II John
Living in truth and loveverses 1-3
The elder unto the elect lady and her children
whom I love in the TRUTH – and not I only
BUT also all they that have known the TRUTH
For the TRUTH’S sake – which dwells in us
and shall be with us for ever
Grace be with you – mercy – peace – FROM God the Father
and from the Lord Jesus Christ – the Son of the Father
in TRUTH and LOVE
Loving one another is the key for a belieververses 4-6
I rejoice greatly that I found of your children walking in TRUTH
as we have received a commandment from the Father
And now – I beseech you – lady
not as though I wrote a new commandment to you
BUT that which we had from the beginning
that we LOVE ONE ANOTHER
And this is LOVE – that we walk after HIS commandments
This is the commandment – that
as you have heard from the beginning
you should walk in it
Watch out for false teachersverses 7-9
For many DECIEVERS are entered into the world
who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh
this is a DECIEVER and an ANTICHRIST
Look to yourselves
that we lose not those things which we have wrought
BUT that we receive a full reward
Whosoever transgresses
and abides not in the DOCTRINE of Christ
has not God
He that abides in the DOCTRINE of Christ
he has both the Father and the Son
Don’t welcome false teachers into your churchverses 10-11
IF there come any to you – and bring not this DOCTRINE
receive him not into your house
neither bid him God speed
FOR he that bids him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds
John hopes to come to her house soonverses 12-13
Having many things to write to you
I would not write with paper and ink
BUT I trust to come to you – and speak face to face
that our JOY may be full
The children of thy elect sister greet you AMEN
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth (1588 “elect” [eklektos] means chosen, picked out, to obtain salvation through Christ, called, select, excellent, or distinguished)
DEVOTION: Some take this reference to mean that the Apostle John is talking to a church. The church is the bride of Christ.
However, it could be that this chosen lady was having a church meet in her home. The children could be the congregation.
John was concerned with the church showing love and teaching the truth of the Word of God. He wanted to be sure that the believers in this church loved the truth more than any other thing.
When we know the truth about Jesus Christ and all that HE did for us on the cross and what HE is doing for us at present we should continually want to serve HIM in love. The church universal is to be working to spread the truth of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
John loves those who are following Jesus with the truth. He has an awesome responsibility as the only living Apostle who followed Jesus for three years. He will be exiled to an island. He will receive more visions from Jesus yet he is working in the present to encourage believers to meet together and learn more about Jesus.
Remember that Jesus is the way the truth and the life for all believers. The more we know about HIM and obey HIM the better our life as a believer will be.
There is coming a day when we will be all gathered together to meet the LORD in the air. We will see all those from every nation of the world who have read and listened to the LORD.
CHALLENGE: For those of us who are leaders is our love for the truth as great as the Apostle John? Is our love for showing those in our congregation the love that the Apostle showed those under his ministry?
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. (5485 “grace” [charis] means to show kindness, goodwill, favor, graciousness, attractiveness, thankfulness, gratification, agreeableness, or acceptance)
DEVOTION: Each of the New Testament epistles or letter give us these three words. We need to understand these words.
The first word is “grace.” This means that once we are a believer the LORD doesn’t give us what we do deserve to receive from HIM. What we deserve is a place in the lake of fire. We also don’t deserve blessings while we are here on this earth. We continue to sin and need HIS correction at times.
The second word is “mercy.” This means that HE gives us things we don’t deserve but HE shows HIS love for us by giving us blessings and the other benefits like rewards and crowns.
The third word is “peace.” This is related to us in two ways. We have peace with God because of our repentance of sin. We have peace of God each day because we have the Holy Spirit within us to keep us calm no matter what our circumstances are at present.
All this will continue until we die because we are living in the truth of God and HIS love. It is a family relationship based on what Christ did on the cross.
CHALLENGE: We should be praising HIM for all these benefits.
: 9 Whosoever transgresses, and abides not in the doctrine of Christ, has not God. He that abides in the doctrine of Christ, he has both the Father and the Son. (1322 “doctrine” [didache] means teaching, instruction, or hath been taught)
DEVOTION: There was a group in John’s day that didn’t believe Christ came in a literal body. They were known as Gnostics. They thought that the body was evil and the spirit was good. They thought the flesh was evil and sinful. Therefore anyone who was in the flesh was a sinner. That would include Christ.
