seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
2 John 1:1 The elder,
To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth— 2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:
3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.
4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.
12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
13 The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings.
a. 2 John 1:8 Some manuscripts you
This is from bible-studys.org.
The elect lady (whoever she is), is someone or group that believes in the Lord. The word "elect" tells us that. The children are not spoken of as elect. It perhaps, was like Noah and his sons. Noah pleased God, but the blessing came through Noah to his sons. The more natural understanding in context is that it refers to a particular woman and her children (i.e. offspring), who were well known to John.
In the early decades of Christianity, local churches were planted and sustained by itinerant preachers and teachers. For these workers to survive, it was necessary for believers to show hospitality. However, one had to be sure that he was not aiding and abetting false teachers, that is, those with unorthodox views of the person and work of Christ. To take such people in, John says, is to endorse their teaching.
John’s command forbids true Christians to actively support the ministry of false teachers. It is not a prohibition against having non-Christians (e.g. unsaved family members or neighbors), into one’s home, unless of course, they are spreading anti-Christian doctrine, and seeking to use one’s home as a base of operations!
This is from the easy English site.In the early days of the church, there were teachers who travelled from place to place. As they went, they taught the people about Jesus. It was the duty of the church members to receive these teachers into their homes. The church members gave the teacher whatever he needed. They looked after the teacher until he went to the next place. When he went, they blessed him.
The problem was that some of the teachers taught false things. Many of them had wrong ideas about Jesus. They did not agree that Christ became a real man. They taught that the Christ did not really die for us. They said that Jesus died as a man and not as Christ. They denied the truth that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God.
John said that such teachers were not real Christians. He said that they were against Christ. What they taught about Jesus was not true. They tried to damage the church by what they taught.
I could go on and on copying and pasting but I think we can all see where John is going. There were people in the church who were telling the people what they wanted to hear and passing the plate while the people were all hyped up and the money [shiny idols] would fly into the offering plate. It's going on today too..... humans are humans and humans do what humans do.
That's exactly why we can all be assured that Jesus was human.
The whole idea of the story of Jesus is wrapped around God made humans so they were smart enough to have a conversation with God. Then humans, being humans, thinking they have untapped upgrades and talents... decided they could decide "right from wrong" and they were "wrong". So... humans needed someone to explain to God why on earth they would do such a thing.
God being God.... would never fall for that stupid scenario the serpent laid out.... but humans did.... and it skewed everything.... humans had to leave the garden and go to work. God had to watch them be idiots.... and no matter how hard He tried.... those humans continued to use their "free will" and made bad decision after bad decision..... always stopping to say "I won't do that again" and then proceeding right down the same path. Idiot humans..... ignorant humans.....
So.... who is going to explain to God why humans do what humans do. God created these human emotions.... desire... greed.... passion.... and humans take the human emotions to the edge of the box and at times they take the emotions out of the box.... and then comes lust, rape, and murder..... humans left to their own devices would eat their own babies. It's biblical.
So.... Jesus had to be human.... all human.... while on earth.... so He could honestly testify about how being human was the "cause" of the sin. That way God wouldn't have to destroy everyone again as He did with the flood. Jesus will stand up for us and say "But Dad.... I would have done the same thing if the Mission didn't require Me to stay sinless. I understand". And that way God can release us because Jesus dropped the charges.
John said... "there are people who want to preach that Jesus wasn't human.... that He was God... He really didn't suffer those beatings and the cross." John said "these people will want to set up a home church in your home. Don't let them... you'll be helping spread lies and that will ruin everything."
Satan already had a toe in the church back in the days of John.
John was warning the good women of the church..... don't invite these anti-christs into your home.
If there were fake preachers, fake healers, and people skewing the Gospel in John's day.... just how much have they learned since then? How sharp is the sword of the anti-christ? How clever are his sermons? Is he chosen? Do we roll a golden calf on the stage whenever he's around?
John warned us against the Anti.
