The Letters of John 2 John 7-11 Don’t Walk Out on God “There are a lot of smooth-talking charlatans loose in the world who refuse to believe that Jesus Christ was truly human, a flesh-and-blood human being. Give them their true title: Deceiver! Antichrist! And be very careful around them so you don’t lose out on what we’ve worked so diligently in together; I want you to get every reward you have coming to you. Anyone who gets so progressive in his thinking that he walks out on the teaching of Christ, walks out on God. But whoever stays with the teaching, stays faithful to both the Father and the Son. If anyone shows up who doesn’t hold to this teaching, don’t invite him in and give him the run of the place. That would just give him a platform to perpetuate his evil ways, making you his partner.” The Message This middle section of 2 John deals with the basic Gnostic heresy that John attacked in 1 John. This heresy states that the Son of God did not become flesh and only temporarily came upon the man Jesus between His baptism and crucifixion. 7 continues from the message of 4-6, which teaches that the people are to continue to walk in Jesus’ love. The reason for this is that many deceivers have gone out. They are failing to acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. The incarnation of Jesus is very important. The point of His presence on earth was that he was the Christ of God come in the flesh. Failing to see this as the truth is a serious error. John has added to the word antichrist of 1 John 4:3 the term deceiver. They not only deny Jesus, they seek to deceive others about Him. In 8 John issues a warning that the good teaching of those who love Jesus and walk in His truth will be lost if believers fall away from the truth and start to follow the teaching of the Gnostics. In 9 John makes a reference to people running ahead and not continuing in the teaching of Christ. These people do not have God. The false teachers thought they were ‘advanced’ thinkers. They took great pride in their advanced faith. John seeks in this verse to point out that this is not a source of pride. True pride lays in holding fast to the truth revealed by Jesus Christ. If we do not have the right understanding of Jesus, then we do not have the right understanding of the Father. In 10 John warns the readers they are not to welcome the teachers of this heresy into their homes. Receiving them into their homes was a sign of approval. Offering them board and lodging supported them in spreading their heresy and the believers were not to do that. In 11 John tells the readers that welcoming such a person would be sharing in their wicked work. As Christians we cannot do that and remain in the truth. It is important to remember that those heresies did not stop back in New Testament times. They are perpetuated today. They can be wrapped in pretty coverings and spoken very persuasively. I have had many people of late repeat many of these early heresies to me, expecting me to believe them. However I have rejected them because I know God and I know what teaching is inconsistent with the God I know. These heresies seek to deny Jesus, either completely or as the Son of God. I know Jesus, I know His character, I know His identity. He is my good shepherd. I know His voice. I cannot deny Him. Pity help the person who does not have that knowledge because they will be vulnerable to these heresies. Devote yourself to walking in the truth. Spend time reading the Bible prayerfully. Don’t just read it to complete a set piece of reading. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you God’s message from the reading. Contemplate what you have read. Go about your day thinking about it. Leave the Bible open on that reading and re-read it often. Pray and ask God about it. Become so familiar with God, as He intended, that you will never fall for words of the heretics. Away this week visiting family interstate. Blog will return Saturday 22 March.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 06:12:07 +0000
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