2 John 7-13 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. 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9 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. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. 13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
Introduction
We are back in the book of 2 John. This is the 63rd book of the Bible and one of the shortest books as it only consists of just 13 verses.
This is a letter written by the Apostle John, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus, not to be mistaken with John the Baptist. This is the John who wrote 5 books of the Bible through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God.
This book is a letter that is written to a particular person…
2 John 1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;
So this letter is addressed to the elect lady and her children. We don’t really know any information about this lady other than what’s provided for us here. We don’t have a name, only that she is elect.
Elect essentially means “chosen or set apart” and is consistently used to describe God’s people (those who believe in Jesus Christ).
If you believe in Jesus for salvation, you are elect (chosen) of God because of your faith in Jesus Christ.
Not because of your heritage, nationality, skin color, how much money you have. You are only elect of God because of Jesus.
So at a minimum, we know that this elect lady that John is writing to, is someone who has faith and is a believer in Jesus.
And that is confirmed by verse 2:
2 John 2 For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.
John is saying that the truth dwelleth in us and shall be with us forever. God is the source of all truth. There is no truth outside of God. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life.
If someone has truth in them, that means they have Jesus Christ. They have the Holy Spirit of God.
As we studied 2 John previously, we saw how John was celebrating and rejoicing in the fact that the elect lady’s children were walking in truth.
2 John 4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
It’s important to remember that you can be sitting here right now and you can hear truth from God’s Word; You can understand and know truth; But you still have to make the choice to walk in the truth.
For example, The Bible says that we must work and not be busybodies in 2 Thessalonians 3. Working and providing for yourself and for your family is a good thing and it is commanded by God for us to do that.
That is the truth from God’s Word…If you choose to not listen to God’s Word and you disobey that command then you are not walking in truth. You are walking in error…
2 Thessalonians 3:14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
2 Thessalonians 3:15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
When you disobey the truth, that is causing you harm in many different ways.
It should be our desire for everyone to walk in truth. To obey the truth. So that we can live a life that is blessed by God, so we can glorify our Father in Heaven. We receive reward when we walk in truth.
It brings great joy to a parent when their children continue in the things that they were taught from the Bible. I pray that my children will walk in the truth. I can’t force them. I can only show them and set an example.
It brings sorrow and grief when a child decides not to walk in truth. But John was very happy to find out that the children of the elect lady were walking in truth.
We also saw last time that John expressed the need to love one another. And how do we love one another? By walking after God’s commandments. That is true love. Not by giving someone everything they want, but by obeying the commands of God that we find right here in the Bible.
Let’s continue to read John’s letter to the elect lady and her children. Picking up in verse 7.
Verse 7
2 John 7 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.
Now John shifts gears and he is providing a warning. When you warn someone, that shows that you actually care for that person. When you go to a stranger and warn them that they are headed to hell if they do not put their full faith and trust in Jesus Christ to be saved, that is the most loving thing that you can ever do.
Imagine if a church gathered huge crowds of people, gave them lots of food and benefits, sent them away with full bellies, but never once attempted to preach the gospel and warn people of the upcoming judgement of God. Most people would walk away thinking, “This is a great church. They are so loving.”
According to God that is a hateful church. It’s sort of like seeing a blind and deaf person about to walk across a railroad track with an oncoming train. If you saw that and did absolutely nothing that’s extremely hateful…
But John does not hate, he loves his fellow believers, that’s why he is warning them that many deceivers are entered into the world.
A deceiver is someone that leads people into error. If you are walking in truth right now… there are people in this world that are ready to lead you away from the truth into error. There are deceivers that are going to try and lead Pastor Josh into error. There are deceivers that are going to try and lead Deacon Gary into error. There are many deceivers that will attempt to lead us all into error. That is why warnings are extremely important. The devil is the ultimate deceiver.
The Bible says that Satan himself transforms into an angel of light. He is very good at making error and lies look like truth, and he can draw you away from the actual truth. Very easily if we are not careful.
Notice what the deception is…
2 John 7 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.
The one who does not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is a deceiver and an antichrist. Anti means opposite, or against.
This description of a deceiver fits the majority of false religions in this world today.
This applies to anyone who says that Jesus was only a man.
Islam, Jehovah Witness, Mormonism, Judaism, Buddhism. They all deny that Jesus Christ was God manifest in the flesh.
This applies to people that deny the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.
For example, most people do not know this. But Martin Luther King Jr denied the virgin birth and he denied the deity of Jesus Christ. He denied the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. That is very sad.
Many people will follow him and others like him but understand they are following a deceiver into error.
That’s what John is warning against. One of the worst things you can do is be a respecter of persons.
When you hold someone else’s opinions and ideas above God’s Word because of tradition or for any other reason, you will surely be led astray into error and deception.
Verse 8
2 John 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
So far the pattern that John is laying out is Walk in truth and love, Beware of deceivers, and now look to yourself so you do not lose your reward.
John is not warning them that they might lose salvation. He is warning them that they can lose the fruit, labor, testimony, and reward connected to their service for God.
John is saying, “Be on guard. Watch yourself. Don’t be careless. Don’t assume you are immune to deception.”
A person can be saved and still get pulled away by false doctrine. That is why he says look to yourselves.
Before you inspect everybody else, inspect yourself to make sure you are not being deceived and led astray. Notice the reason for the self-inspection…
“that we lose not those things which we have wrought”
The word wrought means that which was worked, labored, accomplished, or produced. John and others had labored in the truth. They invested time, resources, and great effort into believers. Now John is warning them not to throw away the spiritual progress that had been made.
