And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people. But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you his greetings, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow Jews. I, Tertius, the one writing this letter for Paul, send my greetings, too, as one of the Lord’s followers. Gaius says hello to you. He is my host and also serves as host to the whole church. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you his greetings, and so does our brother Quartus. Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time. But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him. All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.
Romans 16:17-23, 25-27 NLT
There are people we should stay away from. Paul warned the Romans to stay away from those who taught false things and those who caused divisions. Distancing from those who cause division is not further division but a safeguard to unity. It is not enough to be on guard; we need distance from the influence of the wrong people (this includes media, books, and news). Too many Christians do not realize that they are influenced by the things they pay attention to and those they spend time with. All people are.
Too many Christians think they can be a good influence on those who have no desire to change. It doesn’t work that way. It is easier to be pulled down than to pull someone up. The only way to pull others up is to have other strong Christians by your side. Three people can pull someone up. Fellowship is critical to influencing others. So be a good influence—just don’t try to do it alone. Have godly mentors and friends by your side, every step of the way.
Why do you need to be wise with your friends, influences, and media? Paul wrote this incredible letter to unite Jews and Gentiles in Jesus. What can you do to grow unity among believers?
