Day 354

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The Antidote for False Teaching!

2 John Introduction

"Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." These words of Paul (1 Corinthians 10:12) could be a subtitle for 2 John, a brief letter from the Apostle John that stresses the importance of balance. The readers, a "dear woman" and her children, are standing, and John commends them for it. But he warns them not to aid the false teachers abroad who deny the true humanity of Christ. John exhorts the readers to love God and one another, obeying God's commandments, but warns that it is false charity to open the door to false teaching.

Scripture

December 19—2 John: Combating False Teaching

Observation

John addresses this brief letter to a dear woman and her children, commending them for walking in the truth and encouraging them to remain faithful in their obedience to God. John takes nothing for granted. Realizing that standing is just one step removed from falling, he issues them a reminder: Love one another. While this is not a new command, it is important enough to bear repeating! Loving one another is equivalent to walking according to God's commandments. But this love must be discerning. Biblical love does not embrace false teachers who deny that Christ has come in the flesh.

Application

Ask the average parent to tell you the happiest moment during the parenting years, and chances are good that the day the child first learned to walk will be high on the list! There is something magical about a little tyke taking those first wobbly steps. John would understand those emotions, for he found his greatest fulfillment in watching his spiritual children learn to walk.
  1. John's spiritual children were living in the Truth (vv. 2-4).
  2. His children were walking in the truth (v. 6). They incarnated the truth they believed in their daily words and deeds.
  3. His children were abiding in the truth (v. 9). Their faith was grounded in the objective statements of God's Word.
What progress have you made during the past year in learning to live, walk and abide in the truth? Where do you want to be next year at this time? Set some specific goals today; place them in your Bible; pray about them daily; and grow daily in the truth.

Prayer

Lord, you say that if we remain in you and your Word remains in us, we may ask whatever we wish, and it will be given to us. Your house is called the house of prayer because prayer is the most important of it tasks so the Bible also may be called the book of prayer. Prayer is the great theme of  the Bible message to mankind. As the Word of Christ dwells richly in us, we become transformed into your likeness and are able to notice and resist false teaching and the devil. By faith in your Word and the Spirit our faith is the body and substance of our prayer and your Word becomes the basis of and the inspiration for us to pray and to pray for one another as well. We thank you for your Word that we know the Truth that our Savior, Jesus Christ lives and is making atonement for our sins past, present and future. We praise your holy name for being so good to us. In Jesus' name we pray! Amen! 






© Odessa Mathis about my Father's business! 2020

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