Responding to a Divisive Person
Thinking God’sWay, Lesson 3
Thinking God’sWay is a series of Bible studies that help believers meditate on theWord of God for the purpose of Christian growth. Each lesson features a verseof Scripture in English and the original language (whether Hebrew or Greek). Italso provides basic background information, followed by basic word definitionsand other key insights. Each lesson concludes with some questions formeditation and for applying the truth to life.
InitialThoughts
Not all so-calledChristian teachers are good ones, but can you tell the difference? Also,can you describe what happens to believers and their churches when they toleratefalse teaching in their lives? And with this in mind, how should you respond tobad teachers when you encounter them?
Romans 16:17helps answer these important questions and enables us to think and respond properlyto the many harmful doctrines that are being popularized today.
Key Verse: Romans16:17
In English(NKJV)
Now I urge you,brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrinewhich you learned, and avoid them.
In Greek
παρακαλω δε υμας αδελφοι σκοπειν τους τας διχοστασιας και τα σκανδαλα παρα την διδαχην ην υμεις εμαθετε ποιουντας ην υμειςεμαθετε ποιουντας και εκκλινατε απ αυτων
English andGreek Together
Now I urge you, brethren (παρακαλω δε υμαςαδελφοι), note those who cause divisions (σκοπειν τους τας διχοστασιας) andoffenses (και τα σκανδαλα), contrary to the doctrine(παρα την διδαχην… ποιουντας) which you learned (ην υμεις εμαθετε),and avoid them (και εκκλινατε απ αυτων).
BackgroundInformation
This statementappears at the end of the New Testament (NT) book of Romans, which was a letterPaul wrote to the church at Rome. After providing the Christians at Rome with in-depthteaching about the gospel (Rom 1-11) and practical instruction about how thegospel should affect their lifestyle (Rom 12-16), Paul gave them a warning inhis closing remarks.
In this warning,Paul urged the believers to avoid people who would influence them to deviatefrom the doctrine he had given. In particular, he gave special attention to thenegative effects of these teachers on the church.
Keywords andtheir Meanings
Mounce’sComplete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006) together with an interlinearBible, like The NKJV Greek English Interlinear New Testament (ThomasNelson, 1994) is an excellent way to get accurate definitions for your Biblestudy based upon Greek and Hebrew meanings.
- Urge(παρακαλέω): to beg, entreat, implore. This word conveys more thana suggestion. It is an earnest request showing that the speaker feels verystrongly about what he is saying.
- Note(σκοπέω): to view attentively, watch; to see, observe, take care,beware; mark, note. The idea here is to pay close, careful attention or to beon guard.
- Causing(ποιέω): to do, cause, make. In this case, it is speaking of peoplewho instigate the things that happen, implying that the problems that followdid not exist in the church until these people circulated their wrong ideasamong them.
- Divisions(διχοστασία): a standing apart; a division, dissension. Barclay andNida describe this as “those who separate people into groups,” “those who causedifferent groups of people to fight with one another,” or “those who causestrong differences between people.”[1]
- Offenses(σκάνδαλον): a trap-spring; a stumbling block, anything againstwhich one stumbles, an impediment; acause of ruin, destruction, misery; a cause of sinning or scandal. This refersto doctrines that discourage a person’s faith in Christ by doing things thatmake believers stumble (figuratively), causing them to become discouraged, disenchanted,or disillusioned with Christianity.
- Contrary(παρά): in deviation from, in violation of, inconsistent with. Inthis occurrence, it describes something that different from the originalteaching.
- Doctrine(διδαχή): instruction, what is taught, doctrine.
- Learned(μανθάνω): to learn, to be taught. Together with contraryand doctrine, this means something like “talking against the teaching”or “teaching that contradicts what you have already been taught.”
- Avoid (ἐκκλίνω): to decline, to turn away from to avoid. The idea hereis to “stay away from” these people for the purpose of reducing or eliminatingtheir influence from your life.
Other KeyInsights
This verse usesmany plurals. Paul urges believers (plural) to take a proactive stance againstunbiblical doctrine, indicating that this is a responsibility of everybeliever, not just pastors. He also recognizes that there are many sources andkinds of divisive doctrines by referring to divisive persons in a plural form.
Questions forMeditation and Reflection
Why does Paul“urge” believers to do this rather than just give them simple instructions to doso?
