2 John 1:7-11
Do Not Welcome the Deceiver
Read the passage
7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.
8Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded.
9Anyone who runs ahead without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever remains in His teaching has both the Father and the Son.
10If anyone comes to you but does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home or even greet him.
11Whoever greets such a person shares in his evil deeds.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
The elder warns that many deceivers have gone into the world. They refuse to confess Jesus Christ coming in the flesh. This denial strikes at the truth about the Son whom the greeting has named, and the elder calls such a person a deceiver and antichrist.
The readers must watch themselves. The work already done among them must not be lost through receiving deception; the elder wants them to receive their full reward. Past instruction does not remove the need for continued faithfulness.
Someone may claim to have moved ahead while leaving Christ’s teaching behind. The elder says that person does not have God. Remaining in His teaching means having both the Father and the Son. A message that abandons Christ is no advance in knowing God.
The instruction becomes specific when such a teacher arrives: do not receive him into the home or even greet him. The reason is that welcoming him shares in his evil deeds. Hospitality must not become support for a mission that denies Christ.
The warning concerns someone coming with this false teaching. It does not authorize inventing accusations against people who differ from us over every lesser matter. The confession of Jesus is at stake, and love for Him requires refusing help to those who would turn others away from Him.
Questions
1 What do the deceivers refuse to confess?
AnswerThey refuse to confess Jesus Christ coming in the flesh. The elder calls this opposition to Christ, not a harmless difference.
2 Why must the readers watch themselves?
AnswerThey must guard against losing what has been worked for, so that they may receive the full reward the elder desires for them.
3 What is wrong with running ahead of Christ’s teaching?
AnswerLeaving His teaching means not having God. Whoever remains in it has both the Father and the Son.
4 Why must they refuse to receive the false teacher?
AnswerReceiving or greeting such a teacher would share in his evil deeds. Their welcome must not support the denial of Christ.
What This Means for Us
Before offering a teacher your home, financial support or help reaching others, examine what that person teaches about Jesus. Generosity can assist a harmful message when it ignores the truth.
Refuse support for teaching that denies Christ’s coming in the flesh. Explain the reason plainly, without turning this specific warning into permission to accuse everyone who disagrees with you.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, keep us faithful to Your teaching. Give us discernment about the messages we help to spread, and courage to refuse support for deception. Preserve the good work done among us and our fellowship with the Father and the Son. Amen.