Flattery Will Get You Nowhere

Romans 16:17-18

Paul was always watchful of his flock. He poured out his life to build the church of Christ on a solid foundation. But he knew others would come who worked only for their own interests and who were slaves “of their own appetite.” You can tell who they are, he warns, because they create arguments where there shouldn’t be any. They stand out because they teach what is contrary to the truth found in Christ. Jesus described these same people: “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-16). What kind of “fruits“? For one, they are “smooth and flattering speech,“ which never has a place in the body of Christ. Flattery always comes from an ulterior motive: to manipulate the listener. It always serves the flesh. To heed Paul’s warning about such people, we need to be sure we are not one of the “unexpected.” The unexpected are those who have never made the effort to mature in Christ. Growing in our understanding of Christ is the only way to guard against deception.