John taught that Christ came in the flesh and died on the cross for our sins.
John taught that Christ was sinless while in the flesh. He was warning this church to watch out for the Gnostic teachings of his day.
Today we have some Gnostic gospels coming to light. We have the gospel of Judas and Thomas. This group that was teaching false doctrine wrote these books. Also, today we have a group of churches that call themselves emerging churches. They think that we should forget the old and take a new look at all the teachings that we have learned from the past. They believe these teachings are no longer any good or were false to begin with. One individual in this group thinks that the god of the Old Testament was called Theos and was mean. In the New Testament he is called Abba and is nice. He is writing books that want to change all the teachings of Christianity. This is not something new, it has been happening from the time of Christ until present.
False teachings are regularly taught on television, radio and in the pulpits of our world. John states that if an individual doesn’t stay in the teaching that Jesus came in the flesh, he does NOT have a relationship with God. He makes it simple. Either you believe in a Savior who was God in the flesh or you don’t.
John taught to not allow these deceivers into their homes. Believers are not to practice hospitality with these individuals. They are not allowed to let them teach these doctrines in their homes. John taught these elect individuals to not believe their false teaching.
We are not to believe their false teachings today. We are not to entertain in our homes people who want to teach this false doctrine. Many cults come to our doors and we have a responsibility to witness to them but not to welcome their teachings.
John wanted to come to this church and instruct them more regarding the truth. We should be going from house to house teaching truth. Are we visiting homes with the truth of God’s word? Are we checking out the teachings of those we are supporting? The most important teachings of Scripture center on God’s love through HIS Son coming in the flesh to die for our sins. If this didn’t happen, we are still in our sins.
CHALLENGE: Understand the fundamentals of the faith. Teach the fundamentals of the faith. Challenge others to learn the fundamentals of the faith.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed. (2983 “receive” [lambano] means 1 to take. 1a to take with the hand, lay hold of, any person or thing in order to use it. 1a1 to take up a thing to be carried. 1a2 to take upon one’s self. 1b to take in order to carry away. 1b1 without the notion of violence, i.e. to remove, take away. 1c to take what is one’s own, to take to one’s self, to make one’s own. 1c1 to claim, procure, for one’s self. 1c1a to associate with one’s self as companion, attendant. 1c2 of that which when taken is not let go, to seize, to lay hold of, apprehend. 1c3 to take by craft (our catch, used of hunters, fisherman, etc.), to circumvent one by fraud. 1c4 to take to one’s self, lay hold upon, take possession of, i.e. to appropriate to one’s self. 1c5 catch at, reach after, strive to obtain. 1c6 to take a thing due, to collect, gather (tribute). 1d to take. 1d1 to admit, receive. 1d2 to receive what is offered. 1d3 not to refuse or reject. 1d4 to receive a person, give him access to one’s self, 1d41 to regard any one’s power, rank, external circumstances, and on that account to do some injustice or neglect something. 1e to take, to choose, select. 1f to take beginning, to prove anything, to make a trial of, to experience. 2 to receive (what is given), to gain, get, obtain, to get back. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship].) (MW)
DEVOTION: Someone has said that a gift is not technically a gift until it is received by someone. That is only partly true. The nature of a gift starts with the nature of the giver and his intention. However, in this Christmas season, it is still possible to give someone a gift and have them refuse it. And it hurts to have gotten a gift for someone who then decides not to accept it!
God also aches at the rejection by mankind of His greatest gift, the gift of salvation through His son Jesus Christ. The cost of the gift was extraordinary—God becoming a man, enduring suffering, and then dying on a cross for man’s sin. Why would man not receive such an extravagant gift? In addition, God has given us His gift of the Word of God, to explain who He is and what He wants us to. We need to receive this gift wholeheartedly as well, and learn from it.
