2 John Is One Of The Strongest Warnings Religion Essay

2 John is one of the strongest warnings in the New Testament. If a false instructor comes to your house, do non have him ( that means, make nil that appears to give him public or private support ) , and do non recognize him ( that means, make nil that will place you with him or his false instruction ) . Verse 11 gives us God ‘s sentiment on the affair: If you do have and recognize such a individual, you portion in his evil workss.

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These are really strong words but they do n’t belong to Derek Stringer, our Bible Teacher for Word Alive but are based on the New Testament book of 2 John. If you can open a Bible to 2 John that will be helpful. And one can inquire why John should experience impressed to compose so bluffly.

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I think I know the reply. The longer we condone error, the easier it is to compromise. Small by small we become conditioned to moral diminution and rational renunciation until it no longer seems so incorrect to us.

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Thank you for fall ining us for today ‘s edition of Word Alive with Dr Derek Stringer and I ‘m Brenda Critchley.

We ‘re naming this current series Postcards because it ‘s the four smallest books in the New Testament. We ‘ve looked at Philemon and now it ‘s the bend of 2 John. I ‘ll bit in here and ther but allow me manus over to Derek.

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Brenda, thank you.

You know, what we do non oppose, we tolerate.

What we tolerate, we accept.

What we accept, we praise.

What we praise, we pattern.

This is what the “ Apostle of Love ” as John has been called fears-that by non smartly opposing immorality, trusters will stop up rehearsing the really thing they say they soon reject.

It may non go on overnight-and seldom does, and in fact the procedure of religious diminution may take its class over the old ages, the decennaries and the coevalss, but in the terminal the measures come due for non standing for the truth.

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Most of us know the celebrated illustration about the toad in the boiler. Put a toad in a boiler with cold H2O and the toad will sit contentedly. Now easy turn up the heat a few grades at a clip. Because the toad ‘s system has clip to set, he does n’t detect the changing temperature. When the H2O eventually making a furuncle, the toad sense danger and attempts to leap out, but it ‘s excessively late. His legs wo n’t travel any longer.

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Something like that happens to us when we coddle evil alternatively of confronting it caput on and naming it what it is. When we refuse to oppose that which is incorrect, in the terminal immorality does n’t look so bad.

Many people struggle with these poetries because they seem excessively strong, excessively rough, excessively unkind. They appear to name for ill-mannered intervention of people who disagree with us. Can that be right?

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To set that another manner, is the apostle urging us to bang the door on false instructors?

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And if he is, does n’t that belie the Law of Love which should steer our behavior.

I admit that these words of John do non sound right in this tolerant age.

Several old ages ago our age was called “ The Age of Enlightened Scepticism. ” That merely means that we live in a universe that no longer believes in truth.

In another twenty-four hours work forces and adult females argued passionately about the truth, today we argue over whether truth even exists, and if it does, how can anyone cognize the truth? We are no longer certain as a civilization how to find right from wrong-or even if we should do the attempt. The other term for this is “ postmodernism ” -which merely means that truth exists in the oculus of the beholder- ” That ‘s true for you but non needfully for me. ”

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Truth becomes an wholly private matter with no deductions for society at big.

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Right, and against that turning tendency we have these grave words of John. There are many false instructors who themselves are the really spirit of Antichrist.

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They deny the Incarnation-

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the cardinal truth that Jesus Christ is God in human flesh-

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and they travel from topographic point to put mongering their religious toxicant.

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Christians must reject such teachers-to the point of declining them any kind of personal welcome. If we do welcome them, we are guilty of sharing in their evil workss.

Strong words so. But greatly needed in this twenty-four hours of huge religious confusion. At the hazard of being called shockable, I wish to state that I agree wholly with the Apostle John. There are times when trusters must sharply oppose and rebut false instruction and false instructors. To make less is to traffic with the enemies of the Cross and do a jeer of everything we believe.

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We might present the inquiry this manner: Is it of all time right to be ill-mannered to an disbeliever?

