False teachers - beware

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.– 2 John 1.7-11

We ought not be surprised that people are going to try to corrupt the word of God. We are warned over and over again to beware of false teachers. They are out their and always will be. John speaks of one particular error, but the principle is true for all sorts of false teachers.

The specific error here dealt with saying that Jesus never came in the flesh. It was an error common in those days. It was a major doctrinal error, not a trivial difference.

So John told them how to respond – ‘don’t let him in your house. Don’t even greet him or even greet him or wish him well. Indeed if we wish him well is partakes in his error.’

God always wants us to be kind and compassionate to others but that does not mean that we have to condone their error. We simply must stand fast in the face of the error of false teachers. When it comes to false teachers we are told exactly what to do. We turn them away without listening to their error.

We have all kinds of knowledge at our disposal now. It is all there at our fingertips. Lets not let our quest for knowledge lead us to accept error.