In the early church, there were traveling evangelists and teachers who would come and needed a place to stay while they were in a given location. Jesus started this ministry by sending out His disciples throughout Israel. Yet, not long after His resurrection and the commissioning of His disciples to go into all the world (Acts 1:8), there were impostors who said that they were His teachers, but created another doctrine. We see this today with groups like Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Christian Scientists who deny essential doctrines of the Christian faith. They may come to your door to show you the way that they think is better than the gospel.
John’s instructions to this elder lady in this postcard were not to invite or receive them into your house. Young Christians are misled by missionaries from these groups who then proceed to try to convert them to their brand of false doctrine. We need to be on guard today against all who come to us, and not allow them to teach their false teachings to us or our churches.
CHALLENGE: There are many teachers of false doctrines present today. You need to make it your goal to learn the truth of the Word of God by studying what it says daily.
: 12 Having many things to write to you, I would not write with paper and ink; but I trust to come to you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. (4137 “full’ [pleroo] means complete, fulfilled, to be or become generously supplied with, come to an end, finished, make come true, or proclaimed completely)
DEVOTION: I would rather speak face to face with someone rather than on a phone, or through email or text or tweet. I don’t mind Skype. The latest with my grandchildren is called “face time.”
There are so many ways to communicate with someone today. We need to be communicating with one another. We need to make sure that those who are our loved ones know that we care about them on a regular basis.
John liked to speak to those under his care face to face. He sent letters but the personal touch is even better.
Why did he want to talk with them face to face? It was because human contact can bring joy to those who are experiencing it. He wanted to have that personal contact, so that, he could continue teaching them the truth of the Word of God with love.
Paul stated that we need to speak the truth in love. We need to make sure that even when we are correcting people, we do it in a way that they know that we love them.
It is hard to love over the phone or through emails, texts and other means. I really enjoy seeing people in person and praying with them about what is going on in their life.
I think that is what God wants from us in our prayer times with HIM. HE wants us to come to HIM with joy in our heart for all that HE has done for us. HE wants us to love one another in a way that brings joy to their hearts.
The world wants to give us tribulation but Christ has overcome the world. Let all those who are without Christ understand that we have something they don’t have in THEIR life.
CHALLENGE: Are we manifesting the LOVE of Christ to those around us, so that, they want Christ in their life?
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Writeverse 12
Paper and inkverse 12
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
(Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Commandmentverses 5, 6
Writeverse 12
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Godverses 3, 9-11
Fatherverses 3, 4, 9
God the Fatherverse 3
Commandment of the Fatherverse 4
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Lordverse 3
Jesusverses 3, 7
Christverses 3, 7, 9
Lord Jesus Christverse 3
Sonverses 3, 9
Son of the Fatherverse 3
Jesus Christ come in fleshverse 7
Doctrine of Christverse 9
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Worldverse 7
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Deceiversverse 7
Confess not Jesus Christ come in fleshverse 7
Antichristverse 7
Loseverse 8
Transgressesverse 9
Abides not in doctrine of Christverse 9
Receiving those who don’t believe doctrineverse 10
Bid God speed to false teachersverses 10, 11
Evil deedsverse 11
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Electverses 1, 13
Loveverses 1, 3-6
Truthverses 1-4
Graceverse 3
Mercyverse 3
Peaceverse 3
Walking in truthverse 4
Commandment verse 4
Love one anotherverse 5
Walk after HIS commandmentsverse 6
Heard from the beginningverse 6
Look to yourselves verse 8
Full rewardverse 8
Doctrine of Christverses 9, 10
Trustverse 12
Joy may be fullverse 12
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Elderverse 1
Elect ladyverses 1, 5, 13
Children walking in truthverse 4
Beseechverse 5
Speak face to faceverse 12
Children of elect sisterverse 13
Last Things (Future Events)
Full rewardverse 8
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QUOTES regarding passage
