Last Days of the Age

¹⁷ Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. ¹⁸ 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. ¹⁹ For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.  (Romans 16:17-19)

There are those walking among the body of Christ causing divisions and offenses. How are they doing this? By using flattering speech, soothing words. Lifting up men, praising men instead of Christ. They pretend to be of Christ but stealthily pit one brother against another seeking to destroy our relationships. Sometimes this is done out ignorance, sometimes another spirit motivates a man or uses the weakness of a man’s understanding. But if a man (or woman) is weak on foundational truths of the Gospel then that person may not be saved. Especially when the brethren are found to be preaching the simple Gospel truths as the Bible teaches them to that weak person. For there is no other truth than Christ crucified and man is appointed to die once and then the judgment (see Heb. 9:27).

Let’s now take a closer look at a couple of words in verse 18 from above.

“smooth words and flattering speech”

The Greek word for smooth words is chrēstologia, numbered G5542 in Strong’s numbering system. It is defined by Strong’s dictionary as: fair speaking, the smooth and plausible address which simulates goodness.

Which simulates goodness. Doesn’t that say it all? Doesn’t that which is antichrist seek to replace Christ and simulate His goodness for a season until satan’s work is destroyed?

Now the Greek word for fair speeches is eulogia, numbered G2129 in Strong’s dictionary. The definition as follows: in a bad sense, language artfully adapted to captivate hearer: fair speaking, fine speeches.

So those who simulate goodness artfully craft their language to captivate and deceive the hearer of what they write and speak. Lord have mercy! Open our eyes to the Truth! This kind of person seeks their own glory, their own will, their own way.

The apostle Paul is clear concerning those who cause divisions and offenses in the body of Christ. AVOID THEM! For how can light and darkness walk together in agreement? Let us continue to stand in the Truth of Christ, gently yet firmly. We do not need to beat anyone over the head, yet we are not called to fellowship with those who cause these divisions and offenses.

¹⁵ He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord. (Proverbs 17:15)

It is one thing to justify the wicked and quite another to condemn the just. In the assembly, before the Lord, we must walk in His Holiness and Righteousness. And when that Holiness and Righteousness becomes an offense to any of the brethren, beware! For certianly strife is at the door. Let me quote another verse of wisdom from Proverbs.

⁵ It is not good to show partiality to the wicked,
Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
(Proverbs 18:5)

Keeping in line with the walk of holiness and righteousness in the assembly, when the wicked gain entry by stealth, but then are discovered by some, that wickedness needs to be dealt with swiftly. If it is not dealt with swiftly the end result is destruction for the assembly and the relationships involved. This can lead to the overthrow of the righteous in judgment.

The only way to avoid such calamity is to build relationships such that you can trust one another in Christ Jesus. For such a test reveals the lack of love and trust among the brethren in the assembly. Even the lack of knowledge in the Lord.

This is why Paul spent so much time exhorting various assemblies to have true love and grace for one another. Not to be condemning one another, but building each other in Christ to the edification of all. Yet it still each one’s responsibility to act on what we know of the Lord. He alone will chastise or commend each one of us according to our acts in righteousness or unrighteousness. Even for some to the outer darkness with weeping and  gnashing of teeth.

There is only One Truth. Who mediates that one truth? Is it you or me? No it is Christ alone. Yet we are witnesses to that One Truth so long as we are walking in Him and serving His purpose and not our own. Any separation in our views is because one or more of us are not settled in that One Truth. Let us all look toward the Lord, deny ourselves and pickup our cross. There is nothing else to look forward to but the Glorification of our Savior! There is no building we can build, no man or woman who can lead us, there is only Christ who is in the Father who has sent us the Holy Spirit to teach us.

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, we live in a day of apostasy. There are many who claim the name of Christ but deny the tenets of the faith, walk in a worldly way or have the appearance of godliness, but deny it’s power.

3 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! ⁶ For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ⁷ always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; ⁹ but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was. 2Tim 3:1-9

For those who are in Christ we must beware. For the enemy comes in stealthily. Pretending to be something they are not seeking to destroy that which Christ is building. Namely the Body of Christ. That Bride promised to be given to the Bridegroom at the end of this age.

¹⁰ But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹ persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹² Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.¹⁴ But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured , knowing from whom you have learned them,¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2Tim 3:10-15

Also the following.

2 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. ³  By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. 2 Peter 2:1-3

And Continuing.

then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,  ¹⁰ and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, ¹¹ whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. 2Peter 2:9-11

Disciples of Christ, please look at these Scriptures in context. We know the true from the false when we know who our God is. Otherwise we cannot follow the True Christ.

10 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. ² But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. ⁵ Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶ Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. John 10:1-6

Flee my family from the voice of the stranger! Do not be overtaken by the wolves and imposters. For the wolf dresses in sheep’s clothing. But speaks as a wolf. Even Scripture forbears this truth in regard to the end-time beast and false prophet.

Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. Rev. 13:11

Brethren beware and flee from unrighteousness. Draw away from that which the Lord has rejected. Scripture bears witness again that to touch or accept that which is unclean before the Lord draws a punishment or a rejection from the Lord. Look to Revelation 18 and 2 Corinthians 6.

¹⁹ So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; ²⁰ for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (James 1:19-20)

Psalm 103:8

The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

Psalm 145:8

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy.

Proverbs 15:18

A wrathful man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger allays contention.

Proverbs 16:32

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

Proverbs 19:11

The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

Blessings in Christ Jesus Lord of lords, King of kings!

Proverbs 24:6
For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.