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Marks of False-Teaching Rom. 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. Standing for truth and exposing error must have been very important to Paul because some of the last words he says in his profound epistle to the Romans is to be discerning to false teaching and avoid it. This marking is a clear designation that a wolf is among the sheep. He is warning and commanding them not to give them a hearing. They are coming in your midst to destroy the flock of God's sheep intentionally. Jesus warned against false teachers among the sheep, who will be disguised as sheep in Matt. 7:16. He said you will know them by their fruits in v.16. So, what are the fruits of false teaching? Paul covers them very well in the Book of Romans: I-The Person and Work of Christ: Although Paul focuses more on the Sacrifice of Christ for our sins, He does talk about the uniqueness of Christ and His deity. Jesus was the God-Man. He was fully man except for inherited sin (thanks to the virgin birth), and fully God revealed in the flesh. Jesus took the sin penalty we all deserve on the cross; it is the only way to heaven and forgiveness of sin. Romans 3:24-26, 5:6-9, 12,15-21. 2-The Necessity of Salvation without Works: Paul was adamant that we could not earn salvation by good works. It was a fruit of true salvation but not a source of salvation. Christ did for us what we could not do for ourselves in paying the price for our sin so we could have salvation Romans 1:16-17, 9:20, 10:1-4, 9-13, 17. 3-The Necessity of a Moral Lifestyle. The way we will know if salvation is real in someone's life is through their leaving behind an immoral lifestyle or a life without God's direction. Sin will not have a foothold in your life, and you will be under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Romans 6:1-12, 8: 1-11, He pictured unbelief in immorality Romans 1:23-28 and even a religious life that leaves out a personal relationship with God through the new birth Romans 2: 17-20, 26-29, 3:10-12, 23. Use these as marks of truth and absence from another teaching, contradicting them as you mark false teaching and you can't go wrong. Get or stay in a New Testament church that preaches the gospel and lets God use you. --- Dan Nelson