They Who Serve Their Own Appetites

Romans 16:17-20 ESV

“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. 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. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”

Okay, for us, we have to watch out for those who are teaching false doctrines of faith in Jesus Christ which are contrary to what the New Testament Scriptures teach, as a whole, with regard to our salvation from sin and eternal life with God. And we can only do this if we are students of the Scriptures who know what the Scriptures teach, in context, so that we know and understand what is truth and what is not truth.

For we have many charlatans and wolves in sheep’s clothing serving in positions of pastor in many gatherings of what are called “church.” And they are skilled at twisting the Scriptures and in using techniques such as misinformation in order to deceive naïve and uneducated minds with regard to what the Scriptures teach, as a whole. So, we need to be those who practice reading the Scriptures in their context.

And we also need to be people who are testing what we are hearing against the Scriptures, in their context, to make certain that what we are reading and hearing agrees with what the Scriptures teach, in context. So, if you can cross reference to other alike Scriptures on the same subject, that is also helpful, too, so that we get a well rounded understanding of what the New Testament teaches regarding salvation and faith and eternal life.

For we have many people today posing as servants of the Lord and as shepherds of the people who do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve. And we are to avoid such people as this. But what I believe is happening largely is the opposite of avoiding them. Many people today are flocking to these wolves in sheep’s clothing by the masses.

For the true message of the gospel is being rejected by the majority, it would appear, at least here in America, while a small minority are still holding on to the truths taught by Jesus and by his NT apostles. And the message Jesus taught was that we have to deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our sins, we will lose our lives, but if we forsake our sins, we gain life in Christ.

And obedience to our Lord is an essential element of God-given and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ, as is dying to sin daily and walking in holiness and in righteousness. For the Scriptures make it very clear that if sin is what we practice, and if obedience to our Lord and living in righteousness are not what we practice, that we will die in our sin. We will not inherit eternal life with God. 

So, we must make certain that we are dying daily to sin and denying self, in practice, and that we are walking in obedience to our Lord in holy living, in practice. This doesn’t mean we will never sin (1 John 2:1-2), but sin must not be our practice, and righteousness and obedience to our Lord must be what we practice. And included in this is walking in the wisdom of God and discerning good from evil so that we are not led astray from our Lord.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

My Sheep  

An Original Work / June 24, 2012  

Based off John 10:1-18 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full… 

They know my voice, so they follow me.

https://vimeo.com/114938263