Look to yourselves (βλεπετε ἑαυτους [blepete heautous]). Imperative active with reflexive pronoun as in Mark 13:9. The verb often used absolutely (Phil. 3:2) like our “look out.” That ye lose not (ἱνα μη ἀπολεσητε [hina mē apolesēte]). Negative purpose with ἱνα μη [hina mē] and first aorist active subjunctive of ἀπολλυμι [apollumi]. This is the correct text (B), not ἀπολεσωμεν [apolesōmen] (we). Likewise ἀπολαβητε [apolabēte] (that ye receive), not ἀπολαβωμεν [apolabōmen] (we). Which we have wrought (ἁ ἠργασαμεθα [ha ērgasametha]). This is also correct, first aorist middle indicative of ἐργαζομαι [ergazomai], to work (John 6:27f.). John does not wish his labour to be lost. See Rom. 1:27 for this use of ἀπολαμβανω [apolambanō] for receiving. See John 4:36 for μισθος [misthos] in the harvest. The “full reward” (μισθον πληρη [misthon plērē]) is the full day’s wages which each worker will get (1 Cor. 3:8). John is anxious that they shall hold on with him to the finish. (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (2 Jn 8). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)
v. 8. Because of the appearance of these deceivers, the readers needed to watch out for the disastrous spiritual effects which any compromise with their ideas could lead to. The danger is not loss of salvation, of course, but loss of reward. The NIV uses the second person verb (you) for all three of the statements in this verse. But “we” (following most mss.) is preferred: “that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward” (kjv). Early scribes and editors may have altered the “we” to “you” in these places to avoid the suggestion that the apostle could share in a loss of reward. But the author’s touch was both delicate and humble. He regarded himself as a co-laborer with his readers and their loss would be shared by him if they did not effectively resist false doctrine. The antichrists were a threat to the work of the Lord in which he and they were mutually engaged. It should be noted that the phrase be rewarded fully shows that failure by the readers would not totally deprive them of reward. God would not forget what they had done for Him (cf. Heb. 6:10). But the fullness of their reward (cf. 1 Cor. 3:11–15) was threatened by the subversion of the antichrists. (Hodges, Z. C. (1985). 2 John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 907). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
The danger of going back (v. 8). This is the danger of losing what has already been gained. Look to yourselves means “Beware! Take heed!” The false teachers offer something you do not have, when in reality they take away what you already have!
Satan is a thief and so are his helpers. John wanted his readers to receive “a full reward,” which is his equivalent of 2 Peter 1:11, an abundant entrance into the eternal kingdom. What a tragedy it is when God’s servants labor faithfully to build up a church, and then the work is destroyed by false teaching. No wonder Paul wrote to the Galatian assemblies, “I am afraid of [for] you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain” (Gal. 4:11).
“Do not lose the things we accomplished” is the way Kenneth Wuest translates 2 John 8. Church members need to respect the work of faithful pastors and teachers and do everything to protect it and extend it. God’s servants must one day give an account of their ministries, and they want to do it “with joy and not with grief” (Heb. 13:17). When the church goes backward, losing what it has gained, then it also will lose part of the reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ. It is essential that we hold fast to the truth of the Word of God! (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 537–538). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
8 There is a difficult textual problem here that allows for two quite different meanings. NIV reads “Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for,” as does RSV. But RV, NEB, and JB accept the alternative reading: “Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for.” Bultmann and Schnackenburg support the reading, whereas NIV, Brooke, Marshall, and Westcott support that of the NEB. The textual evidence is so divided that it is difficult to make a choice. On balance the more difficult reading “we” is preferable and, in fact, coincides with similar feelings expressed by Paul in writing to the Galatians: “I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you” (4:11; cf. v. 19: “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you”).
As messengers of Christ, the apostles could not help but feel completely involved in the lives of their charges (cf. Philippians 2:16). Whether or not they actually planted all the churches or whether missionaries were responsible for some of them is beside the point. Paul did not establish the Christian communities in Rome and Colosse. Yet he accepted full responsibility for them in terms of the apostolic message. As one in charge of the message that was “from the beginning,” all the apostle John’s labors were directed to the maintenance of the truth of Jesus Christ as one come in the flesh. If anyone failed to continue in this message, then in a real sense John’s apostolic mission had failed. That the reader would lose was self-evident. But so would the community of faith and “the elder” himself.
