In this episode, we delve deep into the rich truths found within the short yet profound book of 2 John. Although it’s a brief book composed of only 13 verses, it packs a powerful message about walking in truth and avoiding religious error. Join us as we explore how knowing and loving truth guides our actions and helps us recognize and reject teachings that stray from the path defined by Christ.
Friends, from the book of 2 John, it is evident that we are to walk in truth. But we also note from the same book how we need to avoid religious error. Let’s study that today from the International Gospel Hour, coming right up.
SPEAKER 03 :
Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. Welcome to our broadcast today. For over 90 years, Churches of Christ have proclaimed God’s Word through our broadcasts. Just ahead is another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour. Let’s begin.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, thank you to our J-Web for his kind words, and greetings to all of you. You know, the book of 2 John is not a long book. It’s only 13 verses. But my, is it rich in truth, as all the books of the Bible are. As a matter of fact, in a previous broadcast, we noted how one walks in truth by knowing truth, thus loving truth. And what one knows and loves, one accepts, and one depends on truth and will follow truth. Again, all of this we learned in verses 1 through 6. For the remainder of the book, though, John warns us of error, teaching that is against truth. We’re going to consider those warnings today. But first, in light of this, our J-Web has a few thoughts concerning error and truth, along with a free gift for you today. Here is our J-Web.
SPEAKER 03 :
In a world of division and even confusion in the religious world, friends, please know this. The Bible is always right. The free booklet, Something is Wrong, But the Bible is Right, is available from International Gospel Hour. Please call us toll-free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, your address, and just say, Bible Tract. That’s it. You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the Contact tab, and leave us the same information, name, address, and type Bible Tract in the message box. We will get it to you right away.
SPEAKER 01 :
And now, friends, let’s read 2 John, verses 7 through 11, as we consider the warnings of error. 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. Look to yourselves that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. 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. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him, for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. During John’s time, he is battling specifically with a group called the Gnostics. That’s spelled G-N-O-S-T-I-C-S. The G is silent. This group, they were divided into two camps, and yet they were in unity to destroy Jesus Christ. There was one group called the Deceptics who denied the humanity of Christ, and the Corinthians who denied the divinity of Christ. Well, when you take that, friends, that can destroy a lot of faith. But you know, John said we do not lose those things we worked for. We do not lose the truth in which we abide. Now, let’s ask this question. Is this solely the erroneous doctrine about Christ himself that we are to avoid? In other words, as long as someone believes and teaches correctly about the humanity and divinity of Christ, can one be accepted? Friends, we submit to you in the context of the doctrine of Christ that, first off, no, no, and a thousand times no. Rather, when we see the doctrine of Christ or the teaching of Christ, it embraces everything concerning the Christ. Let’s consider some others where we see Jesus speaking of their doctrine. In Matthew 16 and verse 12, Jesus mentions about the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. He’s dealing with the teaching of everything that they would embrace. The same in Revelation 2.14. It’s not just the doctrine about Balaam and if he existed and who he was, but all the teaching that pertained to Balaam and the doctrine about the Nicolaitans. Same thing in Revelation 2 and verse 15. We must be careful, friends, when we teach concerning Jesus Christ. when we teach concerning, yes, His humanity and divinity, but when we speak concerning the church and of salvation and things pertaining to Christ. From verses 7 through 8, error is to be recognized. He says many deceivers have gone out into the world. You need to know who these deceivers are. May I submit to you three things in this regard. Recognize the speaker. A deceiver who comes from the deceiver, Satan, Revelation 20 and verse 10. There are individuals who will disguise themselves religiously. But when you listen to, here’s the second word, their statements against Christ are not in accordance with His will. The word that will judge us, the same will judge us in the last day. Jesus, John 12 and verse 48, he made that statement. And when we see these are things not in accordance with the will of Christ, There, friends, we need to take what we hear, and not only hear at International Gospel Hour, but any broadcast. And it should prompt us to search the Scriptures to see if those things are so. In Acts 17, verses 10 and 11, those in Berea were more fair-minded or noble than those in Thessalonica. in that they received the word with readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so. Many an individual has come to the truth about the oneness of the church and salvation in Christ through faith, repentance, confession, and baptism, among other truths that one finds when they put man-made teaching against the divinely inspired word of God. 