By urging them,he causes them to give special attention to this instruction, ensuring that it “standsout” from the rest of what he had said. He also indicates that without an extra“push,” they would not take this warning seriously.
Describe whatit means to “note” or “look attentively” for divisive doctrines? How is thisdifferent from only using the general word for “see” or “look”?
“Lookingattentively” means to be perceptive and pay attention to what people aresaying. Just because a person is nice, polite, and persuasive doesn’t mean theyare telling you the right thing. If you’re not paying attention, you’ll begullible instead, like a clueless person buying a car from a used cardealership :)
What does a“division” look like in a church and why is that a serious problem?
A divisionoccurs when people who were formerly united together in a harmoniousrelationship are now standing on opposite sides of an issue. This does notrefer to quiet disagreements or questions about this or that. If we ask enoughquestions, we’ll all find something here or there that we disagree on. Instead,this refers to what happens when people “draw a line” on their differences byinsisting on their personal perspectives in a dogmatic way. This is a seriousproblem because it disrupts unity within the body of Christ and leads peopleaway from the truth.
What does an“offense” look like in a church and why is that a serious problem?
An offenseis when a person gets “tripped up” in their walk with Christ, resulting in aconfused and disillusioned perspective about the gospel, church, andChristianity. This becomes a serious problem because it can damage a person’soutlook of God and lead people away from the gospel.
How do people“cause” or “make” these things happen in a church? (Note that this worddescribes something a person does repeatedly, not just one time.)
They primarily doby spreading wrong ideas, whether through gossip, secretive meetings, public questionsand debates, and sharing links to erroneous online sources. In particular, Rom16:18 tells us that they use words that sound reasonable and logical and theyalso use flattery. What’s more, they especially target new believers or people whodon’t know any better.
What is the“doctrine” or “teaching” that divisive people contradict or deviate from?
Paul is not referringto anything at all that you’ve been taught. He is referring to the gospel, andby extension, teaching that explains the Old and New Testaments in an accurateway. This is the same gospel that he had taught them and applied for them inthe letter called Romans. In fact, they had already obeyed this gospel(Rom 1:8; 6:19).
It is alsoworth nothing that this concept emphasizes the importance of being taught. Whileyou can study the Bible on your own, you need the mentorship and guidance oftrained, experienced pastors and teachers whom God has gifted and placed intothe church.
Furthermore, Icommend to you the helpful saying, “If it’s new, then it’s not true; but if it’strue, then it’s not new.” While more than two millennia of theologians andpastors are not infallible, they have given us a longstanding doctrinalheritage. They have depended upon the Holy Spirit and studied prayerfully and rigorously.There is great wisdom in taking seriously the way that Scripture has beeninterpreted throughout church history.
How does abeliever “avoid” or “turn away from” divisive people?
If a person ispromoting wrong doctrinal ideas to you and distracting you from the truth ofthe gospel, you need to stay away from that person. When they try to speak withyou, politely walk away. When they call you, don’t answer the phone. When theymessage you, delete their messages. When they invite you to do “Bible study,”do not attend. It also means that if their YouTube videos keep coming up inyour feed, or their radio show keeps coming on your radio, turn it off!
Romans 16:19gives some helpful advice in this regard. Paul encourages us to give ourattention to studying what is good and right, while remaining as ignorant aspossible of all the possible wrong teachings that are out there. The best wayto detect a counterfeit bill is to become very familiar with real dollar bills.This is far better than wasting your time studying all the counterfeits,because those keep changing anyway!
A PersonalTranslation
Before youconsider how to apply this truth to your life by allowing it to change yourmindset and approach to life, write out a personal translation. Use what youhave learned to write this verse in yourown words.
Questions forPersonal Application
- On ascale of 1 to 5 (with 1 being not at all attentive and 5 being completelyattentive), how attentive are you to divisive influences in the church?
- Whatare some divisive or misleading teachings and ideas that you’ve encountered asa Christian (like “the winds of doctrine,” Eph 4:14)?
- Whatare some sources of divisive or misleading teachings and ideas that youencounter?
- On ascale of 1 to 5 (with 1 being not at all engaged and 5 being completelyengaged), how engaged are you in learning the Bible together with your church?
- Whatstep could you take to improve your level of engagement?
- Whatstep(s) should you take to guard yourself against divisive and misleadingteachings?
[1] Barclay M.Newman and Eugene A. Nida, A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans,UBS Handbook Series (New York: United Bible Societies, 1973), 295-296.
