Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones of West­minster Chapel, London, spent over 13 years preaching through Romans on Friday evenings during the northern winter months (from 1955-1968). James Montgomery Boice of 10th Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, spent 8 years on Ro­mans and preached 239 sermons (from 1986-1992). Our little se­ries which now comes to a conclu­sion is very modest by comparison — it began in April 2011 — that’s 33 articles in all. I hope that you have enjoyed it as much as I have.

Lu­ther called it,

the chief part of the New Testament, and truly the purest gospel. It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but that also he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul.

Calvin said of it,

if we have gained a true understanding of this epis­tle, we have an open door to all the most profound treasures of Scripture.

Does that make you want to start all over again — maybe not a bad idea?

Paul thought highly of the church in Rome. He states, ‘everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you’ (19). However, no mat­ter how good a church is, it should never be complacent. In these closing paragraphs the apostle de­livers a strong warning about the possibility of false teachers deceiv­ing and damaging the church (17­-18). This could happen in any church. It could happen in Rome or in Ephesus or anywhere. It has happened in the Uniting Church. It has happened in parts of the Bap­tist and Anglican Churches. Don’t think it couldn’t happen in the PCEA. We are not immune. His advice was clear. He told the church to, ‘watch out for them; avoid them.’ Because, he says, ‘I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil’ (19b). J.B. Phillips captures the meaning well when he ren­dered it; ‘I want to see you ex­perts in good and not even be­ginners in evil.’ He wants us to be pure, innocent and uncontami­nated by evil. Any toleration of false teaching will only infect us with evil. A wise old elder once said to me, ‘if you wrestle with a coal man — you only get dirty.’ How true.

This then is the context and the background to Paul’s parting coun­sel. He tells us:

1. There are People to Avoid (17­-18)⤒🔗

The apostle warns us, ‘watch out for those who cause divi­sions; who create hindrances; and teach things contrary to the apostolic doctrines’ (17). Let’s be clear. He is not talking about ignorant or immature believers who can often be mixed up and con­fused in their doctrine. Such peo­ple are to be befriended and helped. He is talking about those who deliberately and knowingly propagate views that are at vari­ance with the teaching of the apos­tles. ‘Watch out for them’, he says. ‘Take note of them’. He warned the Ephesians elders of a similar danger when he said; ‘after I leave savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock’ (Acts 20:29). The Lord Jesus also warns us to, ‘watch out for false prophets’ (Matt. 7:15). The apostle John says, ‘Do not take them into your house or show hospitality to them’ (2 John 10).

Some find this transition from greeting to warning so abrupt; and the tone of his admonition so harsh; that they wonder if Paul was indeed the author. It doesn’t seem to fit? But such is to misunder­stand the mind and heart of the apostle. He has good reason for the warning. He is concerned for the spiritual well being of the church and its members. Remem­ber he was writing from Corinth. He had witnessed divisions and factions in the church there. He didn’t want a repeat in Rome — or anywhere else for that matter. He had seen the damage and confu­sion that false teachers had caused in the church in Galatia. For that reason he was vigilant. He was not being unloving. Quite the opposite. It was because he had such a strong love for the church and for the Lord Jesus Christ that he issued this warning.

You don’t need me to warn you of the danger of Mormonism or the Jehovah Witnesses. They are clearly heretical. Much more dangerous is the wolf in sheep’s clothing — men who seem very plausible and convincing — clever men who can use the language of Zion to introduce new ideas into the church — men who deny, twist or omit the apostolic doc­trines affirmed in the New Testament. Is that not what we see when we look at the landscape of the church in our land today? Let me illustrate.

A few years ago Melbourne’s ‘Herald Sun’ invited four recog­nised ‘Christian’ leaders to dis­cuss the meaning of Christmas. The responses were published on the Christmas Eve edition of the paper. One would think the task was straightforward — indeed a golden opportunity to share the gospel message. Christmas is all about the coming of the Saviour into the world. Jesus came into the world to save sinners. He came to reconcile us to God. That is surely at the heart of the Chris­tian message. (cf. John 3:16 and 1 Tim. 1:15). So what did they say?

The first, the Moderator of the Uniting Church in Victoria (Isabel Thomas Dobson) men­tioned the name of Jesus a few times. Much of the rest of her article was about climate change, aboriginal issues, asylum seekers and so on. Not a word about sin, salvation, the cross, heaven or hell.

The next, the CEO of World Vi­sion (Rev Tim Costello). He didn’t once mention the name of Jesus. Instead he took the op­portunity to ask for funds. While helping the poor and needy around the world is an important work and part of Christian mission, to omit the name of Jesus or the reason for His coming was surely Biblical vandalism and doctrinal negligence.

The next was the Anglican Archbishop (Philip Freier). He did mention Jesus, but tied his message to the ‘Occupy Move­ment’ — a protest against social and economic inequality which was tak­ing place in the streets of Mel­bourne at that time. Trendy? Yes! Biblical? No!

The last was the Roman Catholic Archbishop (Denis Hart). He (ironically) provided the best article of all.

This says a lot about the state of the so called protestant church to­day. It is clearly infected with the fatal disease of liberalism — which is not simply a modern form of Christianity — it’s a radically differ­ent religion. It’s another gospel. It’s what thousands of professing Christians hear every Sunday — who assume they are hearing real Christianity.

Such teachers and leaders are dangerous because they are so plausible. They are usually interesting, eloquent, attractive, intelli­gent and engaging speakers. Paul says however, ‘Avoid them’! ‘Keep away from them!’ ‘Have nothing to do with them — and their likes!’

