Romans 16:17-20

Final Exhortations and a Glorious Promise

by Pastor Jim Lincoln on July 15, 2007

The Gospel: Reconciling the Irreconcilable: The list of names Paul mentioned at the beginning of Romans 16 gives us a picture of just how diverse this church really was. There are names of slaves, wealthy people, poor people, business people, and possibly even court officials. There are Jewish names and Gentile names. Nine times he mentions women and he puts them on equal footing with the men in terms of honor, dignity and respect. So the church in Rome not only grew laterally across the city, (He mentions at least five house churches), it also grew vertically jumping over gender, socio-economic, language, blue collar, white collar, and ethnic barriers testifying to the reconciling power of the gospel.

In Rome, the gospel was reconciling the irreconcilable; first sinners to a holy God and then sinners to each other who otherwise would have remained polarized. Paul is saying,

"Look at you! Look at how diverse you are! Look at what God has done with you. Even though you have enormous differences, God's grace has made you capable of loving and accepting each other."

The phrase, Unity in essentials, charity in non-essentials, and Christ in all things was alive in Rome. The presence of Christianity and the love of Christ among the Christians form such diverse backgrounds offered a workable love in a city where love had grown ice cold. And it was incredibly effective. As Rome fragmented under the influence of paganism, Christianity was there to pick up the pieces and they did. By 500AD half the Roman Empire professed to be Christians. When the gospel is believed it reconciles that which is naturally irreconcilable.

Paul: A Good Shepherd: For two chapters Paul called this enormously diversified church to love each other in the bonds of peace. That love and acceptance was going to be tested. If Satan could get them to stop meeting together, stop welcoming each other, and start being suspicious of each other and questioning the validity of each other's faith then he could discredit their witness to the gospel of reconciliation. By God's grace he failed.

So, in verses 17-20, as a good shepherd, Paul sets out to protect them from those who were enemies of the gospel. He does this by giving them three exhortations and one unshakable promise. Let's take some time to look at each of these.

Exhortation #1: Beware! The first Exhortation is this (17),

"I beseech you brothers to beware of those who cause dissensions and erect obstacles contrary to the doctrine (teaching).

It is improbable that Paul is referring to anyone in the church at that time. Their debate over eating meat offered to idols was an honest debate. Although Paul ate meat himself, he honored those who abstained. And he honored them as faithful believers who were serving the Lord. Yet, they needed to know how to deal with honest debates over matters of indifference or matters unessential to the gospel. You can honor those you disagree with over non-essential matters. And that's just what he did. He disagreed with one side of that debate but he honored all of them as faithful Christians who are attempting to follow the Lord and their conscience.

Honest and sometimes even painful debates are perfectly legitimate in the family of God. Even though Paul disagreed with the theology of those who followed the kosher laws, he honored them for their noble and godly reasons. Beloved, we need to learn to debate like this over a myriad of issues. I remember a dear brother once saying to me that he disagreed with me on an issue but that he was still, "...on my side!"

Even here Paul writes that their obedient witness had been reported around the world. The way he speaks about them here shows that he's not referring to anyone within the church; that is... yet.

Who are these people causing division? The best candidate was a group called the Judaisers. This group of professing Christians used to follow Paul everywhere he went in order to undo everything he had done. One of their tactics was to wait until he left an area and then work their way into the church to reverse his fundamental message. They claimed that conversion (circumcision) to Judaism was necessary before you could be a real Christian. Paul taught that you become a Christian by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

"For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of the Gentiles also? Yes! of Gentiles also, since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one." Romans 3:28

It's one thing for someone to choose to live by the kosher food laws. It's quite another to say that a person is not a real Christian until he first becomes a Jew by the outward ceremony of circumcision. Real circumcision is the circumcision of the heart by the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus. Behind their requirement of circumcision was the claim of merit and national pride. This was the very thing that kept Jews from entering the kingdom of God. To become a real Christian is to denounce any possibility that we could ever merit or earn the gift of salvation. Even though Israel had enormous advantages, she too failed the terms of the Mosaic covenant and needed a new covenant of pure grace to receive God's love and favor. These teachers were trying to revive the terms of the Old Mosaic Covenant as a means for finding acceptance with God. Paul was not at peace with them.

