1-3 John - 2nd John 1:10-13 False teachers - Part 2

All right, I think we're going to read the whole epistle again. It's short, it's 13 verses, and the last several verses here are kind of really paralleled very, very carefully in 3 John. So some people have actually been critical of the fact that the ending of 2 John is almost identical to the ending of 3 John. So what's going on here? Obviously, the critics are finding ways to tear down the Word of God however they want to do it. But just keep in mind, the last two verses are going to be seen again as we look at 3rd John and close all the epistles of John in a couple of weeks. So who would like to read 2nd John?

And I found certain that my children were walking in truth, even as we received commandment from the Father. And now I received, Steve, lady, not as though I wrote to thee a new commandment, that which we have from the beginning, that we love one another, and this is love, that we should walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, even as you heard it from the beginning, that you should walk in him, walk in it rather.

For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, even they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the Antichrist. Look to yourselves, that ye lose not the things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward. Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. If anyone cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting. For he that giveth him greeting partaketh in the evil works. Having many things to write unto you, I have not written, I would not write them with paper and ink, but I hope to come unto you, and to speak face to face, that your joy may be made full, the children of thine elect sisters salute.

Okay, thanks Jim. Remember as we proceed here through John, John is black and white. There's not a lot of gray here and I think what we're going to be looking at today really is an extension of this kind of yea and nay kind of atmosphere, north and south if you will, Gary.

So, last week we looked at the deceivers and how did we define the deceivers? Was it believe not that Jesus came in the flesh? Okay, good. That's one of the major issues with the deceivers. It talked about the Antichrist and talked about deceivers. Is this a contradiction of scripture in some way? Remember, Antichrist was used as a singular noun and deceivers initially were introduced in the plural form. Yeah, but didn't we talk about that when it talks about the Antichrist it's sort of a group of people who don't believe? Now that's, I think, the conclusion we've made. The Antichrist is the prototype of many like him, who in fact deny the birth of God the Son, correct?

Alright, and the doctrine of Christ, we're going to look at this today. The doctrine of Christ is what? It's built on two things in 2 John, and by the way in 1 John, and in the Gospel of John. The doctrine of Christ. Two things. Truth and love. Good. We're ready to begin. This is good.

Alright, so in verse 10, New King James, if anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, remember the doctrine. The doctrine is Christ came in the flesh, was crucified, buried, and risen in newness of life, and he represents truth and love. This doctrine, do not receive him into your house or greet him." Wow, pretty tough language here, right? John, white versus black, right?

No gray zone here. Alright, let's look at the verse a little bit more in detail. If anyone comes is a present middle deponent slash active indicative. We're going to spend 20 minutes on this. No, we're not actually going to. All right, so this is one of these ifs, okay? And Roger, Jim, and others probably could take this a lot further than I can.

I really, and Roy too, have tried to kind of drill down on this. But the thing I came away with after much insight into this whole interpretation is perhaps it's best interpreted some are coming, and the reason for that is that first the middle deponent is often interpreted as an active verb. And it says if anyone comes, it's not when, if they come, because it's indicative, it's factual, they are coming. So if it's since they're coming, and this is not the if, if they come, it's not subjunctive, it's indicative, they're coming.

So the way we interpret this is these guys are going to show up. They are coming. They have come. But it's present tense. So it's kind of like, you know, you got these Gnostics all around you. Expect them to be there. We're going to look at the application about this here in a second. Which doctrine? Well, we kind of touched on that already, didn't we? And it's the doctrine that's described in verse 9. Jim, read verse 9 again, could you please?

Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. Okay, the teaching is in fact interpreted doctrine at times, okay? And again, the doctrine is founded on truth and love. Truth is used five, six times here in 2 John, used many times in 3 John. So, I think we discussed this a few weeks ago, Roger, didn't we, when you were teaching. The fact that truth is the foundation, is it not? I mean, isn't that what we seek when we study the Word of God?

