2 John:9-11, “Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or ‘welcome them.
Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.”
It’s an interesting letter to find in the Bible. The first half reminds the people to love one another. And the second half warns the people about some deceivers who do wicked work.
They are called the antichrist. What’s more, he tells the recipients of this letter that whoever is nice to these false teachers shares in their wicked work. And what’s their wickedness? They disagree with the author of the letter in the matter of the true gospel.
That’s all! They’re not thieves or murderers or otherwise dangerous. It’s just a disagreement! Is that any way to love someone? Just because they disagree with you, don’t let them in the house?
Is John really teaching people to have an attitude that would say, “We love you, but you can’t worship with us if you believe such and such, while we believe so and so.”
This is the stuff that church splits are made of! Here we have a Bible book telling us something that seemingly goes against what Paul says in Ephesians 4, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. "
How can a book of the Bible promote separation over a disagreement when we crave unity, and all the rest of Scripture teaches us to desire unity? Unity is the message we prefer too.
In our day, we’re tired of having so many denominations. We have a more ecumenical spirit. We know there is only one God. We promote interdenominational services to try to bridge the gaps that separated us from our other brothers and sisters in the Lord.
2 John seems to put the brakes on all that loving togetherness. What is this book even doing in the Bible? Does it really fit in? Or is it contradictory, even contradicting itself: love one another, but have nothing to do with one of those false teachers, “do not take him into your house or welcome him.”
It turns out that this little letter is an important piece of pastoral care in a world of conflict.
We live in an age in which discernment has never been more important. Christian discernment, theological discernment, discernment based on Biblical standards, discernment that will show us the narrow way between excess and stinginess, license and legalism. We are up against a modern culture that doesn’t believe in absolute truth.
It makes feelings more important than facts. We are immersed in a culture which feels that if you disagree with anybody else or claim there is an objective truth that ought to be recognized and respected by all people, then you are to be canceled, not allowed to speak.
The only thing tolerated is that everyone should let everybody else have their own thoughts their own way, their own truth.
So, when we say that God proclaimed one truth that exists for all time, anybody who doesn’t like what God says is true, would rather cancel or kill the messenger instead of repent and believe the Bible. Therefore, Christians must never relinquish the need to proclaim the difference between right and wrong.
On the other hand, some Christians who loudly proclaim what is right in God’s eyes have lost the ability to love the sinners and have forgotten how to do their work gently and with respect.
And complicating all of this is the sad fact that so many Christians do not read their Bibles well enough to know the difference for themselves. Biblical illiteracy among Christians is at an all time high.
And not knowing what the Bible really teaches makes it a lot harder for good people who want to be faithful Christians to know where to stand on some key social issues.
Prayer for the day.......
Father, help me to know what is right and good and when I share your point of view with those who disagree, help me to as patient, gracious and loving as you are, so that kindness may lead them to repentance. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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