Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
Romans 16:17-20 (NIV)
17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, 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. 18 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. 19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
How do you spot a forgery? You get to know what the real thing looks like! It’s the same for knowing who to follow. Throughout our lives as Christians, we study the word of God so that we can tell the difference between the truth and a lie, between the Word of God and false teaching. We can also get a clue from the focus of the teachers: do they seek to serve themselves or to serve the Lord? We study the Word of God so that our ears will be tuned to God’s word, so that our lives will reflect his actions and so that our hearts will feel at home in his presence. This is a lifelong pursuit. There is always some new application to address and new challenges to navigate. Today, thank God for his presence as your teacher. Ask God to continually tune your ears to his word and to constantly reshape your life and heart each day. Amen!