It's truth. And truth is really the beginning. Truth, in my opinion, is greater than faith and love and all these other things and all the fruits of the Spirit. I mean, truth is clearly foundational. Yeah, right. And what's really neat is the Lord Jesus says He is the singular truth. I mean, He defined truth and Christ are synonymous. So when we say that it's truth and love, we're basically saying it's Christ and love. I am the way, the truth, and the life. Truth and love really is the Lord Jesus Christ. Period. No further discussion.

Whose house are we talking about here? My house? Or your house? I think it means the church in a sense. Well, this is the reason I raised the question. Well, remember that the church was often in the home, right? So, do you think this is broadly applied to the church? In other words, if some skeptic comes in here who does not abide by the doctrine comes in here, this is the house that John is referring to? Or is it in fact our personal homes? Or both? Let's look at these two verses just to remind us.

Romans 16.5, Donna, and Colossians 4.15. Gary, please. Romans 16 5 likewise greet the church that is in their house salute my well-beloved Whoever who is the first verse of a kayak? Yeah unto Christ Gail, would you please read Romans 16? I thought I would meet Esther to class. Gary, the Colossians passage, please.

I greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and also in Nympha, and the church that is in her house. All right, so the fact that the church was in the home is something that even is true today, is it not? But I don't think that this applies simply to the church. I think it applies to the Henderson residence or the Harris residence or the Hemingway residence.

I mean it applies to all of us in fact in our homes when in fact we're visited by this kind of person. Who is this visitor and what should our response be to them? Who's the visitor? Let's define the visitor. I have a question. The question is, in the verse, what is the Greek for receive? Is it to greet them, or to know them, or is received truly to embrace? No, it's to actually invite them in. That is what the word means. Okay, that was my question. It doesn't mean bond with them doctrinally, it says just have them, be hospitable, is kind of the best interpretation. So who is this visiting? It's the Antichrist. The Antichrist. The people we've been talking about. The deceivers, right? And how should we respond to them according to John? Bye-bye. See ya. No fellowship here, right? Now, won't we then be turning a lot of people away?

If we're going to find the deceiver is someone who in fact isn't saved, I mean, is that what the verse is saying? That we, in fact, can't open our homes? And by the way, Scripture doesn't contradict itself, right? And we're going to look at how it doesn't in this particular circumstances. And I say, no, not necessarily. This is not all of the unsaved who may come our way.

That's not who John is addressing here. So who's John addressing? Well, those who wish to be esteemed brethren. and subvert the true doctrine of truth and love. These are people that want to influence the body and are either directly or indirectly taking us doctrinally astray. These are, if you will, the agnostics of the times and people, in fact, who are not steeped in the faith.

This is not strangers. Remember, we may be entertaining angels. by entertaining strangers. Angels unaware, right? We're going to come back to that here in a second. John does not refer here to entertaining strangers. Let's look at these two verses because it does look at the scripture and how it addresses strangers.

Tom, how about Hebrews 13.2 and Ingrid, 1 Timothy 5.10. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers Isn't that a neat verse?

It's not like we open up our homes because we're maybe going to be entertaining an angel. Have you thought about that recently when you have unsafe people come to your house? We have a lot of unsafe people come to our home. It's part of my work and part of Margaret's sorority connections. Maybe there's going to be an angel show up sometime.

That's not why we open our home. We open it because Margaret's hospitable and I hang out with her. No, we love opening up our home. In fact, when Sharon and I built the house, we really wanted that to be used by the Lord to spread the gospel by His power and His Spirit.

Anyway, so keep in mind, hospitality is not what this verse is talking about. Second verse, Ingrid. Okay. And is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble, and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. And who's that speaking of? a widow who is over 60 who has been faithful to her husband. Again, hospitality is part of that grace extended through her, right?

So the idea of not having unsafe people in our home because we're entertaining the Antichrist or the prototype represented in deceivers, I think John purposely here is addressing people that are trying to mislead the body, right? Who are denying the truth and love of who the Lord Jesus Christ is, okay? Now, here are some examples. But how about that visit from the Gnostic propagandists of the day? That's the environment, in fact, where John was going. How about the Jehovah's Witnesses at our doorstep? How about the Mormons? A fit? I think so. Anybody disagree? Are we there to challenge and argue with these people who come to our doorstep? Has anybody successfully won any of those arguments? Jim and then Tom. Jim?

