In Romans 16, Paul has completed all of the major themes of the letter. He's said all of what he chiefly set out to say. Now he is ready to deliver some personal greetings and end his letter. But even in this concluding chapter there are some real treasures that should inform how we live the Christian life.

Observation 1 -- No one, not even Paul, stands alone in the church

Just look at the extensive list of people Paul greets, people he commends, those who've helped him, those who've hosted him, and those who've worked beside him. More than 33 people (just counting those who are named or described by relationship) are mentioned as either people Paul wants to send greetings to or as people with Paul who send their greetings as well. Nothing in this chapter permits us to see Paul as a "celebrity" leader who alone deserves praise for his extensive ministry.

• Paul's ministry is enhanced and extended by those who've helped him.
• The ministry of those who've supported Paul is extended by his ability to lead, to go, and to serve in their behalf.
• The body of Christ, the church, is strengthened by the synergy of these relations -- to the glory of God.

For consideration:
Whose ministry are you enhancing, or who has contributed to yours?

Observation 2 -- Not all who speak or lead are to be followed

Any leadership role is an appealing goal for those who are indulging an appetite for power. Christian leadership is no exception. There always have been some who aspire to lead in the church for some personal benefit rather than a desire to advance the cause of the Kingdom of God. But there is one distinguishing factor that marks most such ill-intentioned leaders -- a "gift" at creating dissension.

You see, if I'm in leadership for personal glory, then I need to differentiate myself from others. To show that I'm the one that has it right. I'm the better speaker. I've got wiser counsel. Or, and this touches on my next point, I've got something NEW.

These teachers create dissension. They teach things contrary to the teaching held by others through the years.

Paul warns us to watch out for them, to avoid them, and to be wary of the flattery and deception they speak.

Observation 3 -- Novelty in teaching is a dangerous sign

Not to make to big a deal out of this point out of a single phrase in a single verse -- but notice that these false teachers bring things "contrary to the teaching that you learned."

In our culture, we're enamored with the idea that new is better. We want to go to the latest, greatest thing. For example, the average american, if they wanted an inspirational self-help book, would be far more likely to look for Tony Robbins or Wayne Dyer (recent celebrities) than Dale Carnegie or Napoleon Hill (who filled similar niches in an earlier generation). Likewise, in the broad scope of the American Church, we tend to flock to the new celebrity who's saying new things.

In methods, this is not always a bad thing. I think we should be open to new ways of getting the message out to people in our rapidly changing world. But in the content of our message, that is asking for trouble. The teachings of Christianity have been handed down for centuries now. While I wouldn't go so far as to say that there couldn't be any new teaching that is also a true understanding of the Bible -- I do think we should be extremely skeptical of any such claims.

My Prayer Today

Father,

Thank you for including us in your plan for reconciling the world to yourself. Thank you for the prominent leaders among us, and also for those who serve in the background. Help me to be ever-available to serve in any capacity you call me to.

Help us to be unified -- and to be discerning about divisive teachings and divisive leaders. Let us not be deceived by flattering words or novel teachings.

Expand your kingdom, here where we live, to YOUR glory.

Amen.

 

SCOTT PURCELL | Elder

Scott committed his life to Christ as a child under the teaching of his parents and church. He graduated from Ozark Christian College in 1989 with bachelors degree in Biblical Literature and served 8 years as Minister of two churches in Missouri and then 3 years as a Church Planter in San Marcos. Since then, he has worked as a technical trainer at Dell and Rackspace. In 2008 Scott and Nan joined HCBC-NW and then Hutto Bible in 2011. Scott serves in Small Group leadership, as secretary to the Elder board, and as the elder over IT and Discipleship. Scott and Nan have been married since 1985 and have three children (Mindy Schultea (married), Kate, and Matthew) and two grandchildren.