Sermon Central
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Provoking Thoughts From 2 John
Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Mar 10, 2022 (message contributor)
Summary: Obviously, we are dealing with 2 John in this message. You have probably noticed that second and third John are very short.
We live in an age when few know what IS WEIRD or what IS SIN! John mentioned two truths he wanted them to know. He mentioned...
A. THEIR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER
One TRUTH this Bible clearly teaches is that we are to WALK IN TRUTH. The fact we are to walk it, not just talk it is no new revelation.
Look at verses 5-6. We read, “And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.”
We are instructed, in God’s Word, to WALK IN LOVE, yet we see much hate and jealousy among those who profess to know Jesus. This was a problem in John’s day, so he wrote to them about it.
Also, he wanted to talk to them about...
B. THEIR LOVE FOR TRUTH
Look at verses 7-9. We read, “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.”
These verses teach us many things.
• Verse 7, says there are many deceivers in the world who confess not that Jesus came in the flesh.
• Verse 8, says we have to be careful now to let go of all we have worked for that we might receive a “full reward.”
• Verse 9, it is clear that any who sin against what the Bible teaches about Christ, “...hath not God.”
Someone says when we note those who sin, that we should not be “judging” people. Well, this is not “judging” people. God’s Word is what they are judged by. His Word makes it clear that those who do not “abide” in “the doctrine of Christ” do not have God.
Again, John wrote this epistle for the purpose of telling them to CONTEND FOR THE TRUTH.
He said, verses 10-11, “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”
Because there are some who think the “elect lady” is a particular woman, they take these two verses to mean if a person who happens to be in a false religion knocks on our door at home we are not to invite him in and witness to him.
If that was what this verse was teaching, then we have a conflict with other verses, such as, 1 Peter 3:15. Here we read, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”
Notice that we are commanded of God to always be ABLE and READY to give the reason of the hope that is within us, “...to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”
That would include those who would knock on your door, who may belong to a false religion.