Just a question. Do you think that the Gnostics of these epistles were knowingly deceiving? Or do you believe that they were not knowingly deceiving? I don't know. What do you think, Jim? That's not fair. Let's go on to Tom. This is what I learn when I get a tough question. Would anyone like to answer Jim's question? Let's venture the path of speculation.

I presume some were purposely misleading and some perhaps were ignorant that they were misleading the body. I think they could come in both flavors. entirely speculation. I'm not sure scripture is so clear here. Well, it's true of the Jehovah Witness or the Mormons. They truly believe that to be the truth. And so I think that they're not... I mean, they're really just ignorant that that's not the truth.

Yeah, my thought was if the Gnostics of John's time were literally trying to come back to a body that they had once been a part of and then deceive and then pull away and draw them into a teaching You know, we were never a part of their body, and they believe that they are truthfully presenting the gospel to us. Obviously, we believe it's deception, but I was just curious as to how synonymous this analogy was for us today. It may not be perfect, and I didn't really claim it to be perfect. All I'm saying is that maybe this is the modern interpretation of being misled, attempting to be misled by someone who's not founded on the doctrine of Christ. Remember, it's the doctrine of Christ.

Christ is the issue. Christ is always the issue. This recent cab ride I had in Washington with this, this guy said something that seemed correct, morally and spiritually correct, and I agreed, and then I got thrown Allah for 20 minutes, and I didn't get a word in edgewise. I mean, Christ is the issue. This guy tore down Christ as who he is, what he represented, and everything about him, saying it's just a bunch of myth. Well, we've got 20 centuries now of myth that's been portrayed in multiple ways in terms of the historical Christ, right? So, anyway, all that aside. So, in that sense, whether it's knowingly or unknowingly, if you can bug someone off of Christ, Yeah, Christ is the issue.

And with Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, by the way, the Mormons played the game fairly well with you for a while, don't they? I mean, they're more capable of extending you a little further in terms of your own faith. But ultimately, Christ is the issue. The Jehovah's Witnesses are out in the left field someplace.

It doesn't take you very long to find out where you're at with them. But I don't think these are people that we invite in. In fact, I think that's a trip to danger when you invite them in. And we don't bid them good day or Godspeed, which is really the Greek interpretation.

Yes, go ahead. Lately, I don't know how they started this, but even though you talk to them out on the doorstep, they always say, can we pray for you? And I say, no. Do you smile when you say that? So you've got Mormon friends. They're not coming to the door to share their faith, but they're Mormon friends. How do you apply this to that? Well, Mormon friends, how do we apply this to that? Well, friends in the sense of neighbors. Or business friends. Well, but the question is when you invite a Mormon friend into your home, is this the issue?

No. It's not the issue. I mean, so we don't judge people before they come in to say, gee, you know, you can come to my house, but oh, by the way, don't bring this up, right? I mean, it's, you know, no. But if they start taking your kids in the other room, then you're going to... Then what?

Remember, I said 10 minutes ago, John's black and white here. I mean, I think he's dealing with the active deceivers of the time. But being hospitable to the unsaved is certainly something we're called to do as a body. And we looked at a couple of verses to represent that. So I think a Mormon friend invited for a social gathering is not what this verse is talking about. there's a bunch of present tenses in here, and I noticed in Wiest it stopped receiving, it assumed that it's already going on.

So he's warning you, you're receiving these people in, you know, you shouldn't be doing that, it's something that's already, you already have participated in that. He's warning them, don't keep participating in that, stop doing that. And John's very much in that way. He tells them, stop doing this, start doing this.

Well, again, back to the verse, if anyone comes, it assumes they're coming. I mean, that the if there is since. Since they're coming, It's indicative. It's factual. They are coming. So yeah, this is good. All right, let's go ahead. We could spend the rest of the hour here speculating on who we should invite. But I think the issue is the active deceiver here who's trying to promote acceptance. in your body are ultimately trying to draw you out into a wrong theology. I think this is an active...