Imagine spending your entire life growing in doctrine, serving in church, maintaining a good testimony for Jesus Christ and then at the end of your life you start to compromise. You let your guard down. You start to lose your way. Or maybe the children decide not to continue in the things of God. They do not stick to the truth. Then all that hard work can be lost.
You do not want to let deceivers rob you of what God has been building in your life. You want to receive a full reward for your labor.
The Bible teaches that salvation is a free gift, received by faith in Jesus Christ. But rewards are connected to faithfulness, labor, endurance, and obedience.
A person can be saved and yet suffer loss of reward.
1 Corinthians 3:14-15 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
2 John 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
A full reward means they finish faithfully. They do not just start well. They continue. They abide in truth. They reject deceivers. They keep walking in the commandments of God.
Verse 9
2 John 9 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.
John is giving a further description of who to look out for. Remember the deceivers are the ones who do not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. They do not abide in the doctrine of Christ. The doctrine of Christ is that Jesus is God, that He died for all sins, was buried, and that He rose again.
It’s important for us to listen very closely to teachers of the Bible to see if they are abiding in the doctrine of Christ.
John 7:16-18 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. 17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
If you do the will of the Father, which is to believe on Jesus Christ, then you shall know the doctrine whether it be of God. Once you know the true gospel, that salvation is only in Jesus alone, then all other false doctrine will be revealed to you. You will be able to tell when someone is trusting in themselves or if they are trusting in Jesus.
18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
False teachers and deceivers will speak of themselves. They will exalt themselves. They will add things to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sometimes it’s obvious, sometimes it is very subtle. That’s why John is warning to be careful.
Verse 10 – 11
2 John 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine (the doctrine of Jesus Christ), receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
2 John 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
John gives specific instructions on how to handle those who do not preach Jesus, how do we handle those who do not abide in the doctrine of Christ? How do we handle those who refuse to believe in Jesus and are contrary to the true Gospel?
He says receive them not into your house…
That’s why we will never invite a Muslim, Jehovah Witness, a Mormon, (any other religion), to speak or to teach inside this church.
We will go out and try to preach the gospel to them. We care about their souls just as much as any other person in this world. But if you choose to not abide in the doctrine of Jesus Christ. (That means you believe His death, His Burial, and His resurrection is THE ONLY sacrifice for sins. If you refuse to abide in that doctrine) then we cannot receive you. We cannot fellowship with you.
Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
2 John 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
Do not wish them success, or blessing, or prosperity in their work. Because they are leading people away from the truth. When you bid them God speed you are partaking in the evil and false doctrine.
The world will say, well that’s not very loving. God says that is true love. Love walks in truth and does not compromise.
A mother is not unloving because she refuses to let a dangerous stranger into the house. In the same way, the church is not unloving when it refuses to allow deceivers to enter in.
Verse 12 – 13
2 John 12-13 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. 13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
John is now bringing this letter to a close. Even though this letter contained encouragement, exhortation, and a powerful warning, John had many more things to write. There is never a time in our life where we will be done with learning and receiving instruction. You should never get to a point where you have said all that you can say about the Word of God. His Word is infinite.
John had many more things to write, but he was not going to write them with paper and ink. He wanted to speak face-to face. Nothing can replace in-person Christian fellowship…
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
In 2 John 7–13, John warns believers that many deceivers have gone out into the world, especially those who deny the true doctrine of Christ, and therefore Christians must be watchful so they do not lose reward, fruitfulness, or become partakers in another man’s evil deeds by supporting false teachers. John teaches that abiding in the doctrine of Christ is essential, and that believers should not receive, endorse, platform, or bless those who come bringing false doctrine. The letter closes warmly, showing that separation from deceivers is not coldness, but a way to preserve true fellowship, joy, and unity among those who walk in the truth.
Application Questions
1. Are you looking to yourself?
A lot of people assume they could never be deceived. But John is writing to believers and still gives the warning. Deception is dangerous because it does not always look like deception. Satan can transform himself into an angel of light. False doctrine can sound loving, intelligent, spiritual, or compassionate, but if it pulls you away from the doctrine of Christ, it is error.
Ask yourself: What am I listening to? What am I watching? Who am I allowing to influence my doctrine, my family, and my walk with God?
2. Are you holding fast to the doctrine of Christ?
John says that the person who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. That means the doctrine of Christ is not a small issue. It is the foundation.
We need to make sure we are grounded in who Jesus is and what He has done…
Many people are moved away from truth because they are not firmly grounded in the truth. If you do not know the true gospel clearly, you will not recognize a false gospel when it comes.
So ask yourself: Can I clearly explain who Jesus is? Can I clearly explain salvation by faith? Can I recognize when someone is adding works to the gospel?
3. Are you helping error spread?
John says not to receive those who bring not the doctrine of Christ, and not to bid them God speed. Why? Because the person who does that becomes partaker of his evil deeds.
That is a serious warning. God does not only care about what we believe personally. He also cares about what we support, promote, defend, and give credibility to.
We should preach the gospel to lost people. We should want Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Muslims, Catholics, Jews, atheists, and everyone else to be saved. But we cannot receive their false doctrine. We cannot platform their message. We cannot bless their ministry. We cannot act like we are all serving the same God when they deny the doctrine of Christ.
Ask yourself: Am I sharing things that lead people into error? (Social Media) Am I defending teachers who preach another Jesus? Am I giving approval to something God says not to receive?
Let’s Pray
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