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17 reminds us that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. God’s Word is sufficient for us to put the teachers to the test. And friends, if there is something that we are teaching here that does not seem correct, and in light of Scripture, then friends, we would encourage anyone to look at those things as long as God’s Word is the authority by which it is used. And we must recognize its subtraction. In other words, don’t lose what one has. Don’t lose the things we worked for, 2 John verse 8. And concerning truth… In other words, we’ve put some blood, sweat, and tears into this. We must truly see if the person is walking with truth. So we recognize the speaker, we recognize the statements, put them up against the scripture, and recognize the subtraction. Don’t allow error to take you away from truth. And we are reminded of the distinct difference, friends. The more that we are involved in error than truth, the more wrong than right, we will go in that direction. Jesus said there were two directions, the straight gate and the wide gate that leads to destruction. Straight gate and broad is the way. And friends, that’s Matthew 7, 13 and 14. Someone will say, well, just as long as you believe, you’re okay. Friends, unless we believe the things that be of God’s word, which is truth, John 17, 17 and Romans 10, 17, we need to put it to the test. As we look at verses 9-11, error is to be rebuked. We are to maintain our faithfulness with the truth. In Galatians 1, verses 6-9, Paul warned them of turning to another gospel which is not another. There is only one gospel, Romans 1-16. But if they turned to that gospel, he warned them that they would be accursed. Such passages as Romans 16 and verse 17 that says, Mark them or make them known and avoid them. Don’t listen. And in Matthew 7 and verse 15, Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. So Jesus taught us, and as he went on to say in verses 16 and 17 of Matthew 7, By their fruits we shall know them. Friends, there is no other conclusion that can be made. When we address these things concerning error with the word of God, We are carrying through the commands of our Lord. And we must make certain that what we hear, that we study and we search to make certain those things are so. And friends, concerning study, earlier our J-Web mentioned the free booklet, Something is Wrong but the Bible is Right. We’d love to send that to you. But we also offer a number of tools for online study of the Bible and even Bible study by mail. Today we’d like to offer you the online study of the Bible that is free from our friends at World Bible School. And here is our J-Web with the details of how you can receive and go online and begin that study.
SPEAKER 03 :
Maybe you’d like an online study of the Bible. Sign up today. Tell them the International Gospel Hour sent you.
SPEAKER 01 :
And now, friends, let’s conclude our study of 2 John very quickly with verses 12 and 13. John says, Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come to you and speak face to face that our joy may be full. The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen. Therein, friends, this book reminds us to walk in truth and accept the warnings of error. When such is done, joy, that is true joy, will be full. And friends, the study of 2 John is a great encouragement. Small in the number of verses, but powerful in truth as is every book of the Bible. And how grateful that we are to study this good book. The first part of this book, 2 John, as we study walking in truth, is available at our website at internationalgospelhour.com should you like to go back and listen to the first lesson. We truly appreciate you tuning in today. And again, if we can send you the free booklet, Something is Wrong, But the Bible is Right, call us toll free at 855-444-6988 and we will send that to you. The online study of the Bible is at worldbibleschool.org. And we hope that these study tools will be of help to you in your study of God’s Word as you seek the truth, which is the Word of God. May God bless you in your studies, and we will continue these studies at another time. Thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour broadcast. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
SPEAKER 02 :
God be with you till we meet again.
SPEAKER 03 :
Thank you for listening to our broadcast today and we hope you continue onward with your search and study of God’s Word. Please join us next time and visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com God be with you till we meet again.
