Daily Bread for Dec 24, 2 Jhn, 3 Jhn, Jude

Today’s readings are 2 Jhn, 3 Jhn, Jude

2 Jhn is yet another warning against false teaching. It seems that most of the errant teaching the church struggles with, regardless of where it originates, arises from within the church in some manner. This short note warns against extending hospitality to those who were spreading false teaching.

There's a lesson buried in here. True, Christian fellowship will be based on a shared, sound doctrine. The unity of the church is based on Christ and the accurate and faithful teaching of the word of God. Anyone extending hospitality to those who oppose that teaching is housing a threat to that unity.

This is not to say we should never have unbelievers in our home. John is saying we should not house and care for false teachers as they are a danger to the church.

Many godly churches and denominations may not agree on the non-essentials of the faith. It’s OK. They each have their own distinctives. These distinguishing markers should never interfere with our unity on the essentials. So long as we can agree on the foundational essentials of the faith, there should be a mutual respect, even prayer for each other. Having differences in non-essential doctrines is not the same as the division false teaching can generate. The only means of determining the difference between false teaching and denominational distinctives is to be intimately familiar with the Scriptures and objective about what are the essential teachings for salvation.

3 Jhn commends those who extend hospitality to Christian missionaries and teachers. Taken together with 2 John, it is clear that, to avoid false teaching and division in the church, believers should practice love and discernment, encouraging support of godly teachers and avoiding that of false teachers.

Jude is like 2 Peter. It carries the now-familiar warning against false teaching and false teachers. The biggest threat to the church is the easy slide away from the gospel call that can come from not knowing the Bible well enough to identify false teaching. Jude urges us to love the false teachers and try to reason with them but not to fall victim to their teachings.

Notice that the teaching of the apostles has matured. Whereas the earlier teaching was centered on sorting out doctrinal and procedural matters, this latter teaching, most of it coming in the second half of the first century, focuses on walking out the Christian life and evaluating what teaching to receive or reject. As we move toward the end of the New Testament, the word of God sets an expectation for the church to become more discerning, the keep its eyes on Christ and to counter opposition with a mature understanding of who Christ is accompanied by a high view of Scripture. 

In short, Jesus has ascended, the Holy Spirit has been poured out, the basics have been taught. Now it is time for the church to become the messenger of truth and exemplar of unity it is designed to be.