2 John 4-11

My dearly loved Brother in Law passed March 13th from covid-19. Hospitalized on January 27th he was an example of courage in trial. He was only 59. That he and my sister were Christ followers is my biggest joy and consolation right now. Texas is a long way from here but I am wrapping her and their son in love and prayers.

There is no other way for man to be saved than through the blood of Jesus Christ!

John 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

John 12:46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

2 John 4-11

4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received a commandment from the Father. 5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. 6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

This warning echoes that of 1 John and seems to address a similar situation. John warns the congregation to beware of false teachers—those he calls the antichrists who contest Jesus’ true identity as the Son of God who came in the flesh. John aims to cut off the influence of the false teachers by denying them hospitality in the homes of believers. Faithlife Bible.

Walking in truth means having an authentic relationship with God. Our walk with the Lord if genuine must be based upon His Word. Specifically, our walk with God is based on His commandment to love one another. God’s love is the basis of His desire for our obedience, and it is the reason He has revealed His will through His commandments in His Word. We prove our obedience to Him by demonstrating love toward one another. Love is an unlimited resource readily available to us, and it is tremendously effective in furthering the work of Christ.

Coming in the flesh refers to the Incarnation, the fact that Jesus is the God-man. The humanity of Jesus provides a test by which false teachers can be identified. The Gnostic heresy, against which John wrote in 1 and 2 John, included a denial of the physical body of Christ. People who deny the physical reality of Jesus are not Christians, but antichrists.

Every believer has the potential of a full reward or a complete loss of reward. The determining factor is our faithfulness to Christ. Justification is not in view here because it is not something we worked for, but something we received as a gift from God. This doctrine refers to the Christian belief that Jesus is God come “in the flesh” He is completely human and completely divine. NKJ Bible

The deceiver and his deceit are described: he brings some error concerning the person or office of the Lord Jesus. Such a one is a deceiver and an antichrist; he deludes souls, and undermines the glory and kingdom of the Lord Christ. Let us not think it strange, that there are deceivers and opposers of the Lord Christ’s name and dignity now, for there were such, even in the apostles’ times. The more deceivers and deceits abound, the more watchful the disciples must be. Sad it is, that splendid attainments in the school of Christ, should ever be lost. The way to gain the full reward is, to abide true to Christ, and constant in religion to the end. Firm cleaving to Christian truth unites us to Christ, and thereby to the Father also; for they are one. Let us equally disregard such as abide not in the doctrine of Christ, and those who transgress his commands. Any who did not profess and preach the doctrine of Christ, respecting him as the Son of God, and salvation by him from guilt and sin, were not to be noticed and countenanced. Yet in obeying this command, we must show kindness and a good spirit to those who differ from us in lesser matters, but hold firmly the all-important doctrines of Christ’s person, atonement, and holy salvation. Matthew Henry Commentary.

1 John 2:22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.

1 John 2:23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

1 John 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

3 John 3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.