This really underscores the need to be walking in the spirit, doesn't it? It does. To really be able to discern who is the deceiver and who is just someone who's unwittingly bought into The gospel is simple, but I think knowing again that simply our sins being forgiven is stopping a little short, that's milk. We need to really be firmly founded in the Lord Jesus Christ.

They want to come into your house and share something as being the truth that isn't. That's a good additional dissection. You know, if it's a business partner. They're not coming into your home that way. Right, Jim, so the Mormon neighbor, they're not invited to bring the doctrine, right? These people are, I think, actively seeking to bring it. It's a good point. You okay with that? I'm working on it.

He'll kill us next week. Okay, so again, John says we don't even really greet them or say Godspeed. I mean, these are people we need to shut the door on very quickly. And this is from Romans 16, 17, 18, Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you've learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.

Nancy, back to the point we just made, the milk of the word of God is my sins have been forgiven, I have eternal life, right? But the meat is finding out who we are and ultimately learning the doctrine. I mean, this is the Gospel 201, not 101. Again, to be saved, you simply have to believe on the cross and everything it stands for. But going beyond that is really knowing our doctrine. And John continues to profess that doctrine in these kinds of examples in terms of black versus white. In verse 11 then, he says, for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

Oh wow, I mean this even builds on what we've just been looking at. You mean if I in fact invite these people in, I'm sharing in their deeds? Let's look at this. I found this quite interesting. He said, doesn't this seem a bit harsh? The fact that if we in fact enter into a conversation, or greet them in kind of a, anything but an unaccepting manner, we ultimately are put in a position of sharing the deeds. So, a commentary I like sometimes, sometimes I don't, but I like this one, so I have it to share with you.

So, JFB, by wishing a false brother or teacher God or good speed, you imply that he's capable as such of good speed and joy, parenthesis the literal meaning of the Greek, and that you wish him while opposing Christ, so you identify yourself with his evil deeds. So in other words, accepting him, we kind of bond with his purpose.

The Greek term for this is partaker, which is koinonia. And I put the koinonia, and it wasn't in the commentary, but koinonia is, you know, the stellar ship, right? And that has ultimately communion-related implications. So, you know, we cannot have communion with saints and with the Antichrist at the same time.

I mean, I thought the commentary really extended this about as far as you could go. So allowing a conversation and gracefully greeting these people and conversing with them is in fact having communion with them. I mean, again, the harshest interpretation, but yet I think potentially consistent with Koinonia and what it represents.

Thoughts? It's the last time I talk with a general who is witnessing the application. Yeah, go ahead, Pat. This is kind of a different view of it. But in Jude, he talks about, he says, I write to you to exhort you to contend earnestly for the faith. And if we're contending for the faith, it seems like perhaps in the workplace we've come across Mormons or whatever. And we've discussed some of these issues.

I mean, whether it's at work or somebody on your doorstep, what's the difference? Yeah, I think we can't be overly specific in terms of the circumstances. I mean, the Spirit leads the believer, right? I mean, if you're having a conversation with a Mormon Jehovah's Witness that relates to the truth of the Gospel, I don't think that's inviting the hospitality in your house, you know, having sitting down and sharing doctrine with them.

I think it's a different environment. I don't know. One of the things in this verse that it's really saying, though, when he leaves, that's like you're putting a stamp of approval on what he's saying. Rather than condemnation, you're telling him to make noise. I don't know any other way to say it than what it says right there. Other thoughts, yeah?

I think you made up a good point that most of the church met at homes, people's homes, and I think that this does underscore the importance of preserving doctrine, because if you're just allowing anybody to come in and say anything, you need to protect the rest of the body and preserve the truth. importance there. Right. But whether it be church in the home or in fact your own home, I think it applies equally to that. But as Pat brought up, what about someone who approaches you in a workplace with a conversation?

