<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Romans 16;17-20<div><br></div><div><b>17. &nbsp;I appeal to you, brethren, to take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine, which you have been taught; avoid them.</b></div><div><b>18. &nbsp;For such persons, do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering words, they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded.</b></div><div><b>19. &nbsp;For while your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, I would have you wise as to what is good and guileless as to what is evil;</b></div><div><b>20. &nbsp;Then the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>The word, <i>“doctrine” </i>means both&nbsp;teachings from the Word of God&nbsp;and also&nbsp;faithful,&nbsp;holy living in the fear of God, (the beginning of wisdom).</div><div><br></div><div>False teachers have plagued the Church throughout history.</div><div><br></div><div>There is no room for the slightest contradiction within the Body of Christ. &nbsp;We must never “agree to disagree.” &nbsp;God’s Word is ‘perspicuous’ it is clear and understandable. &nbsp;Do not let anyone tell you it isn’t.</div><div><br></div><div>Faithful teaching the whole counsel of God is our duty. &nbsp;We must not allow false doctrine in Word or action to persist in the Church. &nbsp;This is in part why we practice ‘Close Communion’ (Fellowship in the Lord’s Supper based upon agreement in doctrine).</div><div><br></div><div>God’s Word to us is not “yes and no” at the same time. &nbsp;It is either one or the other, never both. &nbsp;Truth is objective, a humble believing&nbsp;heart will submit to it.</div><div><br></div><div>When Paul says, <i>“avoid them” </i>he says it in love. &nbsp;If we practiced a false unity when there are&nbsp;divisions among us, we would be confusing God’s people, misleading them as to the truth. &nbsp;It is sin to say ‘all is well between us’, when it is not. &nbsp; &nbsp;<i>“Speak the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ.” &nbsp;</i>(Ephesians 4;15)</div><div><br></div><div>To <i>“avoid them” </i>means we do not allow them to be our teachers, and we do not commune with them. &nbsp;We have no fellowship with error. &nbsp;By not fellowshipping with them we not only guard our own hearts and minds, we give them a sincere warning.</div><div><br></div><div>The unity of the Church in doctrine crushes Satan, for Christ is the only One who can work true perfect oneness amongst us. &nbsp;It is Christ at work in our midst who is actually doing the crushing.</div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, we praise You the Your Word is understandable. &nbsp;Bless us to faithfully and diligently labor to know it so well, that there be no divisions within Christ’s Body and Bride, the Church. &nbsp;In Jesus we pray, Amen.</div><div><br></div><div>Love,</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric/Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”<br><br><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Romans 16;17-20
17.  I appeal to you, brethren, to take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine, which you have been taught; avoid them.18.  For such persons, do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering words, they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded.19.  For while your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, I would have you wise as to what is good and guileless as to what is evil;20.  Then the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
The word, “doctrine” means both teachings from the Word of God and also faithful, holy living in the fear of God, (the beginning of wisdom).
False teachers have plagued the Church throughout history.
There is no room for the slightest contradiction within the Body of Christ.  We must never “agree to disagree.”  God’s Word is ‘perspicuous’ it is clear and understandable.  Do not let anyone tell you it isn’t.
Faithful teaching the whole counsel of God is our duty.  We must not allow false doctrine in Word or action to persist in the Church.  This is in part why we practice ‘Close Communion’ (Fellowship in the Lord’s Supper based upon agreement in doctrine).
God’s Word to us is not “yes and no” at the same time.  It is either one or the other, never both.  Truth is objective, a humble believing heart will submit to it.
When Paul says, “avoid them” he says it in love.  If we practiced a false unity when there are divisions among us, we would be confusing God’s people, misleading them as to the truth.  It is sin to say ‘all is well between us’, when it is not.    “Speak the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ.”  (Ephesians 4;15)
To “avoid them” means we do not allow them to be our teachers, and we do not commune with them.  We have no fellowship with error.  By not fellowshipping with them we not only guard our own hearts and minds, we give them a sincere warning.
The unity of the Church in doctrine crushes Satan, for Christ is the only One who can work true perfect oneness amongst us.  It is Christ at work in our midst who is actually doing the crushing.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, we praise You the Your Word is understandable.  Bless us to faithfully and diligently labor to know it so well, that there be no divisions within Christ’s Body and Bride, the Church.  In Jesus we pray, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/Eric/Grandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”


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