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Well now, in order to reply that inquiry Lashkar-e-Taiba ‘s get down by sing the background of this small missive.

It ‘s of import to cognize that 2 John was one of the last letters written in the New Testament epoch. Scholars day of the month it during the period A.D. 85 to 90. That ‘s important because by that clip Christianity had spread widely across the Roman Empire. As the religion spread, so excessively did legion eccentric outgrowths of echt Christianity. These religious forgeries would proliferate in the early centuries of the Christian epoch.

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Here are merely a few of those groups: Judaizers. . . Arians. . . Modalists. . . Docetics. . . . Sabellians. . . Cerinthians. . . Nicolaitans. . .Ebionites.

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Some were closer to historic Christianity and others much farther removed. It appears that John was concerned about a signifier of false instruction that came to be known as “ Gnosticism. ”

These “ Gnostics ” ( the word comes from the Grecian word gnosis- ” cognition ” ) claimed to hold secret cognition beyond that possessed by ordinary Christians.

That is, they disdained as prosaic the philosophies handed down from the apostles and claimed to hold received secret disclosure that merely the initiated could portion. Such a idea appealed to many people seeking “ deeper cognition ” of God.

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Verse 9 seems to propose that such people had crept into the church because John warns against those who have “ run in front ” of the cardinal truth about Jesus Christ.

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These first-century “ imperfects ” obviously viewed with some disdain those whose religion was built upon the truth handed down from the apostles. “ That ‘s old intelligence. It was good for those yearss, but we need new truth for a new twenty-four hours. ” Sounds beguiling, does n’t it? After all, who wants to be stuck with “ old intelligence ” when you can hold “ new truth ” by fall ining an elect group?

John ‘s concern was for those Christians who might inadvertently welcome such false instructors and even back up them as they subverted the work of the church.

It ‘s besides of import to gain that the early church practised cordial reception otherwise than we do. Because they did n’t hold hotels and motels like we do, when a traveling instructor came to town, he had to remain with one of the church members. Thus the thought of warning against welcoming false instructors was really practical.

John is believing about something much bigger than how to react when person who does n’t keep to your peculiar beliefs comes strike harding at your door.

He has in position a state of affairs whereby a Christian might give lodging to person whose ultimate intent is destructive to true religion.

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Said another manner, John is composing to press his readers to pattern religious favoritism.

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Sometimes love demands to state No. True love makes picks.

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What about today? Is this still relevant?

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A good inquiry Brenda. Just see the wealth of input we have that was non available 2000 old ages ago: Television, Radio, magazines, books, Cadmiums, and the Internet. Take together these assorted beginnings produce a huge sum of information that bombards us on every manus. Some of it is good, of class, but much of it is unquestionably harmful.

We need discernment lest we end up back uping unorthodoxy!

There are many today who want:

God but non Jesus.

Jesus but non Jesus merely.

Jesus of their ain devising.

Jesus but non Jesus the Son of God.

A pal and friend, but non the crowned head Lord.

Good illustration but non an Ageless Lord.

A multicultural Gospel that promises everyone will travel to heaven.

Religion but non a relationship with Jesus Christ.

And stop to dogma and strong Bible philosophy.

To convey non-Christian faiths to a degree equal with Christianity.

To make away with wickedness, opinion, and ageless snake pit.

Make it yourself Christianity but non the Christianity of the Bible.

We must be cognizant of these inclinations and we must actively oppose those who promote them.

Lest all of this sounds sound excessively negative, see how absolutely John balances the first few poetries of his missive:

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The senior, to the chosen lady and her kids, whom I love in the truth-and non I only-but besides all who know the truth-because of the truth, which lives in us and will be in us everlastingly: Grace, clemency and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father ‘s Son, will be with us in truth and love. It has given me great joy to happen some of your kids walking in the truth, merely as the Father commanded us. And now, beloved lady, I am non composing you a new bid but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obeisance to his bids. As you have heard from the beginning, his bid is that you walk in love. ”

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He mentions “ truth ” five times in the first four poetries. To John ‘s readers, the “ truth ” was the instruction handed down to them from the apostles. To us, it is the Word of God written and revealed in the Bible. To cognize the Bible is to cognize the truth. To obey the Bible is to obey the truth.

