Wednesday, March 02, 2016

Doctrine, Discernment, False Teachers, and Hospitality

2Jn 1:10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; 11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

This letter is to a woman ("the elect lady") and the command is for her (and all) Christians to 1) know all the doctrine of Christ, 2) judge all who claim to be teachers of the Word, 3) stand on their own two feet b/c they will be attacked when alone --no appeal to hierarchy of church leadership but do one's own battling for Truth and against error, 4)discernment in hospitality -hospitality is not for all people, 5) no warmth or friendliness toward false teachers (no common ground, no excuses, no view of "I can withstand them and so I'll befriend them", no doctrinal triage, 6) see them as wicked workers, 7) don't even have an appearance of, much less actual approval of such men; not even the look of fellowship (see also Rom. 16:17).

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