2 John 7-11 says...
Today's verses are 2 John 7-11 which reads,
v.7 - For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
John warns us again about false teachers. He has told us in every way about being "in" truth, "know" the truth, for the "sake" of the truth, "abide" in the truth, and "walking" in the truth so that we would not be tripped up by deceivers. You know the "real" thing so much that when a "fake" comes along it sticks out like a sore thumb. What sticks out is the fact that they, the deceivers, do not acknowledge that Jesus who was fully God came and became fully man. They diminish in some way the fullness of Jesus.
v.8 - Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.
John, an eyewitness of Jesus, has given them the truth and the readers have understood and accepted the truth of the fullness of Christ. If they go the direction of the deceivers then they will be losing some of that full reward of following Jesus. Namely, they are losing time to be fully devoted to Him. If they stray from the truth for a time, that time is lost that could have been given to Jesus and their closeness with Him over that time.
v.9 - Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.
John is talking about someone who has strayed from the truth of Jesus Christ. This is a person who does not follow the fundamental, sound doctrines of the faith. "Abide" means "to remain." The person John is describing is someone who does not remain with a position that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God in the fullness of every word of that phrase. That person, who does not remain, does not have the Father and the Son because that is what the Father and Son are all about. They are following something else.
v.10, 11 - If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.
To keep this in context, John is speaking of those deceiving others with their message that Jesus is not fully God and fully man, don't let those people in your house. John is talking about those who are on a mission to degrade who Jesus is. He is talking about a select group of people here that could do damage in your house with their false teachings.
This is not your neighbor who doesn't know Christ or your family member who you are reaching out to with the gospel. This is the person who has an agenda to steer people away from what God says like the serpent in the garden when he steered Eve and Adam away from what God had said.
If the woman that John is writing to is hosting the church in her home, then this also relates to the church. Don't allow in the church someone who teaches another gospel that doesn't hold up the fullness of who Christ is, what Christ has done and is going to do.
Let me give you an example. Many years back we came upon a video series that was really "edgy and trendy" that seemed to speak to teens and young adults. The quality was great and the questions that were raised would drive us to the Bible to find answers. They were a great starter to our studies. The videos started to change though and the messages started becoming less clear. It started to come out from the author of those videos statements that brought into question his view of who Jesus is and the fullness of the truth of the Bible. Should we allow that "in the house?" The answer is no. That decision came after careful investigation in many forms to verify what was being said. Eventually this author left his church and now is very open about his views of Christ and the Scripture that show his true agenda. John would call him a deceiver and someone not to entertain.
Leaders of churches and leaders of homes, guard the gospel within your dwelling places from those who have an agenda to take it down.
"Lord, we live in such a mixed up world that I pray for the discernment needed to detect falsehood. I know that the discernment grows with me getting closer to You. Help me to look at my life, my home, and my church and see that it is giving all glory and honor to You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.7 - For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
John warns us again about false teachers. He has told us in every way about being "in" truth, "know" the truth, for the "sake" of the truth, "abide" in the truth, and "walking" in the truth so that we would not be tripped up by deceivers. You know the "real" thing so much that when a "fake" comes along it sticks out like a sore thumb. What sticks out is the fact that they, the deceivers, do not acknowledge that Jesus who was fully God came and became fully man. They diminish in some way the fullness of Jesus.
v.8 - Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.
John, an eyewitness of Jesus, has given them the truth and the readers have understood and accepted the truth of the fullness of Christ. If they go the direction of the deceivers then they will be losing some of that full reward of following Jesus. Namely, they are losing time to be fully devoted to Him. If they stray from the truth for a time, that time is lost that could have been given to Jesus and their closeness with Him over that time.
v.9 - Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.
John is talking about someone who has strayed from the truth of Jesus Christ. This is a person who does not follow the fundamental, sound doctrines of the faith. "Abide" means "to remain." The person John is describing is someone who does not remain with a position that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God in the fullness of every word of that phrase. That person, who does not remain, does not have the Father and the Son because that is what the Father and Son are all about. They are following something else.
v.10, 11 - If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.
To keep this in context, John is speaking of those deceiving others with their message that Jesus is not fully God and fully man, don't let those people in your house. John is talking about those who are on a mission to degrade who Jesus is. He is talking about a select group of people here that could do damage in your house with their false teachings.
This is not your neighbor who doesn't know Christ or your family member who you are reaching out to with the gospel. This is the person who has an agenda to steer people away from what God says like the serpent in the garden when he steered Eve and Adam away from what God had said.
If the woman that John is writing to is hosting the church in her home, then this also relates to the church. Don't allow in the church someone who teaches another gospel that doesn't hold up the fullness of who Christ is, what Christ has done and is going to do.
Let me give you an example. Many years back we came upon a video series that was really "edgy and trendy" that seemed to speak to teens and young adults. The quality was great and the questions that were raised would drive us to the Bible to find answers. They were a great starter to our studies. The videos started to change though and the messages started becoming less clear. It started to come out from the author of those videos statements that brought into question his view of who Jesus is and the fullness of the truth of the Bible. Should we allow that "in the house?" The answer is no. That decision came after careful investigation in many forms to verify what was being said. Eventually this author left his church and now is very open about his views of Christ and the Scripture that show his true agenda. John would call him a deceiver and someone not to entertain.
Leaders of churches and leaders of homes, guard the gospel within your dwelling places from those who have an agenda to take it down.
"Lord, we live in such a mixed up world that I pray for the discernment needed to detect falsehood. I know that the discernment grows with me getting closer to You. Help me to look at my life, my home, and my church and see that it is giving all glory and honor to You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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