In Galatians 1:8, he wrote that if he, an angel, or anyone else preaches such heresy they are accursed. Paul wasn't being mean here. He was simply reminding them of the sanctions of the Mosaic Covenant for failing to keep all that was written in the Law of Moses. Israel accepted the blessings and curses when she renewed the Mosaic Covenant by shouting both blessings and curses out to each other on Mount Gerazim and Mount Ebal in Deut.27:12ff.

Paul knows that if they choose to find acceptance with God through the Mosaic Law they will end up being accursed. The reason is because none of us can keep the terms of the covenant! As covenant breakers and sinful creatures we all need the grace of God to be saved. Jesus offers us all just that.

Paul was preparing this young church for these people who will come in after him and attempt to divide the church with this heresy of salvation by keeping Mosaic Law. Also, it's errant doctrine that creates the division and it's errant doctrine that is the obstacle. They sowed seeds of division over the essential doctrine of the gospel. So he says, "Beware..."

How would they gain a hearing? They were skilled speakers who had excellent presentation skills. Paul didn't. If Paul spoke as he wrote he would put people to sleep. His rabbinic style of argument takes work to follow. In fact, on one occasion Luke says that's exactly what happened. In Acts 20:9, Luke says that while Paul was speaking "on and on past midnight" a young man named Eutychus fell asleep and dropped out a third story widow and died. Now, I can put people to sleep speaking but, I've never killed anyone in the process. Fortunately, Paul was an apostle and he healed the boy.¹ However, in 2 Cor. 10:10, Paul's adversaries said that his speech was contemptible. In 1Cor.2, he admitted that he was not an excellent speaker.

These heretics were smooth in delivery and in content. They were easy on the ears and full of flattery. And Paul says that they were however, not serving the Lord Jesus. Instead, they were serving their own ambitions and appetites (Perhaps the appetite to correct Paul).

Their method: In v. 18, Paul writes that they deceived the hearts of the unsuspecting.² I think he's pointed to their method. Not only were they skilled speakers, they were good at appealing to the emotions in such a way that overpowered the judgment of the emotional.

A Deceiver: In almost thirty years of pastoral experience, I have had one maybe two experiences with people like this. One was an extreme case. A young man came into our church gifted with such communication skills that people hung on every word he said. Many were spell bound by his speaking. When he spoke you could hear a pin drop. He had a gift that George Bush, Paul, and I would love to have. He was empathetic and engaging like Ted Bundy. Soon groups of people were meeting with him and by comparison finding our ministry pretty dry and dull. One day his wife came to my office and revealed that he had tried to kill her. I arranged a place for her to go that night and persuaded him to see me the next day. He came and confessed to me that he had indeed tried to kill her. And the next thing he said made my heart stop. He said, "I'm telling you this because you are bound by the law of confidentiality and now that I've told you are bound by law and you can't tell anybody." He then added this little gem. He was offering his name to be considered a deacon of the church. He reminded me again that I was bound by law not to tell anyone. This was my first experience with a sociopath and I have to say that it was chilling. Now, you should know what he didn't know. There are limits to the law of confidentiality. When I pointed that out, he left and we didn't see him anymore. That is an extreme case but, it was sad to watch people come under his spell.

In many ways, he fit Paul's description: a smooth talker skilled in speech that addresses the heart before judgment and takes advantage of the unsuspecting. So, beloved children BEWARE

The second exhortation is "Avoid them." (17) Why, because they are enemies of unity. How can dividing from a false teacher who rises up in the church promote unity in the church? The answer is that the only unity that counts for unity in the church is rooted in the truth. Avoiding false teachers is Paul's way of preserving unity. I've heard people say, "You know doctrine divides." Of course, it does and it should...if they are essential doctrines.

Now, let me give a warning about the warning. Some become so obsessed with spotting doctrinal error that they lose grace, compassion, and their ability to rejoice in doctrinal truth. One preacher I read said that,

"Some are like police dogs that are trained so completely to sniff out drugs at the airport, that even when they're off duty they greet everybody that way." It doesn't make for a very welcoming atmosphere.