I think that the Spirit must lead. In fact, if you see open doors in terms of sharing Christ and who He is, I mean, they're not trying to ultimately, I think, be part of the body. They're trying to in fact convert your thought process and your own faith into theirs. Ultimately you have to decide when there's no conversation. The Spirit's got to lead there. I think you can't really extend this into the virtual world we all live in.

I think this is talking about you know, Christian hospitality, and there were not to be deceived. I mean, John very clearly calls a deceiver someone who doesn't believe that God became man. I mean, that's the Gnostic position of the day. I think my experience is that you know what they, the core of their doctrine, and they don't want to go there until they've kind of deceived you to a certain degree about minor things.

So my experience is, just go right to the core issue, and if they don't want to agree with that, then check them out. then they're out the door. I think there's a perfect opportunity to shut the door even in that conversation in the workplace, Pat. You say we really have nothing to talk about here. I mean, you're not in your home, you're not in the church body home, but you're in fact in your own tabernacle, your own home, and your home's being violated by false doctrine. I think you can shut the door on that.

Tom? The reason we're going so slowly is moving on, there's limited amount before us. Is this the ultimate of application? I'm saying this in one and only way. There are various means of dealing with this. I don't think we're going to dictate how we should all perform here.

The purpose of the verse is to say, don't be deceived. And there's no reason to get into an extensive conversation with someone who's trying to lead you from the doctrine of Christ. Gail and then Jim. The word tells us there is no fellowship between darkness and light. We need to be aware of that and not allow ourselves to overlook that and try to have a fellowship or try to be in agreement about something that is not doctrinally correct. Now I'm going to extend what Gail said even to the body itself.

Don't you find at times the fellowship even with believers sometimes is hard? I mean we agree on the simplistic aspect of the gospel. But the idea that the Adam nature has been crucified, buried and risen in the newness of life is an issue. We talked about this Friday night at the Bible study, right? I mean, this is another level and fellowships can be dampened here. That's not what John's talking about here.

But yet, I think you're correct. And you start getting really specific about, oh, is it okay if we come in out of the snow? Or is it okay if we come in out of the heat? And, you know, for these believers, they're referred to as children. They're being warned, you know, little children, they're being warned as those that are just them from falling into what was a movement. And that would be the closest thing that we could relate ourselves to, I think, in this situation, is being a young body, having just received some of this information, maybe even for the first time, having those that were sitting there across the table with us, going out, coming back to our houses, trying to come back in, have that dinner that they had two months ago, And I think what you said was really key. We walk by the Spirit and we have to be careful.

And whether you're in the entryway or the outside or inside, I mean, the idea is the reception of false teaching and the embracing of it by supporting it with hospitality and so forth. But I guess I get hung up with those of us that want to be active in evangelical outreach to not let somebody into our quote-unquote entryway or door, or to get so specific as to think that. But I think that the idea there is these are young believers that are being warned and protected and sheltered from, not to say that we shouldn't have fellowship, render an outward victory, but there are instances where things do change in a Mormon or a Jehovah's Witness mindset because you took the time to not fellowship, but present truth in light of error. I think the purpose here is not to create a list of when we should entertain these individuals and when we shouldn't. I think it's a strong message that says don't be deceived. and don't be drawn from the doctrine of Christ. And stand firm. And that could be, to a mature believer, really a very wonderful experience.

Really explaining where we're at and why we're where we're at. Donna? Well, I was just thinking of our fellowship here and how the elders really do protect the body. Because we have had people come in that have a different sort of doctrine and want to get that message out. And I think that's one of the roles of the elders is that they're careful this way to protect. Thank you elders.

Any other thoughts on this before we move into the last two verses, which are a little bit more pragmatic and less worthy of in-depth conversation, although knowing this group, you never know what we're going to expect. I think what I kind of concluded from this verse and the previous ones, this is so so critically important to understand what the doctrine is and what the truth really is.

And that's the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the beginning and the end. And keep in mind, as John said in verse 9, the relationship with Christ also bonds us to the Father because they're one. So I think we're criticized as Christians by other faiths ultimately by putting our objects in the Son, who's not believed to be the Son of God to begin with, and so therefore we're actually being misled. And that was the nature of this cab conversation a few weeks ago with this guy in Washington, is that I'm worshiping the son, not the father, right? He took me back to Genesis.

