Romans 16:17-18

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.

It is thought that Paul himself took up the pen and wrote v17-21. We read in v22 that Tertius wrote the letter as Paul dictated, but most of these epistles were authenticated by the handwriting of the actual author near the end of the letter. See 2 Thessalonians 3:17 and Galatians 6:11. So with the brief aside from the typical greetings and commendations, we might be getting a taste of Paul’s final exhortations to the believers in Rome. Paul is teaching the importance of doctrinal unity.

The Church must be wary of those who cause division by teaching things that are out of accord with sound doctrine. Notice that Paul directs this urging, this appeal, not to the elders, but to the whole Church. Elsewhere, Paul directs this to the elders. It is especially the elders’ job to guard the flock, as in Acts 20:28, 1 Timothy 1:3-4, and Titus 1:9. But here, Paul explicitly directs this exhortation to the whole congregation. We must keep a lookout for those who bring division through wrong teaching, those who create resistance to right teaching through their wrong teaching, and those who are hinderers of the work of the Gospel through divisive interests. We must first identify these false teachers.

Now Paul doesn’t just say to identify them, but he says to keep away from them. Separate from them. They are serving not the Lord but their own appetite. The KJV uses the word “slave” here. These false teachers are not slaves to the Lord like they should be, but they are slaves to their own appetite, their flesh. And they have skill in deception. They speak eloquently and with flattery. And look who they prey on: the naïve. One of the problems today is that the lay people within the church do not know enough doctrine to be able to recognize a person who is teaching contrary to sound doctrine. False teachers go after the minds of those Christians who can’t yet defend the faith. This is the exact strategy of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They are taught what to say in many basic level debates. But once you get beyond the basics, they’ll be stifled in their attempt to defend their positions and refute yours. Don’t just watch out for them; keep away from them. I think we can take that as “keep them away from the naïve while you are strengthening the naïve to be not naïve anymore.”