Then John references “ love ” five times in six poetries. What is love? It is caring for others on the footing of the truth. Therefore there is perfect balance between those two constructs. We are to walk in truth and to populate in love-both at the same clip.

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We need to inquire: What does this mean for us today? How do we practically apply John ‘s warning against false instructors and the challenge of equilibrating truth and love?

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I ‘d wish to propose some countries for our consideration.

In visible radiation of John ‘s austere warning, what does this state about loving the lost?

I suppose it is at this point that John ‘s words have been most misunderstood. Nothing he writes is meant to prohibit holding cursed friends. Not merely may be, we should and we must! How else can we win the lost unless we befriend them one by one? Remember, Jesus was called a “ friend of evildoers. ” He loved the doomed and felt right at place with them. He hung out with rummies and exhausted clip with gourmands, fallen adult females felt comfy in his presence. He besides welcomed proud Pharisees and funny soldiers into his presence. He came to seek and to salvage that which was lost-and so must we as his people seriously seek to salvage the doomed around us.

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Some people will state: “ I do n’t cognize many lost people. ”

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And they are n’t doing an alibi in the least, but merely saying a fact. May I say that many of us have cut ourselves off from the lost all around us and for that ground have problem happening person to ask for to a particular Church event.

That ‘s non a compliment. You can barely win the doomed if you do n’t cognize the doomed. You ca n’t make a individual with whom you have no contact. Jesus met Nicodemus at dark and the adult female at the well in wide daytime. He made them experience welcome in his thick.

You know, nil in John ‘s warning is meant to deter us from making the work of evangelism-including loving lost people one by one.

This warning does state something about the importance of prophesying the Gospel.

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Some people say right philosophy is non that of import.

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And as you well cognize, a more foolish statement could barely be imagined-especially as it respects the gospel message. We must prophesy the Gospel with all our might because it-and it alone-is the power of God for redemption. God merely has one program of salvation-the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is no other program for world. It ‘s the Gospel or nil at all. Never be ashamed of the Gospel.

Never be ashamed to stand up for Jesus. Never be ashamed to have his name and to squeal your commitment to him. The workers of wickedness are n’t ashamed of their wickedness. Why should we be ashamed of our Saviour?

We have the message that can alter the universe. Some of us have been soundless while false instructors have held centre phase excessively long. We have turned away while the purveyors of toxicant have grabbed the mike.

No more! It is clip for God ‘s kids to ‘come out ‘ prophesying the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

John ‘s warning besides says something to us about how we should see the true kids of God.

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It ‘s possible that some would read his words and believe that he is warning against other trusters with whom we have assorted doctrinal dissensions.

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But that is a complete misreading of the text.

This is a warning against cursed false instructors, non against other Christians. We are to welcome other trusters with whom we have some lesser dissensions. Romans 14:1 says, “ Accept him who is weak, without go throughing opinion on debatable affairs. ” That means we are n’t to divide hairs with trusters who may see things different than we do.

Inside God ‘s household there are so many intramural arguments:

Arminianism versus Calvinism,

compact divinity versus Dispensationalism,

modern-day versus traditional worship,

baptism by scattering, pouring or submergence.

Will Jesus come before, during or after the trial?

And on and on the list goes.

I ‘m non proposing these arguments are n’t of import or that churches should hold chiseled positions or that we should merely state ‘Anything Goes ‘ when it comes to what we teach our kids. That would merely take to chaos. However, I ‘m stating ( and the Apostle John is stating ) that there is a immense difference between differing over the timing of the Rapture and denying that Jesus is the Son of God.

Over the old ages God has opened my eyes to see how large and huge his household is. At this really minute he has his kids spread in every state, in every civilization, on every continent, praising him in a thousand different linguistic communications. It ‘s easy to be provincial and to see everything through the eyes of our ain little local fold. God does n’t make that. He loves all his blood-bought kids. . . and so should we.