Anyway, it was just... All right, so verse 12. Yes. Okay. Having many things to write for 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 made full. Why do you think John was reluctant to write? It might have been an explosive situation and he was waiting for further developments and then maybe being led by the spirit to be able to say the right thing in due course of time. Tom, that's very analytical. I'm not discounting it, I'm just saying that's very analytical. Other thoughts? There's so much that is communicated by body language, facial expression, tone of voice, I really like that and the other thing is the practicality of writing.

Writing wasn't so simple back then. So paper was made of Egyptian papyrus, pens were split reeds, and the ink was made of soot and water and thickened with gum. This was not a simple deal. If you read in more detail about what writing was back then, it just wasn't easy.

That's one thing. But I think Nancy really hit an incredible point. I was just going to say today, too, could this be equated to texting versus a phone call or even getting together? don't live it up. In fact, my daughter and I were texting back and forth when Margaret and I were out to dinner last night. But anyway, she wasn't well, so we were dealing with that by text. Why didn't I get off the phone and call her? You know why I didn't call her? Because she wouldn't answer.

You know, it is. It's all about body language. And now you have Twitter, where you can Twitter someone anonymously. And no one even knows where that comes from. You can't Twitter someone back. And so it's so easy to just send these barbs or whatever and be totally oblivious to any consequences. I think this is, to some extent, a sickness of our age. And in fact, I think it's represented here. To build on what Nancy said, John hoped to be with them and trusted that he would be. I mean, so why should I write? I'm going to be getting together with you guys fairly soon. So, why write it?

And the other thing is, if you look at the Greek, this is not face-to-face, but it's mouth-to-mouth. I mean, it's not like this is artificial, never mind. This is not CPR or something like that, but anyway, it's clearly, it's being together, seeing someone's expression, seeing their hand movements.

I mean, let me kind of go down a rabbit trail for a second. In the job in which I have, getting a grant is everything in science and medicine. If you don't have funding, you can't do research. And so if you don't publish doing your research, you don't get more funding. Anyway, that's kind of the game I play.

And so today, to save on dollars, the federal government is often having grants reviewed by teleconference rather than being in person. Let me tell you, it's a whole different process. People are distracted by their email, they're on the phone, and they say, you know, Bonnie, what do you think of that particular aspect of the application? Excuse me? Nobody's paying attention. You don't see facial movements, you don't see hand movements. I mean, John wants to be with them. You gotta admit, being here in Sunday School class, I mean, we can listen to the Holly Hills tapes all we want, but there's something about being together, isn't there?

In terms of the way you express yourself, the way your messages are perceived, the way they're potentially not received acceptably, you get into a conversation. By phone or by writing, it's just not the same dynamic. People agree with that for the most part? I think we live in a very electronically driven age, and texting is fine in terms of rapid communication. But boy, it's not the same as being with somebody or even having a fun conversation. Nancy, Tom.

Certainly the scriptures are inspired in and were written by the Spirit moving them to write and so they're pretty clear. But then God also gifted us with teachers because sometimes just reading it isn't enough for some of us who are a little slower. Well, right, this is the way God's chosen to reach the body, right, by the Scripture. By the way, the Scripture was recorded on parchment, not papyrus. So it's a different process of recording the words of God.

All right, so face-to-face means mouth-to-mouth, and this is also used in 3 John 1.14. Remember I told you earlier that the epilogue, if you will, to 3 John is very similar to 2 John. Why write when we can speak? I mean that's again kind of what we're dealing with.

Writing was clearly not a simple task and I pointed that out. The papyrus, the pens were crude, the ink was needed to be constructed. Not simple. And the other thing is in the verse it says that in that way the joy they all shared regarding the doctrine of Christ could be literally filled full, meaning if they in fact were together, that joy may be experienced on a higher level.

