Romans 16:17-20 (NIV)
I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
Paul knew that there were people in the Church at Rome, just as there were in all the other Churches, who, if given the opportunity, would cause divisions and put obstacles in people’s way. Some of these were the Judaizers, or “the circumcision group”. These taught that only Jews could be saved, so if a gentile wanted to become a Christian, he or she first had to become a Jew, be circumcised, and obey all the fine points of the Jewish law, including the kosher food laws.
Others of these dividers and impeders were people who were too busy building their own inner circle of followers, their own kingdom, to focus on building the kingdom of God. These people often divided Churches in their efforts to build a name for themselves, making up “special rules” for their followers, and imparting “secret wisdom” to them.
Paul’s command for the Church was to have nothing to do with these kinds of people. They were acting as cancers in the body of Christ, taking all the resources to grow their own influence, and ultimately destroying their host.
Paul was sure that the vast majority of the Roman Christians wouldn’t be taken in by these people. But such dividers and self-focused people have a knack for targeting those young in the faith and those who are innocent. So, Paul wanted the Church to be alert, to build strong hedges of protection around the young sheep, and to not allow themselves to fall prey to the seductions of these cancerous individuals.
Paul’s statement that The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet, was assurance that, if they would stay alert in these things, and stay closely connected to God, they would be empowered to stay strong, and to stay on the right path. And they would also be able to help the new Christians to not be led astray. Satan would be defeated, and the Church as a whole would be able to stand strong and to grow.
Paul prays the grace of Jesus on these faithful Christians. This is not only referring to Jesus’ unmerited favor, but also the Church’s ability to be moved through the obstacles that Paul knows will come, the ability to shine clearly in a society characterized by darkness, and the supernatural ability to show love to all, even to those who are set on destroying them. These signs of Jesus’ grace would enable the Roman Church to move forward and grow, regardless of any opposition they might face.
Father, wisdom, discernment, and grace are all things that we can really use today. Often it seems as if the Church is losing ground, and we need Your help to not only stand firm on Your word, but to move forward, often in the face of powerful headwinds. Continue to draw us closer to You, Lord, so that we can continue our forward and outward momentum into the dark places, the broken places, the hopeless places of our world. Amen.