ESOCS Devotional 16 September 2025 – Do You Know What You Believe?
MEMORY VERSE: “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” Romans 16:17 KJV
TEXT: ROMANS 16:1-17
I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, 2 that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.
3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house.
Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ. 6 Greet Mary, who labored much for us. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.
17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.
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Ever try to buy a car without a plan? Probably not. Because when we don’t have a plan, it’s easier for someone to talk us into buying something with bad gas mileage or poor safety ratings. We research cars before making the decision to buy one, because we don’t want to be talked into making a bad investment.
The same can be true when it comes to following Jesus. Without a strong foundation, it’s easier to be swayed by what other people say.
If we don’t know what we believe, we’ll believe anything. In Romans 16, Paul tells us to watch out for false teachers, or people who claim to follow Jesus but contradict what He says. These teachers will create divisions among the church.
If we’re not mindful of what the Bible teaches, misinformed blog posts and off-handed comments can cause us to doubt what we believe. We’ll question what the Bible plainly states and rationalize sin based on the persuasiveness of the argument instead of its truth. In order to stand against flattery and smooth talk, we have to know what we stand for.
The best way to know what’s true is to see what the Bible says for yourself. Ask God for understanding before you start reading, and if you get to a sentence you don’t understand, just keep going. The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible. Seeing a difficult verse in the context of the rest of the chapter can help us understand what the passage means. When in doubt, ask an older Christian you trust (such as a pastor, parent, or mentor) to explain the things you don’t understand.
If we don’t know what we believe, we’ll believe anything. By knowing where we stand on who Jesus is and what God wants for us, we can “be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil“
CHALLENGES
- What do you believe about Jesus and why do you believe it?
- Are there other Christians in your life who will challenge you in a loving way about what you believe?
PRAYER POINT
- Father, help me to understand and believe where I stand on who Jesus is and what you want for me, in Jesus name Amen.
FURTHER READING: 2 Samuel 22:26-37; 2 Samuel 22:16-39; Romans 16:10-27
ESOCS Devotional 16 September 2025