To avoid or turn away from doesn't mean that you stop caring for them or praying for them or even speaking to them. Paul also says to love our enemies. He certainly spoke to Peter when Peter was showing signs of adopting the same heresy. It means that if a person persists in the heresy we can't enjoy Christian fellowship with them anymore.

The third exhortation in verse 19b is: Be wise and innocent: After commending the church for their obedience he writes, "I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil."

To the Corinthians he said, "Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature" (1Cor. 14:20). He's alluding to Jesus who said, "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16).

When it comes to wisdom don't be naive. Be wise; be mature. However, when it comes to evil--be like an innocent baby who can't walk. J. B. Phillips paraphrases Romans 16:19, "I want to see you experts in good and not even beginners in evil."

Do we think this way? Are we, "Wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil?" Instead of seeing how innocent we can be about evil, many try to see just how close they can get to it without falling in. Do you know what I mean? Paul says, look; with regard to your knowledge of evil don't even go to kindergarten. So those are the three commands: Beware, Turn away from skilled but false teachers and be righteously wise.

Finally, Paul gives them a glorious and unshakable promise in verse 20

"And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you."

That last sentence about being innocent in evil has a way of convicting us all. Who can say they are innocent with respect to evil?" No one! So, feelings of enormous shame and guilt might flood over those who hear this and the devil loves to remind us of some moral failing and mock us and accuse us. He is known as an accuser of the brethren. Paul is aware of this. So, he is quick to offer grace as soon as he offers a word of possible accusation.

As ministers we walk a fine line. There are commandments we should declare that hold up the standards of holiness and righteousness. And there is the grace of the gospel that assures us that we are forgiven. If we turn from our wicked ways and confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us. If I miss the mark by reminding you of sins you have participated in and that have wounded you and shamed you then you can get crushed under the weight of that word.

The devil might use my words to land an accusation full of guilt and shame. If I'm not careful in the way I preach the extent and scope of the law you may only hear fiery darts of shame and guilt. My words may obscure the grace of God and then make you doubt that you are forgiven and steal your peace and joy. So I'm cautious about this. At the same time I have a responsibility to be faithful to declare the standards of righteousness and goodness. I must be wise to do both with sensitivity and balance and wisdom for the moment. Only the Holy Spirit can grant such wisdom. My guide is this, "Speak the truth in love." I don't want to be used by the devil to increase your shame or my own. At the same time, I don't want to withhold any good commandment of the Lord because His commandments are good for us.

So, what does Paul do? He gives them this unshakable promise. THE GOD OF PEACE WILL SOON CRUSH SATAN UNDER YOUR FEET. Wow, and praise God from whom all blessings flow.

He is the God of Peace. Jesus is our peace or shalom. Shalom is the way things are supposed to be. That is what we are in Christ. Being justified by faith we have peace with God.

He says that He will soon crush Satan under your feet. "Soon?" How can thousands of years be soon? Peter anticipated this question.

"Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation." . . . 8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:3-4)

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:25, "[Christ] must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet." Jesus' victory was decisive in the wilderness testing when Jesus chose obedience to God over Satan. For all of us who believe and have failed Jesus was obedient. He lived for us. His victory was had on the cross when he took our sin on Himself. He died for us who believe. But the final blow will be delivered in the future when Christ puts all things under his feet. Here he says that He will crush Satan under "your feet: "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet." It's your feet is because we who believe in the Lord Jesus are in Christ and his triumphs will be our triumphs. You will never hear anything more glorious. His Victories will be Our Victories.

That's why Ephesians 1:22 speaks of all things as already under Christ's feet. "God put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church."

An Encouragement: Romans 16:20 is a glorious promise to Christians who get worn out in the battle with the enemy of our soul. When it seems that evil has the upper hand and Satan is winning and hammering your own soul. It is an encouragement to watch out for the illegitimate ones who are smooth talkers, walk away from them. It's an encouragement to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil. Listen to the promise...hold on to it. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet! Believe it and live. And may the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you as you do.