A “full reward” (misthon plērē, NIV, “rewarded fully”) suggests that John envisions two possibilities. Verse 8 appears to address the situation when a reader is partially deceived and so loses some of his reward for faithfulness and perseverance. One receives according to his labor. (For the concept of “rewards,” see Matt 5:12; John 4:36; 1 Cor 3:8; Rev 11:18; 22:12.) (Barker, G. W. (1981). 2 John. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation (Vol. 12, pp. 364–365). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
8 do not lose what we have accomplished. Although a reward is generally promised Christians for hospitality (e.g., Mt 10:41; 25:40; Mk 9:41), the idea here is of the fullness of a believer’s reward for all the good he has done (see 1Co 3:10–17; 2Co 5:9, 10). A loss of that reward may occur to any believer who does not discriminate fellowship on the basis of adherence to the truth (Col 2:18, 19; 3:24, 25). This is a potent warning. All the eternal reward one earns by seeing Christ purely, eagerly, and effectively in the Spirit can be diminished by any aiding or abetting of false teaching. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (2 Jn 8). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Ver. 8. Look to yourselves, &c.] This is an exhortation to the elect lady, and her children, to look about them, and take care of themselves, and beware of these deceivers, and their doctrines: that we lose not those things which we have wrought; or as the Alexandrian copy, and many other copies, and the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions read, that ye lose not those things which ye have wrought; in embracing the Gospel, making a profession of it, walking in it, shewing a zeal, and contending for it, expressing a love both by words and actions to the ministers of it, and suffering much reproach on the account of it; all which would be lost, and in vain, should they at last drop the Gospel, and embrace the errors of the wicked; see Gal. 3:4. Moreover, such who don’t go such lengths, as to let go the head, Christ, but retain him as the foundation, and the fundamental doctrines of the Gospel, yet, among many precious things, may lay much rubbish on this foundation; and therefore should take heed what they build upon it, since, though they themselves may be saved, their works may be destroyed, and so they suffer loss; see 1 Cor. 3:11–15 and if we read the words, that we lose not—which we have wrought; the sense is the same, it being only a figure which rhetoricians call communion, and it is frequently used when a common duty is exhorted to; see 1 John 2:28; 2 John 5 unless it should be thought that this has a peculiar reference to the ministers of the Gospel, as it may: for though the Gospel preached by them can never be lost, being the everlasting Gospel, and the word which abides for ever; yet it may be received in vain, and persons may fall from it, and imbibe error, and so the labour of Christ’s faithful ministers may be so far in vain, and lost; and likewise, many souls whom they have thought they have gained to Christ, and that they have been instruments of working upon them for good, and have hoped they would be their joy and crown of rejoicing another day; when such are carried away by deceivers, fall off from the truth, ministers of the word lose what they thought they had wrought, which must give them great concern; and this is improved by the apostle into a reason and argument why the persons he wrote to should beware of seducers and their errors: but that we receive a full reward; in heaven, and which itself is called the recompense of reward, and the reward of the inheritance; not that this is a reward of debt due to the works of men, which are not rewardable in themselves; for they are such as are due to God before they are performed; and when they are done, they are not profitable to him, nothing is given to him, or received by him; when all is done that can be done, men are unprofitable servants; but this is a reward of grace, God has of his own grace promised it to those who love and serve him; and because it will be given them of his grace, after their work is over, as wages are given to a servant when he has done his work, it goes by this name: and whereas it is said to be a full one, the meaning is not as if it was different to different persons, for there is but one recompense of reward, or reward of the inheritance common to all the saints; or, as if it might be incomplete in some; it only signifies a large and exceeding great reward; see Gen. 15:1 and Ruth 2:12 in which last place the same phrase is used as here; and where the Septuagint interpreters use the same words as here; and which is thus paraphrased by the Targumist, “the Lord give thee a good recompense in this world for thy good work, and let thy reward be שלימא, full, or perfect, in the world to come.” And the Jews often speak of a full reward, and an equal one, to be received hereafter. Perhaps regard is here had particularly to the ministers of the Gospel, who have their reward in part here, for the workman is worthy of his reward, and they will have it in full hereafter. Moreover, the apostle might here be concerned, that he, and every faithful minister, might have their full number, they expected, that none may be missing, and which he may call a full reward: though the above copies and versions read here, as before, ye, and not we. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 3, p. 662). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
“Chosen Lady” is a term of endearment and respect. Lady (kuria) is the feminine form of “lord.” Marshall notes that there may be a hint of the church as the bride of Christ (Eph 5:25–27; Rev 19:7–8) “so that her children are the spiritual offspring of the Lord and his church.” She is “chosen” because God elected her to belong to himself. God called the lady and those who comprise her family to be his own. The fact that she is chosen [“by God” is clearly implied] indicates the initiative of her election was with God and that her privileged position is not accidental. The spiritual status believers enjoy is the result of God’s grace and goodness. (Akin, D. L. (2001).
