Watch Out!! {2 John}

Today's Scripture Passage: 2 John

I have to admit, often when writing lately I've been failing to first discover God's message to me, and focusing more on pulling out a message for you, but this one verse jumped off the page this week and I knew immediately this message was for me! And perhaps, for you too! This book may be small, but it still packs a punch!

2 John 8

  The Book of 2 John is written to "the chosen lady and her children." This could have been a woman of high standing in the church, or it could have been a code which refers to the local church and its congregation, for in those days, when Christians were being severely persecuted, such codes were often used. 

In any case, John's main concern is that true believers be aware that there are false teachers and teachings out there and we should have nothing to do with them. Notice,

"Be on guard, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who runs 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. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting." (2 John 8-10)

I also think it's important to note that before John gives us his warning, he gives us a definition of love,

 And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it." (2 John 5-6)

I believe John reminds us of what Jesus had told them, and John had previously recorded for us in John 14:14-16 so that in whatever we do, it would always be motivated by our love for God and our desire to please Him. 

It was the term, "runs on ahead" that caused me to think of another passage in Isaiah 58:13-14a that I'd like to share before I get to the message God has given to me. 

 “If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, And call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and honor it, desisting from your own ways, from seeking your own pleasure and speaking your own word, Then you will take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; 

Isaiah speaks of turning our foot away from seeking our own "pleasure", and John speaks of running ahead of God. In both passages I believe they are cautioning us to follow after God and not run ahead of Him believing we have the wisdom and answers already, or veer off God's path choosing another plan. And in each passage it's important to note that following after God and His plan should be motivated by love.  

False teaching can be as subtle as failing to measure up our beliefs to God's Word, which was exactly what I was doing!! And it was so subtle I didn't realize it until verse eight leaped off the page and hit me squarely between the eyes!! 

You see girls, my guy is close to retiring, and we are SO EXCITED about this next chapter in our lives, for we will finally be able to choose how we want to spend all the years of our retirement!! The possibilities are limitless; from volunteering in ministries (who can always use help) to daily sunbathing on a tropical beach somewhere. One extreme offers our service to God and His people and the other offers total rest and doing all the things we enjoy most! 

I know what you're think... the choice seems pretty simple, doesn't it? BUT not when the world keeps telling us we "deserve a break today" because we're "worth it". I've been allowing my thoughts to wander to all the wonderful places to visit and things to do, and never bothered to include The Lord in all these thoughts. Never once did I ask Him what He would like us to do in this next chapter. That is until I read verse 8 and from there God took me back to Isaiah...

I wanted to confess all of this to you to prove John's point here-- we need to constantly be on guard and constantly in His Word, so that we don't loose what we've worked so hard for. Not our salvation- never that, but the reward that is waiting for us in heaven. The reward that won't even be able to compare to the tropical beaches here!

Blessings, 

sue