Pastor's Sermon Notes - February 4, 2007

Sermon Title: The Difficult Doctrine of the Discipline of the Disobedient,

Part Two: The Reason for and Result of Separation

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 11
Scripture Text: Romans 16:18-19

[18] For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ,
but their own belly;
and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
[19] For your obedience is come abroad unto all men.
I am glad therefore on your behalf:
but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good,
and simple concerning evil.

Introduction:

Review last week’s message, Part One: The Requirement of Separation, and connect it to this one -

1. The Objects of Separation

1) The two-fold effect of their evil influence

(1) Divisiveness

(2) Carnality

2) The standard they must be measured by

2. The Nature of Separation - The two negative requirements for purity in the Church

1) Awareness - Warning - Identification - mark them

2) Avoidance - Shunning - Excommunication - avoid them

Let’s be clear concerning who we are talking about. Those who are to be "marked" and "avoided" as commanded in verse 17, are also identified there as those who "...cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned...".

Let’s clearly differentiate discipline on the public and corporate level from confronting sinners and the process of discipline which begins on the private and personal level as in Mt. 18 (especially verses 15-17), and Gal. 6:1-2.

Outline:
The Reason for Separation - vs. 18
The Result of Separation - vs. 19

I. The Reasons for Separation - 16:18

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly;
and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Rom. 14:16-18 - [16] Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
[17] For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink;
but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
[18] For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God,
and approved of men.

1. Reason #1 - The Focus of Their Service -
Introverted Disobedience to the Savior - 16:18a

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly

"They that are such" refers to the ones to be "marked" and "avoided" (vs. 17)

Phil. 3:19 - Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.

2 Tim. 3:4 - Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

2. Reason #2 - The Fraud of Their Speeches -
Impressive Deception of the Simple - 16:18b

and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple

Col. 2:4 - And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

2 Peter 2:3 - And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

The most dangerous wolves are not those who come in wolves' clothing! The ones you really must be on your guard against are those who dress themselves up to appear as one of the sheep! Acts 20:29-30 - [29] For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. [30] Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

This deception is intentional. There is very real danger here - grave, spiritual danger. This danger is aggravated by:

1) Ignorance of its reality,

2) Imaginations of your immunity, or

3) Shallowness in your scrutiny.

Those who are in the most danger, and are thus more easily vicitimized by these wolves are those described here as "simple".

Young's Literal Translation (YLT) and the New Living Translation (NLT) follow the KJV’s error in translating the original word here and in vs. 19 with the same English word. They are not the same words in the original. It would be better to go with the English Standard Version (ESV), or the New International Version (NIV) at this point which translate this word with "naive", or the New American Standard Bible (NASB) which translates this word as "unsuspecting".

This word is only used twice in the New Testament: here and in Heb. 7:26 - For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

The meaning of this word, depending on the context, is:

"...that absence of all evil which implies the presence of all good..."
".He who himself means no evil to others, oftentimes fears no evil from others. Conscious of truth in his own heart, he believes truth in the hearts of all: a noble quality, yet in a world like ours capable of being pushed too far....The word, as employed Rom. xvi. 18, already indicates such a confidence as this beginning to degenerate into a credulous readiness to the [sic] being deceived and led away from the truth."
"...absence of the serpent’s tooth....absence of willingness to hurt, of the malice of our fallen nature....has no harmfulness in him..."
[Richard Chenevix Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., from the 9th ed., London, 1880), pp. 206, 207, and 209]

II. The Results of Separation - 16:19

For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

1. The External or Corporate Results - 16:19a

Romans 1:8 - First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

1) Obedient Testimony Amongst Others

For your obedience is come abroad unto all men.

2) Joyful Response Amongst Leaders

I am glad therefore on your behalf

Apparently Paul is not focusing on a problem currently existing in the church at Rome, but warning them concerning what they may face in the future as false teachers, false prophets, and false apostles enter into their midst.

2. The Internal or Ethical Results - 16:19b

1) Positive Wisdom Concerning Good

I would have you wise unto that which is good

1 Cor. 14:20 - Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

Matthew 10:16 - Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Philip. 2:15 - That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

When this is not the case, when God's people do not have this wisdom, He rebukes them:

Jeremiah 4:22 - For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

2) Negative Wisdom Concerning Evil

I would have you...simple concerning evil

There are only two other New Testament usages for the Greek word translated here as "simple":

Mt. 10:16 - Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Phil. 2:15 - That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

The translation of the King James Version (KJV), the Revised Standard Version (RSV), and the American Standard Version (ASV) in those places ("harmless") is due to a misunderstanding concerning the origin of this word

[see Trench, Op. cit., pp. 205-206].

"Harmless" is found as a marginal reading at Rom. 16:19.

"Simple" is found as a marginal reading at Mt. 10:16 and Phil. 2:15 in the RSV, and the ASV. The KJV has "simple" in the margin in Mt., and "syncere" in Phil.
The NASB, NIV and ESV have "innocent" in this place. This is the English equivalent of the word found in the old Latin translations here ("innocens").

"The fundamental notion...is the absence of foreign admixture....Wine unmingled with water....unalloyed metal....freedom from disturbing elements."

[Trench, Op. cit., pg. 206]

"...the confirmed habit of one who has come in contact with evil, and is still uncontaminated by it; who has resisted all the plots and schemes that have been laid for him; and whose love for what is good and hatred of evil, has only been strengthened and disciplined. The word for "simple" here means "unmixed," "uncontaminated," "pure and clear." "
[William Sanday, "The Epistle to the Romans", in Ellicott’s Commentary On The Whole Bible: A Verse By Verse Explanation, ed. Charles John Ellictott (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, n.d.), IV:270]

Conclusion:

God would have us pure from any admixture of evil, and His process of sanctification will accomplish that. Are you mixed up inside? Are you a "mess", when it comes to the contamination of the world, and its love for wickedness? When you look within, are you pure and clear? If not, I call upon you this moment, this day, to come back to the place of simplicity, the simplicity that is in Christ!

I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
(2 Cor. 11:3)

Come back to the foot of the Cross! Let the blood of Christ wash you, and make you clean. Examine yourself by the Word of God, and by the power of His Spirit receive the washing of water by the Word. Know once again what it is to be clean, and pure, unmixed, undiluted, uncontaminated in your relationship with Jesus Christ and His people. Stand there at the foot of His Cross, and know that when it comes to sin there can be no compromise, no confusion. The issue is clear, clear as a bell, here at His Cross. It is as clear as black and white. Repent of your sin, receive His cleansing, turn from your sin, and rejoice that by His power, His blood, His Word, His Spirit, and His grace you have been freed from the internal "mess" you faced within as you gave in to sin.

There is a true simplicity in Christ! Do not hesitate to come to Him so that you might know that in your own experience!