But, John ‘s warning surely teaches us something of import about rejecting all false philosophy.

If you ‘d wish to make an interesting Bible survey, I suggest that you study what the New Testament has to state about false philosophy. You ‘ll be surprised, I think, because warnings against false doctrine start in Matthew, terminal in Revelation, and may be found in virtually every book in between. It is genuinely a major subject of the New Testament.

This hebdomad I did a brief study of how we are to react to false instructors.

Here is what I found. We are to. . .

Guard against them.

Have no family with them.

Avoid them.

Reject them.

Refute them.

Refuse them.

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One inquiry might be raised at this point. How can we make an cursed individual if we must reject him outright?

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That ‘s a good inquiry. Here ‘s the reply. These warnings are straight at false instructors, non baffled people. Most of the cursed people around us could barely be called “ false instructors. ” The huge bulk ( good over 90 % , I would state ) are so baffled that they barely know what they believe, much less are able to portion it with anyone else.

John is n’t warning us about disbursement clip with baffled people. Not at all. But he is warning us against passing excessively much clip with those people who have given themselves over to the publicity of false philosophy and/or moral immorality. When we find such a individual, we are non to back up him in any manner. Let me do that stronger. We are non to back up, promote, or in any other manner encourage those who teach, spread, or advance falsity or moral immorality.

The application of that truth is simple: We have to populate in a fallen universe, but do n’t hold to back up things we know are incorrect.

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Merely in instance you ‘re being misunderstood Derek, Lashkar-e-Taiba ‘s hold a few clarifying statements.

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Okay. John says we are non to “ welcome ” or “ receive ” or “ greet ” false instructors. In practical footings, what does this mean?

It ‘s one thing to Talk to person at your door but another to Invite them in for a Bible survey.

It ‘s one thing to Watch person on Television but another to Send money with small idea.

It ‘s one thing to Ask funny inquiries and another to Take lessons in reincarnation.

Again, it ‘s one thing to Welcome foreign pupils, that ‘s really good thing. But it ‘s another to Let them utilize your place as a instruction forum for distributing their faith to others.

It would be reasonably easy to add several twelve more illustrations, but the general point should be clear. John is n’t warning us against normal societal relationships, rational wonder, or being exposed to differing points of position. These things we will all make at assorted times and in assorted ways. But there is a huge gulf everlastingly fixed between rational wonder and personal support of that which is incorrect.

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The first is morally defendable, the second is non.

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That ‘s it. And eventually, this warning reminds us that we must be willing to be misunderstood, if necessary, for the interest of the truth.

I realise that this is non a popular message these twenty-four hours when so many people doubt the really being of truth. John demands that we draw a line between an mistake when many people think they are fundamentally the same thing. In some state of affairss, this may intend declining an invitation or even interrupting a relationship for the interest of the gospel-which is easier to state than it is to make.

You know, if this instruction seems difficult to us, possibly it is because we do n’t care every bit much about the truth as John does.

Suppose that you go for a medical cheque up, the physician finds a leery topographic point on your X ray. After analyzing it, he tells you that he thinks it is a job. Now the inquiry becomes, What do you desire your physician to make? What if he says, “ Leave it entirely. After all, you ‘ve got tonss of other good tissue with no musca volitanss? ” Will that reply satisfy you? I doubt it. What if he suggests disregarding it in the hope it will vanish? If you ‘re like most people, you ‘ll be justifiably unhappy with your doctor.

Let me set it this manner. If your physician knows you have a job, and if he knows something demands to be done, and if he knows what could be done but does n’t care plenty to make it, he ‘s guilty of malpractice. He ‘s non your friend. When you ‘ve got jobs, you need a physician who cares adequate to state the truth and so has the bravery to take action.

The same is true in the religious kingdom.

There is such a thing as religious malignant neoplastic disease.

It begins little and perniciously grows.

Starts with uncertainties about the Bible, about creative activity, approximately heaven or snake pit.

