Romans Chapter 16:13-19

Oh, I wish I could be a part of the early church. That was just such a glorious thing.

They didn't have any problems. We're not 30 years from the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and people are already messing up. They're already causing division. They're causing division against Paul.

Paul, an incredible leader, spiritual man, awesome heart, and he would speak and then people would come by and go, you know, he's wrong. I can't believe he said that, you know, being divisive. Welcome to Cross the Bridge with David McGee. As the body of Christ, it's important to be unified. And with that said, we also must learn to stay away from divisive people. Find out more about this important truth today as Pastor David continues in Romans 16 with a changed life.

Here's David McGee. So let's turn to Romans 16. Let's go to verse 13. Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord and his mother and mine. Greet, Ensign Cretus, Phlegon, Hermas, Petrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. Greet, Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympias, and all the saints who are with them. So we have these, you know, these names here. And let me remind you, what we're reading today was a letter to the Roman church.

And he's ending with the salutations to these people that he knew and enjoyed. And there's one name in here. There's interesting names. A lot of them are Greek, obviously, but Philologus is a really cool name. Not that you would name your kid that, but what it means is Philo means love.

Logos means the word. Philologus means lover of the word. That's a cool name. That's a cool name.

That is a cool name. You understand that people refer to the Jewish people as the people of the book? I want that.

I want that title. I want Christians to be known as the people of the book. And of course here, you know, we want to be lovers of the word.

We want to be digging in the word and studying the word and applying the word. And look at this though. And all the saints who are with them, the saints. So these are all like saints.

They got like halos in the whole deal. Let me explain something. If I say the word saints and you get this weird, I don't know what picture you get. A European cathedral or something. Wrong picture.

Wrong picture. The Catholic church says that they have the authority to make saints, name saints. And there's certain criteria. They have to do certain things, certain miracles, blah, blah, blah. And then they say, okay, well, this person's now a saint.

It's almost comical when you look at history. Cause you look at somebody like Patrick, who was not only not a saint when he was alive, but he was viewed by them as a really a heretic that was going around evangelizing people, sharing the good news. And they said, he's a heretic.

We're not sure of him. And, and he evangelized most of Ireland. He was talking to the druids. And when he was talking to him, he was trying to explain the Trinity. So he picked a clover with the three leaves, which we call the shamrock. And he said, look, the Trinity is like this. It's like three in one.

And they got it. That's why on Patrick on St. Patrick's day, the little clover that that's why it's part of the thing. It's an explanation that Trinity St. Patrick's day had nothing to do with green beer and leprechauns. We just mess up everything we get ahold of, but, but hundreds of years after he was dead and gone, the Catholic church said, Oh, what you were saying now you're St. Patrick.

If that's your notion of saying, let me shelve that. That's not the biblical notion of a Saint. Now talked about us being sinners and we, we have a sinful nature, a fallen nature.

We still make mistakes, you and I. Yet, if you've asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins, positionally, theologically, what God sees when he looks at you, not a sinner, not a sinner. The book of Isaiah says that even though your sins were like scarlet, they can be as white as snow. In other words, you can now be wrapped in the robe of righteousness of Jesus. And when God looks at you, he sees the righteousness of his son and he calls you a Saint, a Saint. How cool is that? I don't know what, I don't know what you've been called this week. I don't know what your friends refer to you as, but the Bible here says, if you've asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins, you're a Saint. That's kind of cool, ain't it? St. David. Got a ring to it. Got St. Chris over here. Got St. Richard over here.

I mean, say Saint and your name. Do it right now. Do it. Do it.

No, I mean, really do it. Isn't that cool? Isn't that cool? God says you're a Saint. Do you still mess up? Well, I'm sure you don't think so. Ask your spouse. But God positionally, theologically says you're washed in the robe of righteousness.

Man, awesome stuff. So what do you do when you mess up? Come back to the Lord. Some of you, I can see it in your eyes. You're running. Some of you are hurting. Run to the safe place.

Run to the Lord. Verse 16, greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.

First could be a little dangerous, let me explain. This was a typical greeting. As a matter of fact, when you go to Rome today, it's a typical greeting.

