It’s a Daily Thing! (2 John 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.

THE STUDY:

          John warns of deceivers who are antichrist. These two labels identify one and the same group. These opponents were many, indicating a high level of threat. These were not cosmic figures, but human adversaries. Along with 1 Tim 4:1, this verse points out the demonic character of false doctrine.

As in 1 John 4:2, the deceivers in 2 John deny that Jesus has come in the flesh. Some interpreters suggested that this emphasizes Jesus’ continuing humanity. The incarnation was not a blip on the screen of eternity. This implies a permanence to the incarnation. Jesus continues to be very God and very man.

The secessionists were the deceivers (the “antichrists” of 1 John 2:18–23) who had left the churches and were denying the incarnation. They considered spirit good and the body evil. They could not embrace a fully incarnate deity or one who truly died on the cross and rose bodily from the grave. They believed Christ only appeared to inhabit flesh, but did not really do so. They were deceivers because they claimed his humanity was a deception. John viewed them as embracing a spirit opposed to a truth about Christ, thus they were “anti” (against) Christ.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that as a believer we embrace Christ and His fullness (incarnate deity/fully human). Trying to remove or add to the concept of Christ is viewed as being against (anti) Christ.

CONCLUSION:

           I have had the privilege of counseling married couples over the years and the one thing that seems to open their eyes is the concept of Love. Love is a choice not based on an emotion. You choose to love one another. Once the choice is made, the remainder of the years is a daily decision to honor that choice.

          The adversary is out to change the view we have of our Lord and Savior. We know the truth concerning Christ and so the choice is ours to either believe in His fullness or not. But, once we make the choice to believe (love) we are to spend the remainder of our time on this earth daily honoring that choice.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (191). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.