What A Waste?

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2 John 7–8 (NIV),

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 have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.  

The Church is commended and commanded to walk in love & walk in truth.  These are two sides of the same coin.  Now the Apostle John makes this astounding statement: “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.” (2 John 7, NIV).  The ground for such an exhortation to the Church is because of the prevalence of deception.  

John provides 3 scenarios whereby the local Christian fellowship ought to be concerned.   The first one is found in verses 7-8.  

These are false teachers who have "gone out into the world" -- they have left the church (see 1 John 2:19).  These are people who do not teach the incarnation of Christ.  The NIV is less accurate in this case.  The problem may refer to a denial of the bodily return of the Lord, but likely it refers to the first coming. The words is come are in the original a supplemental participle in indirect discourse and is more likely intended by the author to refer to the incarnation. So, as a result, they do not teach the humanity of Jesus.  They are deceivers and the "anti-christ". "To reject this truth is to reject all hope of reconciliation with God, while to receive it is to receive God Himself." [1]

So John warns the Church of these false teachers.  "Watch out!"  For what, John? "That you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully."  This is a difficult phrase to understand.  The NIV seems to capture the better translation. This "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")." [2]  So Paul's concern is that to be silenced because of these false teachers would render his work in vain; and secondly the possibility exists that these Christians would lose their reward.

The Apostolic message, that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, is an essential component to the Gospel. For the Church to minimize that message, to be ashamed of it and fail to continue the proclamation of it, would be tantamount to a failure of the apostolic mission and a loss of reward for the Church.   John obviously does not have in mind that the Church has embraced that teaching otherwise it would be more than the issue of "reward" at stake.  It must be that they must not fail to persevere in the Gospel proclamation midst the noise coming from these false teachers. 

The concept of rewards is clearly taught in Scripture. For further study notice Matthew 5:12; John 4:36; 1 Corinthians 3:8; Revelation 11:18; 22:12; etc.)

Failure to continue in, and failure to proclaim the Gospel is tantamount to wasting your time. Everything else is meaningless if the Gospel is not revered and proclaimed. How sad it would be for evangelists and church planters to witness the disregard for the Gospel?  How sad for a church to be busy and active in many things but forget the Gospel?  What a waste!  

Father, as one who has sincerely longed for the Church to grow, mature and be counted as faithful, I am personally warned about the safety that comes from silence.  The Gospel is offensive to many, but it is the power of God unto salvation.  May it never be that we find at the end of the day, that we have wasted our time.  Father keep our voice clear and clarion. No other message is worth preaching and worth living.  Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.  Father, as we start this day, may those who have served You and us well see in our walk of love and truth evidence that they did not waste their time.  And Father may the strong and ubiquitous voice of evil be silenced in the presence of the Gospel.  For the sake of Christ, Amen.

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1. Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: Bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (2 Jn 7). Nashville: T. Nelson.

2. Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:2 John/Exposition of 2 John/II. A Formal Word of Instruction (4-11)/B. A Warning (7-11), Book Version: 4.0.2

God Hears The Cry Of His Child, Because It Is He Who Cries!

Galatians 4:4–7 (NIV),

⁴ But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. ⁶ Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

"God sent his Son at the right moment in human history, when God’s providential oversight of the events of the world had directed and prepared peoples and nations for the incarnation and ministry of Christ, and for the proclamation of the gospel." [1]  "In these words he comprehendeth both the person of Christ and the office of Christ. His person consisteth of his divine and human nature. This he sheweth plainly when he saith, “God sent his own son, born of a woman.” Christ therefore is very God and very man. His office he setteth forth in these words: 'Being made under the law to redeem them that were under the law.'” [2]

Luther then asks this important question, "How did Christ redeem us?"  "Although he be the Lord of the law, and therefore the law hath no authority or power over him (for he is the Son of God), yet of his own accord he made himself subject to the law . . . For it accused him as a blasphemer and a seditious person: it made him guilty before God of the sins of the whole world: it so terrified and oppressed him with heaviness and anguish of spirit, that he sweat blood, and briefly, it condemned him to death, yea even to the death of the cross (Luke xxii. 44)." [2]  

Yes, the Lord of glory who was completely sinless came and lived under the very Law He established that in our place it might condemn Him.  As our sins were placed upon Him, He suffered the consequence of the Law.  “Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:12, NIV).  

"So Christ, a divine and human person, begotten of God without beginning, and born of the Virgin in the time appointed, came not to make a law, but to feel and suffer and terrors of the law with all extremity, and to overcome the same, that so he might utterly abolish the law." [2]  We all deserved death -- "everlasting death" but instead have received the blessings of adoption.  Are we recipients of this grace because of what we have done?  Absolutely not.  He was made a curse for us.  He redeemed us.  To God be the glory!

Not only that, we are given the gift of the indwelling Spirit of God.  "Every child of God is indwelt by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19–20). He is the earnest of our inheritance (Eph 1:13–14). All guardians and stewards have been discharged; their supervision is no longer needed because believers are full-grown sons indwelt by the Holy Spirit." [3]  "And although it appear not before the world, that we be renewed in mind and have the Holy Ghost, yet notwithstanding our judgment, our speech, and our confession do declare sufficiently, that the Holy Ghost with his gifts is in us." [4]

And as Luther writes, "When we are in terrors and in the conflict of conscience, we take hold of Christ, and believe that he is our Savior."  It is then we cry, "Abba, Father."  "“Abba” is the intimate Aramaic word for “father,” being equivalent to the English “Daddy,” or “Papa.” Thus, the intimacy of the relationship between God the Father and men, His sons through Christ, is emphasized." [5] 

And it is not just the difficulties of life, but the terrors and torments of the Law that trouble us.  To this too we cry to our Savior. "Wherefore, in the midst of thy temptation and infirmity, cleave only unto Christ, and groan unto him. He giveth the Holy Ghost which crieth, “Abba Father.” And this feeble groaning is a mighty cry in the ears of God, and so filleth heaven and earth, that God heareth nothing else: and moreover, it stoppeth the cries of all other things whatsoever." [6]  It is this cry that confirms that we are sons of God and not merely slaves.  And we must remember that "there is no work or merit that bringeth to him the inheritance, but his birth only." [6]

Father, we as Your children are still in a daze as we ride this rocket of a passage.  In a flash we move from incarnation to glorification, from slave to heir, from fear to firmly grasping Your hand.  I have often struggled with how to help others in the assurance and affirmation of their faith in You.  Today I see that the assurance is in the Gospel.  The essence of the Gospel itself gives us the confidence that we are children of God.  The Gospel is self-authenticating.  What joy! What amazing joy comes from the Gospel.  And oh the depth of the riches of Your grace. Thank you Father for sending Your Son to take the lashes of the Law for my sake.  Thank you for sending Your Spirit to cry into my soul, 'Abba, Father.'   Thank You for Your everlasting peace and infinite love that takes a rebel like me and makes me an heir of Your kingdom.   What amazing, amazing, yes, amazing truth!  May the whole world see it.   To God be the glory!

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1.  Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2251). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

2. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 4:4). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

3. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (2390). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

4. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 4:6). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

5. Believer’s Study Bible. 1991 (W. A. Criswell, P. Patterson, E. R. Clendenen, D. L. Akin, M. Chamberlin, D. K. Patterson & J. Pogue, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (Ga 4:6). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

6.  Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 4:6). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.