It's not a typical greeting here, okay? So we don't generally engage in holy kisses. We hug, that's what we do. And I think it's a good healthy expression of caring for one another. And when it says, you know, it says holy kiss, we don't do that here. Latin America, they do that. And some people are of Latin America descent here and they do that. And so sometimes I respond in kind.

When you travel overseas, when I was teaching the Bible study in Rome, they did that. They did the holy kiss. And let me explain the greeting with a kiss though.

Cause we, you do that in Israel too with people, but you don't literally kiss the cheeks. You just kind of go and you make a smack sound kind of thing. Okay.

You don't physically, this is important. Okay. Because when I was over at that Bible at the church in Rome and I was teaching, there was a, there was, I think he was intentionally confused.

There was an American guy that kept greeting all the Roman women, a little close to the mouth, all over the cheek. I'm like, dude, let me sit down. Me and Patrick go and explain this thing to you. Yeah. But it's a way of greeting one another. Okay. You know, hug is an acceptable form of greeting one another. You know, I heard somebody say they came from a church and they, they told, they don't shake anybody's hand in the church.

Don't hug anybody because the pastor taught that when you did that, you were actually transferring sins to one another. Yeah. Okay.

All right. So, but greeting one another, it's a good thing, man. It encourages, it encourages people.

So if you travel, be aware of that and greet people like that. Thank you for listening to Cross the Bridge. We'll return to David's teaching in just a moment.

You know, it's often the case that during this time of year, many of us will make new year's resolutions in order to better our life. And this year, Cross the Bridge wants to help with the Cross the Bridge Every Day Devotional book. Cross the Bridge Every Day is filled with 365 days of scripture, David's life lessons, and practical applications that will help you find victory in life and encouragement every day of the year.

David's Devotional also offers a detailed index, allowing you to find specific devotions that deal with subjects like depression, relationships, salvation, and more. The way to abundant life is through fellowship with Jesus Christ and Cross the Bridge Every Day makes spending time with the Lord convenient and enjoyable. Cross the Bridge Every Day is available this month only for a gift of any amount to Cross the Bridge Ministries. To donate, call 877-458-5508 or visit us online at crossthebridge.com. Act on your resolution today and receive David McGee's devotional with your donation.

Again, that number is 877-458-5508 or online at crossthebridge.com. Friend, do you have a heart for the lost? I invite you to send us the first names of your lost loved ones, and we will have hundreds of people praying for them. Just go to crossthebridge.com and click on the prayer button, and you'll enter their name. And if you put your name and email address in there, I'll send you free resources to equip you to pray and teach you how to reach your lost loved ones. Please, don't wait.

This is so important. So please, again, go to crossthebridge.com and click on the prayer button and send us the first names of lost loved ones. We'll send you some free information, and together we can partner to deliver the good news of Jesus Christ to the whole world, the whole book for the whole world. Now let's return to David McGee's verse-by-verse teaching in the book of Romans. Now we get to an interesting portion of Scripture. Verse 17, Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. Paul is telling us here that there's some people to look out for, that he's warning us against. Let's read on to verse 18, then we'll talk about these two verses. It says, For those who are such, do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech, deceive the hearts of the simple. Now let me take two different routes on this.

The first of which, be careful. What Jesus, when it talks about Jesus Christ, what Jesus Christ are we talking about? We're talking about the Jesus Christ of the Bible, and you need to understand that certain people use the name of Jesus. They're not talking about the Jesus of the Bible. When a Mormon talks about Jesus, they're not talking about the Jesus of the Bible. If a Jehovah's Witnesses talk about Jesus, that's not the Jesus of the Bible. Those are not what I would consider denominations of the Christian faith.

They are aberrations of the Christian faith. Now we've got people here that used to be Jehovah's Witnesses that have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. There's actually a guy who used to be, was a Mormon priest for years, who's now walking with the Lord. Isn't that cool? Isn't that awesome? That's just way cool.

Yeah. So what kind of Jesus are these people proclaiming? Let me show, and this may shock you, but if a Mormon or Jehovah's Witnesses show up at my door, I do not let them in. I don't talk to them. Now on a rare occasion, God has said, go ahead and share with them.

