NOVEMBER 25 READING…2 JOHN 1
The second epistle of John is a short book, only 13 verses long. It seems to be a quick letter to the church in the first century to encourage them to stay the course, even in a time of pressure and persecution. John is happy that the church continues to walk in the truth that they had received through the Apostle of Christ. John puts a great emphasis on truth…just as we should. John then reminds them that truth is not enough for the follower of Jesus…we must also walk in love. Truth plus love are the key identifiers of the people of God…and the ministry of the church. We are called to love one another. John also repeats the truth that Jesus share with those who would be His followers…love without obedience to the Lord’s commandments does not exist. Finally, John repeats his warning to the church of the false teachers who were among them. These rejected the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, that they deny He came in the flesh. The primary group that violated this important doctrine were the Gnostics…the neo-Gnostics continue this heresy today. John makes it clear that those who deny that Jesus is God who came in the flesh do not have God…they are lost and eternally condemned. John tells them that if anyone comes to them and rejects the doctrine of Christ, the believers were not to welcome them or have them in their homes. Any support of cooperation with false teachers is support for their doctrines of demons. This is why ecumenicism is against the Bible…only those who have a biblically correct teaching of Christ have unity and are brothers and sisters in Christ. All false teachers are to be rejected today…there is no cooperation between those who belong to Jesus and those who belong to Satan.
Please share your thoughts.
TOMORROW’S READING…3 JOHN 1
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