They are like wolves in sheep’s clothing. Satan uses some of the same tactics that he used with Eve. Remember how he convinced her that by eating the forbidden fruit she would learn something she needed to know? ‘When you eat of it your eyes will be opened ... knowing good and evil’ (Gen. 3:5). And he was right. When Eve ate, her eyes were opened. She did learn something she hadn’t known before: the ex­perience of evil first-hand. Satan is still saying, ‘Here, you need to taste this.’ ‘You need to try this.’

Iain Murray writes:

The 20th century has seen a more wide­spread and enduring defection from historic Christianity in the English speaking world than has been witnessed in any period since the Reformation. This de­fection has occurred through the removal of the foundation to all Christian teaching, namely, that the words of Scripture are so given of God that the teaching they contain is entirely trustwor­thy and authoritative ... It alone is the Book which God has given for the salvation of men. If, there­fore, Scripture loses its true place in the church, nothing re­mains certain.Pentecost — To­day? Page 171

The result? No longer is the Bible the basis for preaching — it is now the newspaper or the TV or some experience in the life of the speaker. The message (not the sermon) from the platform (not the pulpit) to the audience (not the con­gregation) must be witty, contem­porary, relevant and entertaining. Faithful, doctrinal, practical, Biblical preaching and a sense of worship have been replaced by superfi­cial, trendy, emotional, self cen­tred and gimmicky messages. The preacher has become an entertainer. Christians need to awake.

2. There is a Victory to Affirm (20)←⤒🔗

Paul assures us that there is an answer to the one who is the author of discord, division and deceit. We are not to be victims of defeat or despair. We are to confidently affirm God’s victory over Satan, because he says, ‘The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.’ Satan has already been crushed and decisively defeated at the Cross; but he has not yet con­ceded his defeat. We need to emphasise and impress that vic­tory over him. We need to do what Eve failed to do in the gar­den. We need to take the battle up to Satan — armed with the Word of God — believing every Word of God — trusting in God — rejecting his advances and bare­faced lies — and thus trample him under foot. It is when we live like this that God will use us to crush Satan — soon — speedily and swiftly. You’ve seen how Mortein apparently kills all the nasties fast. Just spray Satan directly with a dose of the powerful Word of God and soon he’ll be on the flat of his back. Such victories would be impossible, however, apart from grace. So Paul adds, ‘the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.’

3. There are People to Associ­ate With (21-23)←⤒🔗

God never meant us to fight the fight of faith alone. We are to assist each other. His will for us is that we should be in a commu­nity of faith. Paul was no lone ranger. He always seemed to gather — or seek out — men who could sharpen and help him. He knew that a one man ministry was doomed to failure and is ulti­mately fruitless. He practised what he preached. The church is a body — everyone has gifts and everyone is needed to play his part — if the body is to be built up. Paul introduces the team around him that includes Timothy — who was his right hand man and regular travelling companion. Lucias — who may be the prophet and teacher who had been in Antioch (Acts 13:1). Jason — who may be the man who entertained Paul and his companions in Thessalonica (Acts 17:5). Sosipater — may be the Sopater from Berea (Acts 20:4). Tertius — was Paul’s secretary who wrote this letter at Paul’s dicta­tion. Gaius — a man rich enough to host the church and extend hospi­tality to Paul while he was in Cor­inth. Erastus — was a prominent city official in Corinth. We know noth­ing of Quartus — except that he wanted the believers in Rome to know that he loved them. These were the men who formed his min­istry team. They included Jews and Gentiles; rich and poor. They all wanted to express their greet­ings to the church in Rome. Of course you can be a Christian on your own. But how much healthier it is to enjoy the fellowship and stimulation of other active Chris­tians.

4. To God be All the Glory (25-27)←⤒🔗

The closing three verses of Romans are a doxology — a word of praise to God — and a summary of many of the themes he has written about in the letter. God is intro­duced as the One ‘who is able to establish you by my gospel’ and ‘the only wise God’. In other words, God’s wisdom is displayed in His ability to establish believers in the gospel. (This means that our study of Romans should make us more stable in the faith). This gos­pel which had been hidden in ‘long ages past’ is now fully made known — through the New Testament Scriptures — so that all nations might believe the gospel and obey God.

We should be thankful that we live ‘in the best of times’ — in New Testament times — that we are the privileged recipients of the everlast­ing gospel that is now fully un­veiled. We like Paul have a great debt to pay — ‘the proclamation of Jesus Christ’ to all nations.

John Piper reminds us that, ‘missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Mis­sions exist because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ulti­mate, not man. When this age is over; and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. Mis­sion is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.’ Paul concludes, ‘To the only wise God be glory forever through Je­sus Christ! Amen’ (27).

William Tyndale in his pro­logue to Romans ends with this admonition:

Now go to, reader, and ac­cording to the order of Paul’s writing, even so do thou. First behold thyself diligently in the law of God, and see there thy just damnation. Secondarily, turn thine eyes to Christ, and see there the exceeding mercy of thy most kind and loving Fa­ther. Thirdly, remember that Christ made not this atonement that thou shouldest anger God again: neither cleansed He thee, that thou shouldest re­turn (as a swine) unto thine old puddle again: but that thou shouldest be a new creature and live a new life after the will of God and not of the flesh. And be diligent lest through thine own negligence and unthankfulness thou lose this fa­vour and mercy again.