But you know what? These people are, it's another Jesus. I'm not going to invite them in my home to proclaim another Jesus. Now, you go, Pastor David, shouldn't you be sharing scriptures? And they're not there to be enlightened. They're not there to be taught. They're there to convert me.

And you know what? By and large, that just doesn't work. When somebody's trying to convert you and you try to convert them, you just get in a big argument. Now, if God tells me to invite them in and share scripture with them, I'll do it.

But friend, you know how many Christians have done that and got their head all filled with trash? Be careful with that. Be careful with that. This passage is saying, avoid them, avoid them.

Don't do it. And this, understand, in the Bible, there is only one people group that I can find that the Bible says avoid. It's divisive people. It says, I mean, look out for the ways of the world, wisdom of the world, but as far as people, divisive people, that's the only ones. Now, let me take the other track with this.

God has called me, anointed me, empowered me to be the senior pastor and teacher of this group. I take that very seriously. And so does leadership. And we can agree to disagree on certain things and we're fine. Now, certain things we cannot agree to disagree on. If you think there's many ways to heaven, we're not going to be able to agree to disagree. That's, that's just, you know, you're probably, I mean, you can come here and work through that, but you know, don't come to me going, Hey, you really need to change your way of thinking.

I'm sorry, ain't gonna happen. Not, not in regards to many ways to heaven. Now, if you think something, oh, I'll give you an example. I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. That is the belief that at the beginning of the seven year tribulation, we are raptured out.

Some of you may believe in a mid-trib or a post-trib rapture, mid-tribulation rapture or post-trib. That's fine. I'm okay with that. We can agree on Jesus and we can agree to disagree on the tribulation period and what happens then. Okay.

We're fine with that. But you know, years ago I was in, I guess I was in John. I was in one of the gospels talking about the tribulation. I went through the verses of why I believe that I'm not going to do that today. Cause we're not talking about the tribulation really, but you know, and I explained it and I said, look, you can not agree with me, but since I'm the teacher and the pastor here, you know, don't be trying to swim people's heads around and tell them why they should believe like you believe when I'm been anointed as the teacher.

So I said, so please don't do that here. Man, as sure as the world, right after the service, you know, I walk out and there's some woman out in the middle of the four year going, well, I can't believe he believes in pre-trib. Everybody knows it's post-trib.

I'll tell you why it's post-trib. It's like, that's being divisive. That's being divisive. I said, don't do it.

You know? I said, look, you mid-trib, post-trib, we can agree to disagree. And when we're on the way up before the tribulation, I'll just explain it to you. But see, we can agree to disagree and not be divisive. Now, again, this thing of being divisive is very, and it tickles me when some, you know, and I used to think like, oh, I wish I could be a part of the early church. That was just such a glorious thing.

They didn't have any problems. This is the early church. We're not 30 years from the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And people are already messing up. They're already causing division. They're causing division against Paul.

Paul, an incredible leader, spiritual man, awesome heart. And he would speak. And then people would come by and go, you know, he's wrong. I can't believe he said that, you know, being divisive. So don't ever think somebody being divisive is a sign of weak leadership or something's wrong. Titus 3 10 says, if anyone is causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning after that have nothing more to do with that person.

Strong stuff, strong stuff. I'll give you these two verses in the amplified as well. It says, I appeal to you, brethren, to be on your guard concerning those who create the sentience and difficulties and cause divisions in opposition to the doctrine, the teaching, which you have been taught. I warn you to turn aside from him to avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites and base desires by ingratiating and flattering speech. They beguile the hearts of the unsuspecting and simple-minded.

Another Greek definition for the simple mind would be sincere people. What's the life lesson here? Life lesson is stay away from divisive people. Stay away from divisive people. There is always going to be some people that want to be divisive. This church is always going to have people that are divisive and I'm always going to be willing and able to deal with these divisive people. Why? Because the Bible tells me to, and the Bible doesn't say, well, somebody's to me and divisive, you just pat him on the back and encourage him a little bit. That's not what the Bible says. The Bible says, if somebody's being divisive, you give them the holy boot. A fellowship is what you do.