I mean, maybe I'm reading a little bit into that, but I think that's kind of what John is saying. Let's go back to the verse again. Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper name, but I hope to come to you and speak face to face that our joy may be full. I mean, it could be full with writing too, but I think the condition, the qualification here is the joy maybe would be more full if we could share this one with the other. Again, that may be a little bit overly spiritualizing. Let's look at a few verses that support that position. So Caroline, could you get a Bible? Is that your name, correct? Could you do John 1511? And Gail, let's do John 1624. And Becky, John 1713.

And Margaret, 2 Timothy 1.4.

And let's see, Craig, you got, what are you working on, a PDA here? What is this? You're kind of fulfilling the prophecy of this verse, aren't you? Okay, we're going to have you do this first John 1, 4 and a half hour from now when you get that up we'll listen to you. Okay, proceed as John 15, 11.

These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full. Okay, 16, 24. Hitherto have you asked nothing in my name, ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. Alright, 1713. I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. Okay, 2nd Timothy. Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy. Okay, and the last one. These things we write so that our joy may be made complete. Okay, so there we see this balance between writing with joy and also being present with that same joy. I sense that John would prefer to be with them personally than simply write it.

And then it says in 2 Corinthians 3. Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink. But by the spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh, that is the heart. So again, written not with ink. that the fact that the message can be transmitted not necessarily only by writing, but in fact by the fact that the God himself has written that message in our hearts, and that can be shared personally perhaps better than it can by writing. And again, this sentiment is often reflected elsewhere. So let's look at these verses. We have a few minutes to do so. So Roger, Romans 15, 24. Bonnie, 1 Corinthians 16, 5-7.

Gary, how about Laman 1.22?

And then Tom, how about Hebrews 13.19-23?

Romans 15.24?

Yes. It says, Whenever I go to Spain, for I hope to see you in Passover, and to help you on my way by you when I have first enjoyed your company for a while. But I will come to you after I go through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia. And perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way wherever I may go. For I do not wish to see you now just in passing, for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits. At the same time also prepare me a lodging for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.

Again, physical presence alluded to in all those passages. Again, ink works fine, the Bible is printed word, the spirit leads to reveal the truth, but ultimately being present together is superior in many ways than just writing. Is this a lesson for us today? I don't know. I mean, I think the fellowshipping one with another can be done electronically, but I think again we've made the point that ultimately being together is really very, very special in terms of sharing the doctrine and fellowshipping around it.

Okay, so the final verse in 2 John, the children of your elect sister greet you. Amen. Who is this elect or chosen sister? And so remember back in verse 1, Could these be the children of the same elect lady in verse 1, do you think? And where is she now? So here's verse 1. To the elect lady and her children whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth. And the question is, has she died at this point? I don't know. It's the children. If it's the same woman, it's her children, right? So maybe she's gone home to be with the Lord. Who knows? I think speculation can be infinite here. We just don't know.

Some people say maybe the lady represents the church itself, but I think it's probably referring back to verse 1. So a close similarity to the closing verses of 3 John has been noted, and again, the skeptics would say that this is evidence that the Bible isn't all that it's claimed to be. There are slight differences in the original Greek. I took a quick look at it, but we don't need to really dwell on that here.

So, what's the take home message of 2 John? I think it's the doctrine. It's the doctrine of Lord Jesus Christ which is central and essential. John in his ways of defining yea versus nay and white versus black is again really centered the doctrine in the truth and love of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's the doctrine. And that's, in fact, what the take-home message is. When that's violated by people trying to lead us astray, we stand strong in the truth and in the Lord and ultimately need to deal with that as the circumstances prevail. Other thoughts about 2 John?

Who teaches next week? So third time, and we're finishing. Oh, actually, there's no class on Christmas and New Year's. So actually, it's just two more classes to go. Actually, three, I'm sorry. Two and third time, and then a wrap up. And then a wrap up, right. All right, good. All right, let's close in prayer. Craig, can you close this, please? Lord, we thank you for your word and your truth that we can learn each day and that we can apply to our lives. We just pray that you make it real to us this week. In Jesus' name, Amen.