemy is far more covert, using little doubts or questions that chip away at faith. It was a Christian college professor that led my brother astray to the point that he denied his faith.
Growing up in this little Christian bubble of Lynden is dangerous, we let down our guard, we are unsuspecting, we think we are safe and not in danger. Warning is loving, warning is grace, warning is true kindness.