Why? Because people can get hurt and I've seen it here. And quite frankly, as a shepherd, that's when I go from feeding the sheep to protecting the sheep.

And I take that job seriously. And sometimes I get angry when people are just, you know, angry when people are divisive. I don't, not because they're hurting my feelings, but some people get hurt in these things. And the Bible doesn't say if somebody is divisive, we'll debate them, argue with them, email them, call them, talk to them, go back and forth with Facebook on them. No, no, that's not what it says. It doesn't say have compassion on them. It just marks them and avoid them is what it says.

Mark them and avoid them. End of story. Now that seems harsh to you. You may not have been in ministry before. I've responded with people who are divisive before by being very compassionate.

And I figured out why the Bible tells me this. Cause people got hurt that didn't need to. And now to be honest, when I hear somebody who's being divisive, I don't hesitate. And the leadership in this place doesn't hesitate. This has to be a safe place. It has to be a safe place.

It can't be a place where somebody walks in and goes, well, I'm not sure what they believe about Jesus. I heard that guy say this. And the guy up there said this and somebody else said this.

No. Again, we can agree to disagree on some stuff. Now again, this is a big deal with Paul. When we get into the book of Corinthians and I don't know a few weeks or whatever, first Corinthians, he's dealing with the same thing. Again, first Corinthians one 10 says, now I plead with you brother, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there'd be no divisions among you and that you'd be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment. So how do you know if you're being divisive?

Well, it's interesting. Here's one thing. You can say one thing in one setting, right place, right time, right person, right place, right time, right person. If, you know, I spoke of having the assisting pastors available to you on Sunday afternoon. If you got an issue, go to them, go to them.

You don't need to stand out in the hall or in the cafe or be emailing people back and forth. A lot of times that might be inappropriate to say, and you, you know, the tone right place. There's a right place to, to, to talk to somebody and to have a civil disagreement, you know, like during Sunday morning, don't one of our pastors or me, that that's not the time to say, Hey, I don't like the way you do this. You know, cause I'm, you know what, in love, I'm not, I'm not going to, we're not going to have that conversation. Okay.

Not on Sunday morning. I am in the zone of what I have to do. I've got people following me around to make sure that I get in here to start teaching. Okay. Why? Because somebody asked me a question and I'll go off and, you know, and start talking.

They get me in here. Why? Because I can't have some of those conversations on Sunday morning. It's the right place.

Very important. You can come into my office, speak to the pastor and say, I don't like this. I don't like that. I don't like the way this or whatever. Okay.

Well, let's work through this. You do that in the cafe. Somebody's going to come in there and say, Hey, you need to chill out.

Why? It's the wrong place. So look for the right place. Look for the right look for the right time.

Look for the right person. I'm not asking you to agree with me about everything. There's no way that's going to happen. If we can agree about 80% of the stuff, great. We can grow together and mature together and it'll be awesome. And the other stuff, let's just agree to disagree. Okay. So be aware and understand that each and every person that's in here has the ability to be divisive. When you hear being divisive, you immediately think of the other guy. You know, this is something your wife, you saw your wife do this one time.

No, no, no. We can all be divisive. So let's make sure right place, right time, right person. Verse 19 says for your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I'm glad on your behalf, but I want you to be wise and what is good and simple concerning evil.

Great verse. First of all, notice this for your obedience has become known to all the church at Rome. People were talking about it. They're saying, man, that church at Rome, they're, they're doing the deal. You know, I went to vote and this woman said, Hey, are you the pastor at that church in the warehouse?

And I was like, yeah, because you know, it can go one or two ways. And she said, you know, she said, I probably would never go to your church, but I am so pleased at what the Lord is doing there and hearing the good things. Well, I've got to actually pray for me because this evening I've been invited to a local denominational church in the area that is invited the pastor the pastor's extended invitation for me to come speak to his leadership and speak to the church about what God is doing here and how he might want to do something in their church that's similar to what God is doing in this place. Now, a lot of what I'm going to say is that, you know, teach the word.

