Abide In The Doctrine Of Christ

Alba 10-27-2024

ABIDE IN THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST

II John 7-13

There was a man standing downtown waiting for a bus. He said it was raining cats and dogs. There was a lady standing next to him so he tried to be friendly and make conversation. “If this keeps up, we'll all have to buy an ark,” he said. “What's an ark?” she asked.

“You mean you haven't heard about Noah and the great flood and all those animals?” he asked her incredulously. “Look, mister,” she replied, “I've only been in town for four days. I've scarcely had time to read a paper.”

Sadly there are many people today who know so little about the Bible. But I like the story of the young boy, who every time went to his friend's house, saw the grandmother studying her Bible. Finally he asked the friend about it. “Why is your grandmother always reading her Bible?” The friend answered, “I don't know. But I think she is cramming for her finals.”

That may be so, but for sure, it was a way that she could abide in the doctrine of Christ. Reading the Bible helps anyone to know the teaching of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Yet, one who reads God's Word but doesn't do what it says, as James tells us, is like someone looking in the mirror and then forgetting what he looks like. In II John 7-13 we are told to do some looking. We are told to look to ourselves and to look out for deceivers. Lets read:

“7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

“9 Whoever transgresses [which means, “goes farther than they should] and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

“12 Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. 13 The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.”

This letter of John is short because, as he says, he would rather deal with the issues face to face. His letter is addressed to “the elect lady”. We don't know if the elect lady an individual who was very dear to John, or if it is a church who is symbolically referred to as the elect lady.

It seems likely that the reference is to a church, because verse thirteen seems to refer to a sister church and its members. While opinions on this vary, it doesn’t affect the message.

What is plain is that there are many deceivers who would lead us away from the true message of Jesus Christ. Therefore we must...

1. Look to Ourselves (vs. 8)

John warns that if we do not do this, we may lose our reward.

There is no greater disappointment than working for something for a long time, only to see that work just disappear. So we need to look to ourselves.

We are to abide, or stay true, to the doctrine of Christ which includes having a solid biblical understanding of what it means to be a Christian, to be a true follower of Jesus Christ. It also includes living in accordance to that understanding. The question is, are we staying true to the doctrine, the teaching, of Jesus? What evidence is there that we are not just playing a game, but that we truly are committed to our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior?

The apostle Paul says in II Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (NIV)

What is good is that this elect lady, or church, was loved in truth. And her children, or church members, were following the command to love one another. God’s Word spells out the perfect and ideal person, what God wants a person to be.

So we are to love one another in truth—in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Word of God. This means that we are to love one another as Jesus loved us, and as the Word of God instructs. The truth is that the message, the doctrine, of Christ is a message of love. God loved us enough to send Jesus as a sacrifice for our sin. Jesus loved us enough to allow the punishment we deserve to be suffered by Himself. So He died on that cross in our place so that we can be forgiven.