Sue J Love
Loyal
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2015
- Messages
- 5,146
Romans 16:17-20 NKJV
“17Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18For 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. 19For 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. 20And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”
Those Who Cause Divisions
Please note that those who cause divisions are not to be taken as those who speak contrary to what a particular pastor of a church congregation teaches, or who speaks in a way that is opposed to some of the philosophies and teachings of any particular church denomination incorporated underneath and in partnership with the state (with the government). Those who cause divisions are also not those who oppose marketing schemes and tricks used by pastors in order to draw in large numbers of people into their “churches.”
Those who cause divisions, in this context, are those who are opposed to the teachings of Christ and of his New Testament apostles, as taught in the correct biblical context, in their fullness. They are those who are ignoring the Scriptures which teach the critical nature of us denying self, dying to sin, and obeying God and his commands, in practice, as necessary components of saving faith. And they are convincing people that a mere verbal profession of faith in Jesus Christ is enough to insure them eternal life with God.
Those Serving Their Own Bellies
Sadly, so much of what is called “the church” here in the USA today has that all flipflopped. If we do not agree with any institutional church’s marketing goals for how to grow their numbers, and if we do not agree with diluting the gospel message to make it less offensive and more attractive to the ungodly and to the people of the world, we may be regarded as disunifiers. For the unity, in such cases as this, is not with Jesus Christ and with his Word, but it is with the business and marketing goals for how to grow their numbers.
Therefore, those who cause divisions are not the truth tellers and those who hold to the teachings of Christ, but they are those who serve their own bellies by ignoring truth and teaching lies to satisfy their own sinful cravings of the flesh and to give themselves and others permission to keep on in their addictive sinful practices without feelings of guilt or remorse. So they use smooth words and flattering speech to deceive the hearts of the naïve who trust them, so that they will believe the lies and they will reject the truth.
Be Wise and Discerning
So we need to be wise and discerning about such matters as this so we don’t end up believing the lies and denying the truth, and opposing those who are in the right while embracing those who are in the wrong. Thus, we must be those who study the Scriptures for ourselves under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and who study them in their correct biblical context. For so many lies are being taught and embraced by people who trust some other humans to tell them the truth without actually reading the Scriptures for themselves.
So, know that just because a man who calls himself a pastor or a preacher has certain credentials from a religious institution, it does not mean that he is a man of God, listening to the Holy Spirit, and that what he is teaching is the truth as Jesus taught it and as his apostles taught it in the New Testament. Human credentials do not translate to servant of the Lord. A heart surrendered to the Lord and to dying to sin and to obeying our Lord’s commands, in life practice, by God’s grace, is a true servant of Jesus Christ, but that doesn’t make them right about everything. Study for yourselves.
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]
Thy Word
By Amy Lee Grant / Michael Whitaker Smith
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
When I feel afraid
Think I've lost my way
Still you're there right beside me
And nothing will I fear
As long as you are near
Please be near me to the end
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
Caution: this link may contain ads
By Smooth Words
An Original Work / June 9, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
“17Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18For 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. 19For 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. 20And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”
Those Who Cause Divisions
Please note that those who cause divisions are not to be taken as those who speak contrary to what a particular pastor of a church congregation teaches, or who speaks in a way that is opposed to some of the philosophies and teachings of any particular church denomination incorporated underneath and in partnership with the state (with the government). Those who cause divisions are also not those who oppose marketing schemes and tricks used by pastors in order to draw in large numbers of people into their “churches.”
Those who cause divisions, in this context, are those who are opposed to the teachings of Christ and of his New Testament apostles, as taught in the correct biblical context, in their fullness. They are those who are ignoring the Scriptures which teach the critical nature of us denying self, dying to sin, and obeying God and his commands, in practice, as necessary components of saving faith. And they are convincing people that a mere verbal profession of faith in Jesus Christ is enough to insure them eternal life with God.
Those Serving Their Own Bellies
Sadly, so much of what is called “the church” here in the USA today has that all flipflopped. If we do not agree with any institutional church’s marketing goals for how to grow their numbers, and if we do not agree with diluting the gospel message to make it less offensive and more attractive to the ungodly and to the people of the world, we may be regarded as disunifiers. For the unity, in such cases as this, is not with Jesus Christ and with his Word, but it is with the business and marketing goals for how to grow their numbers.
Therefore, those who cause divisions are not the truth tellers and those who hold to the teachings of Christ, but they are those who serve their own bellies by ignoring truth and teaching lies to satisfy their own sinful cravings of the flesh and to give themselves and others permission to keep on in their addictive sinful practices without feelings of guilt or remorse. So they use smooth words and flattering speech to deceive the hearts of the naïve who trust them, so that they will believe the lies and they will reject the truth.
Be Wise and Discerning
So we need to be wise and discerning about such matters as this so we don’t end up believing the lies and denying the truth, and opposing those who are in the right while embracing those who are in the wrong. Thus, we must be those who study the Scriptures for ourselves under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and who study them in their correct biblical context. For so many lies are being taught and embraced by people who trust some other humans to tell them the truth without actually reading the Scriptures for themselves.
So, know that just because a man who calls himself a pastor or a preacher has certain credentials from a religious institution, it does not mean that he is a man of God, listening to the Holy Spirit, and that what he is teaching is the truth as Jesus taught it and as his apostles taught it in the New Testament. Human credentials do not translate to servant of the Lord. A heart surrendered to the Lord and to dying to sin and to obeying our Lord’s commands, in life practice, by God’s grace, is a true servant of Jesus Christ, but that doesn’t make them right about everything. Study for yourselves.
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]
Thy Word
By Amy Lee Grant / Michael Whitaker Smith
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
When I feel afraid
Think I've lost my way
Still you're there right beside me
And nothing will I fear
As long as you are near
Please be near me to the end
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
Caution: this link may contain ads
By Smooth Words
An Original Work / June 9, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
