IT’S WORTH THE EFFORT AND HUMILIATION

4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received 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. 2 John 1:4-6 (NKJV)

This is the third and final devotion on the 2nd Epistle of St. John. John very clearly and concisely sums up a major teaching of Jesus that is recorded in the Gospels.

It is important to begin these thoughts with a word of clarification. It is important to look back to verse 7 and to remember that the person, the transgressor, is the one who denies the humanity of Christ, and denies that Christ came in the flesh by being born of Mary. The believers in Christ are the only ones who can place their sins before God and have them forgiven. The transgressor does not believe that God sent His Son to earth, and, therefore, has no place to take his sins seeking forgiveness. The severity of this is only with the sin of denying Christ.

He who abides in Me, abides in My Father who is in heaven for I and My Father are One. This is a rough translation of the teaching of Jesus that John refers to when he says the person who sins by living a life that rejects the teaching that Jesus is True God and True Man, not only rejects Jesus, but also rejects God. The person who by faith lives the teachings concerning Christ also has the Father and the Son.

He goes on to say that if someone comes to you who does not believe and live according to the teachings concerning Jesus, do not receive them, but turn them away. In other places in the New Testament this is pictured in another way and from another direction. The followers of Jesus were told that if they went to a house and they were not welcome because of their faith, they should shake the dust off their feet and walk away.

As you meditate on these thoughts, here are some comments and questions:

Remember that John refers to the Doctrines of Christ. That means accepting Jesus as the Son of God, True Man, and True God as we confess in the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. This is FAR DIFFERENT from a person who accepts Christ as Savior but stumbles and falls short of keeping all of the Biblical Teachings.

Remember that when you sin, Jesus is there to receive your prayer for forgiveness. When the person who does not accept Jesus as his or her Savior sins, there is no one to hear his or her pleas.

Remember that Satan continues to wage his war against those who believe in Jesus. Just as our Lord sends us to bring the Good News of Salvation to those who do not believe, Satan sends his followers to try to undermine the teachings of Jesus so that we turn away from our Savior and begin to go down the path to Eternal Death.

Is it more important to you to keep a friend than to turn your back and follow Jesus if that person rejects Jesus as True Man and True God as their Savior?

By their actions, do the leaders of your church, government, entertainment industry, educational institutions, etc. place more emphasis on keeping people happy rather than helping them turn back to the loving and demanding ways of Christ, acknowledging Him as True Man, True God, their Savior?

It takes a lot of persistence and sacrifice to follow Christ. It takes a lot of faith to shoulder the humiliation when you walk away from those who reject our Lord.

WE PRAY: Lord, Jesus, at times we get so caught up in struggling with the sins we confront in daily life that we do not notice, we do not realize that we are not standing on a solid foundation. Send your Holy Spirit upon us that the words, Jesus Christ, True Man and True God are not just words on paper but, Words that live in our heart and are the solid foundation of our faith. AMEN
 

A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE COMMANDMENT

Go to the Internet and do some research on the Nicene Creed. This took place at the Council of Nicea. Pay special attention to the information concerning the True God, True Man controversy. As you do this, where Bible Verses are quoted or referred to, be sure to take time to look them up.