Questions the moral instructions of the Bible.

Doubts that Jesus is truly the lone manner to heaven.

Suggests that there are many every bit good ways to God.

Wear down the ‘sharp borders ” of the Christian religion.

Privations to be progressive, accepted, with it, on the film editing border.

Desires worldly credence.

Promises freedom but ever leads to slavery and decease.

The Bible Tells us two of import facts about people who say such things:

They are the really spirit of Antichrist. And they come from “ among ” us-our friends, household, loved 1s, respected instructors, favorite writers, athleticss figures, famous persons.

That is why over and over the New Testament warns us to “ Be on your guard. ”

Make non state, “ God bless you ” to such people.

Do non welcome them in your place.

Do non back up their instruction. ‘

Make non state, “ I know you mean good. ”

Do non wish them good fortune.

Do non promote them in any manner whatsoever.

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You are listening to Word Alive and Derek Stringer is learning on the small but important book of 2 John. This is one of four little New Testament books. We ‘re doing the recordings available merely for the managing charge. We ‘ll direct free transcripts to an electronic mail reference. I ‘ll give you contact information in merely a minute. Back to Dr Stringer.

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And we ‘ll round things up Brenda by conveying before us the one and merely Person who of all time absolutely followed this instruction. His name is Jesus Christ.

He loved evildoers and felt comfy around them. He routinely went topographic points and exhausted clip with people in ways that I personally would n’t care to make.

( That statement tells you nil of import about Jesus, but it does state something about me. I confess that I fall far short of his compassion for the doomed. )

He welcomed everyone and turned no 1 off. He encouraged every echt searcher who crossed his way. And he answered every question-the good and the bad, the honest and the insincere. But that same Jesus besides rebuked the Pharisees, cleared out the temple courtyard with a whip, and repeatedly spoke difficult truth to powerful people without the slightest respect for his ain safety.

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What was he like?

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John 1:14 Tells us that he was “ Full of grace and truth. ” What a fantastic phrase that is. He was absolutely balanced at all times between truth and love.

We face the same challenge today: To equilibrate truth and love in all our relationships. We are to cognize the truth and to walk in love-all the clip.

If we emphasise merely the truth, we risk going difficult and average spirited. That will merely estrange other trusters and turn away the lost from Christ.

If we emphasise merely love, we risk become soft and sentimental. That shortly leads us to compromise the Gospel, alibi wickedness, and welcome sinners.

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Somehow-though it is n’t easy-we must talk the truth in love.

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Which brings me back to the inquiry I raised earlier: Is it of all time right to be ill-mannered to an disbeliever? The reply is yes and no.

No, if by that you mean being discourteous, unkind and unwilling to listen. But yes, we may sometimes necessitate to move in ways that seem rude when we merely are trying to obey God ‘s Word about false instructors.

As a practical manner of using this message, here are some inquiries we ought to inquire ourselves:

Do I truly believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

In what countries of my life am I guilty of back uping that which I know is incorrect?

Have I been soundless about immorality when I should hold been outspoken for the truth?

Have I been easy take downing my criterions of right and incorrect in order to keep friendly relationships or to derive some personal advantage?

Have I been dabbling in falsity when I truly need to talk up for the truth?

Is there a relationship in my life that needs to be broken because it is dragging me down spiritually?

If my friends at church could see me during the hebdomad, would they be embarrassed by the things I do and state? Would Jesus be embarrassed?

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Not easy inquiries, but 1s we need to inquire.

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And that ‘s because love must hold bounds. We must love people but we must non thereby digest false philosophy or condone moral immorality. To utilize a familiar phrase, we must love the evildoer while detesting the wickedness. Sometimes we may look to love the evildoer excessively much and sometimes we may look to detest the wickedness excessively much. Both will be necessary if we are to stand for Christ and win the lost in this evil twenty-four hours.

Possibly in our tolerance we have become apathetic to truth. When it comes to ageless issues, there is no room for neutrality.

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Good-bye for now and God bless you.