Romans 16:17-18 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
Paul now gives the closing of the letter. The closing of a letter often summarizes the key ideas of the letter and gives the final appeal. Paul’s final appeal hints further at why he wrote this letter. This reason has been addressed in chs. 12-15. Paul wants the church to be unified. Both Jews and Gentiles have the same problem of sin. There is only one solution for both groups of people. The first chapters of the letter dealt with sins of the flesh (ch. 1) and sins of the heart (pride, ch. 2). The doctrine that Paul explained in this letter is easy to misunderstand and even distort. There are groups today who I feel have distorted the Paul’s doctrine. These groups still remain within the “orthodox camp” but arrive at different conclusions than I do. A careful reading of the letter shows Paul’s goal of new life in Christ through the Holy Spirit that brings freedom from the control of sin and the flesh and puts the law in the right perspective as the guide to holiness. These are difficult doctrines to understand, but Paul lays these out fairly clearly in the letter. Paul urges the Romans to avoid any teachings that distort the gospel of righteousness by faith. This letter provides the Roman Christians a clear path forward. It shows the optimism of God’s grace to transform the sinner into a saint, not self-righteous saint but cleansed and purified saint.
Paul particularly points out false teachers who have smooth talk and flattery. Many of the early churches were infiltrated by so-called “Judaizers” who taught a form of legalism. Paul points out here that these type of people are motivated by their “stomachs,” implying selfishness, pride, doing what pleases their appetites. It was all about “me” when it came to these false teachers. They were in the ministry for self-glorification, not for any genuine burden to reach the lost. Anyone who is in the position of teaching, preaching, or leading the people of God in any way, lay or ordained, should carefully consider this verse. Do we do what we do for self or in service to the Lord Jesus Christ?
Paul also has a message for those in the church, the so-called “naive.” Every Christian should learned and know the deep truths of Christian doctrine so as not to be deceived by false teaching. This will take discipleship, learning, study, meditation, attendance in times of exhortation of the word, and so forth. Many people are deceived because they do not know the truth of the gospel. Paul’s letter to the Romans is a call to know the gospel. This letter deserves a careful study so as not to be led astray by heresy or even doctrines that verge on even being biblical.
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