John’s Second Epistle

2 Jno. 7-11

Watch Yourselves

⁷ For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. ⁸ Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. ⁹ Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, ¹¹ for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. 2 Jno. 7-11

Modern religious culture has become so pluralistic, so obsessed with “everything is right and everybody is ok,” the idea of religious deceivers or false teachers is virtually ignored. That’s not a good sign.

All through the Bible God called various men (prophets, teachers, apostles) to warn the people of deceivers. Those warns assume two things: (1) Truth has been revealed. Absolute truth from God. (2) There are those who reject God’s truth and seek to lead people to lies.

John (here in 2^nd John and elsewhere in the New Testament) does not ignore the hard reality of people who deceive. They have gone out into the world. So “watch yourselves,” and know this: “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son,” (verse 9).