The Sunday of the Transfiguration (NT)

Romans 16:17-27

¹⁷ I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. ¹⁸ For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. ¹⁹ For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. ²⁰ The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 

²¹ Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen. 

²² I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord. 

²³ Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you. 

²⁵ Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages ²⁶ but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— ²⁷ to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. 

St Paul continues to remind his readers to watch out for false teachers.  Has nothing changed over the years?  In every generation there are people who desire to teach things leading away from God.  They teach people to feed their own desires, but the most enticing teachings or obstacles are those that twist the truth.

This should be a warning for all Christians to keep track of where their focus truly is.  There focus should be focused completely on the truth, namely Jesus Christ.  Is he your complete source of Salvation?  Is he your complete source of finding God?  Is he the one who has done all that is required?  Is Jesus Christ true God and true Man?  This is what Christ has revealed to us.  Where do we get messed up?  Lots of places.

Continue to point yourself to the Law which convicts you of your sins, recalling chapters 2, 3, 6, & 7.  Remember the promise God has chosen you and made you apart of his people, recalling chapters 9, 10, 11, 12, & 15.  It is this good news which St Paul preached to people.

"Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to [the] gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been" revealed.  Jesus Christ has died because you can not save yourself.  Jesus Christ lives and reigns to all eternity to claim you as his very own.