So, but, but people are hearing about what God is doing in this place in your lives. We had somebody go hit one of these baptism videos, send us an email and said, I'm a school teacher in Europe. I was trying to explain what a believer's baptism is because they all believe in infant baptism.

I was trying to explain to them what they weren't getting it. So I downloaded one of your baptism testimonies and I showed it to the whole school assembly of what a believer's baptism born again is. That is so cool.

So cool. Let's talk about another part of this verse. I want you to be wise in what is good. And I want you to watch every wacky discovery channel program you can is what it says. Definitely watch that guy who talks to dead people.

That guy's wacky. The Bible says don't do that. I mentioned some other groups today and I am aware of what their beliefs are. And I think we have to be aware to a limited degree of what their beliefs are.

Why? So we can explain what our beliefs are. I was in Jerusalem in a cab. There was an Islamic and when an Islamic says they believe in Jesus, ain't the same Jesus. There was an Islamic cab driver sitting beside a Jewish woman and I was in the back seat.

It was interesting. And the Islamic guy, he said, you know, I believe in Jesus and I probably believe more in Mary than you do. And I said, well, I'm not Catholic, so you might have a point there. But, but, but, and the Jewish said, well, I didn't know you believed in Jesus.

Who knew this? And she turned to me and I said, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. What do you believe about Jesus? Well, I believe he's a prophet. I said, do you believe he's the son of God? Do you believe he's resurrected? Do you believe he's raised from the dead?

Oh, no, not same Jesus. So I have somewhat of a knowledge, but you know what? I've read parts of the Quran. I'm not going to read the Quran. I don't want to, I want to read the Bible. I've read verses out of the satanic Bible. I don't want to read the satanic Bible. I want to read this Bible. Get to know this book.

Why? What's this verse say? Why's and what is good? Well, what's good? This is good stuff.

This is good stuff. I'm not saying that if you read something, you're going to be drawing circles on the floor or doing something weird. I'm saying this book is worthy, more worthy than anything else, more worthy than any other book that's ever been written. This book is worthy to be in, to study, to dig into, to apply to your life. And we have to be wise.

Matthew 10 16 says, behold, I send you out a sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. I want to know this book.

As long as I'm breathing, I'm going to be studying. I'm going to be in this book. The life lesson here, we should know our Bibles because it is God speaking to us and it is good. We should know our Bibles because it is God speaking to us and it is good. I understand if some, you know, if you're sitting here today, well, I've tried to read the Bible and I don't understand it. And you know, and if you're sitting in here today and you don't know, Jesus as your savior, let me explain what can happen. If you don't know Jesus as your savior and you begin to open this book, this book is deeply spiritual. And we're told that the natural part of us, the carnal part can't understand spiritual things. So if you don't know Jesus as your savior and you open this up, there's going to be a lot of stuff you don't understand.

Why? Because you are in your natural state trying to comprehend something that's supernatural. Once you ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins, you'll be amazed at how this book opens up and you begin to see stuff.

Why? Because the Holy Spirit begins to reveal stuff to you. And maybe you're sitting there going, well, I just don't know if I'm, I just don't feel very smart and study in the Bible. God will give you wisdom.

James 1 5 says, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives all liberally and without reproach and it will be given to him. Ask him to give you wisdom. Do you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven?

You can know right now. I want to lead you in a short, simple prayer, simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven. And I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life and I've done wrong things. I have sinned and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you all of my days in Jesus name.

Amen. Friend, if you prayed that prayer according to the Bible, you've been forgiven. You've been born again.

So congratulations friend, you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you. If you prayed that prayer with David for the first time, we would love to hear from you. You can call us toll free at 877-458-5508 to receive our First Steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. When you call, ask about this month's special offer featuring David's devotional book, Cross the Bridge Every Day. This inspirational book offers 365 daily devotions, as well as a detailed topical index to help you grow deeper in your relationship with the Lord. Cross the Bridge Every Day is available now for your gift of any amount. Again, the number to call is 877-458-5508 or you can go online to crossthebridge.com. Thank you for listening. We pray that you will join us next time as we continue to cross the bridge.