Humanity hasn’t changed

I’ve been participating in a small group Bible Study for the last few months and we have been looking at Paul’s letter to the Romans. We’re at the end of the letter and the study and conversation has been interesting and enlightening. Each day on our own we look at a small section of the letter — just a few verses, and then reflect on what we read and offer a prayer. It’s a self-paced study in a way.

Yesterday I read Romans 16:17–18 which read:

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, to keep an eye on those who cause dissensions and offenses, in opposition to the teaching that you have learned; avoid them. For such people do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded.”

This passage has been stuck in my mind since reading it. I think there are a few reasons for that.

For one, these verses could just as easily be for today in our context in the US as when Paul wrote them about 2000 years ago in a far different context. And it comes down to the unpleasant reality that humanity hasn’t changed one bit in that time.

There are plenty of people who cause dissension and offense. There are plenty who are more concerned with their own appetites and use smooth talk and flattery to deceive the hearts of the simple-minded. There are plenty of simple-minded people too.

If Paul were writing this today, I wonder if he would use words like con artist, narcissist, scam artist…