Gideon is chosen to rule Israel.
INSIGHT
God takes ordinary people and does extraordinary things through them because of their devotion to Him. This is true in times of apostasy when God sometimes calls His mightiest servants from places of obscurity and gives them faith to believe Him. He works great deliverance through them.
This is certainly the case with Gideon who exclaims that he is from the weakest family in Manasseh and is the youngest in that family. Yet he is devoted to the Lord and, therefore, usable for God’s purposes. (Quiet Walk)
SODOM AND GOMORRAH
If the mighty works, which have been done in thee [Capernaum], had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. Matthew 11:23-24
Sodom and Gomorrah were given an opportunity. Read the story in Genesis 19. But consider what the names of these cities suggest to us; Sodom has become a symbol of everything that is false and ugly in man as the result of the Fall. Sodom and Gomorrah suggest profligacy, born in the very gutters of sin, with marauders walking the streets with eyes that stand out in lasciviousness—those were the characteristics of the life there. Now what our Lord said in Matthew 11 was that the case of Capernaum and Chorazin and Bethsaida was worse than that of those Old Testament cities.
Now this can mean but one thing, which is that the judgment of all men and women is ultimately going to be in terms of their relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not told that the moral life of these cities was the same as that of Sodom and Gomorrah. We can be perfectly certain it was not; there were none of those evil men roaming the streets in their lusts. There was nothing like that at all, and yet they were worse than Sodom and Gomorrah! Why? Here is the answer: He had lived in Capernaum; He had walked its streets and made it His headquarters. Not only that, it was there that He had worked some of His most mighty and marvelous deeds. It was out of these cities that people like Peter and Andrew and Philip had come, and where our Lord had manifested His glory in a most signal manner. Yet these people went on living as if He had never come at all; that is the source of judgment.
A Thought to Ponder: The judgment of all men and women is ultimately going to be in terms of their relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ.
(From The Heart of the Gospel, pp. 100-101, by Dr Martyn Lloud-Jones)
The Faith of Our Mothers
“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” (2 Timothy 1:5)
The “dearly beloved son” (v. 2) of the apostle Paul was a young disciple whose strong and sincere Christian faith was due, more than anything else, to the lives and teachings of a godly mother and grandmother. As Paul wrote to Timothy in his last letter, “From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).
Timothy’s mother was a Christian Jew (Acts 16:1), but his father was a Greek who evidently was not a believer. In the ideal Christian home, the father is to assume spiritual leadership (Ephesians 5:22, 25; 6:4), but countless fathers, for some reason, are either unable or unwilling to do this. Many have been the homes where a mother or grandmother, usually by default, has had to assume this all-important responsibility, and the Christian world owes these godly women a great debt of gratitude. The writer himself was raised in such a home, and much of his own concern for the Word of God is due to the concerned dedication of a Christian mother and two Christian grandmothers.
It is significant that the fifth of God’s Ten Commandments requires children to honor their parents, and it is the only one of the 10 that carries a special promise: “Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth” (Ephesians 6:2-3). Every godly parent is worthy of real honor every day—not just once each year. And when a Christian mother, like Timothy’s mother, must assume all the responsibility for leading her children in the ways of God, she deserves very special praise.
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
The second danger that can infiltrate the church is the sin of liberalism. The world in which we live is continually pressuring us to compromise the truth by lowering the moral, ethical, and spiritual standards of Scripture in order to gain acceptance by people. When we deny the foundation of absolute truth, then it will inevitably lead to moral compromise, for there is no longer a basis for determining right and wrong. Moral decisions become a matter of personal choice rather than an adherence to the moral standard.
(p. 100-101, Developing Leaders for the Small Church by Glenn C. Daman)
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