2 John 7 --- For many deceivers [heretics, posing as Christians] have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge and confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh (bodily form). This [person, the kind who does this] is the deceiver and the [a]antichrist [that is, the antagonist of Christ].
We won't be traveling much on today's journey. I'm still not feeling great, so most of our time was in prayer and then just reading verse seven a few times. Even in just reading it we see once again John is standing against some specific false teaching that Jesus wasn't really a man.
It's just like in 1 John 4:2-3 when we journeyed there towards the end of April, the test for a false teacher comes down to what they say about Jesus. If what they say about Jesus does not line up with the Word of God, then they are teaching false doctrine and it's stressed these people are deceivers and even considered anti-Christs. Not THE anti-Christ of Revelation, but they are of that same spirit.
The issue is many Christians don't read their Bibles enough to know all it says about Jesus. Then when presented with new teachings that have a scripture or two thrown in, they don't know the difference and again many are too distracted, indifferent, or apathetic to take the time to pray over and dig into the Bible to see if what they heard lines up with the Word and if the verses used were in context or merely twisted to fit false doctrine.
Always be the Berean! They were not paranoid, they weren't negative scoffers, they heard Paul's teaching on Jesus Christ and welcomed it gladly. It sounded wonderful and beautiful to them, but they went and searched the scriptures to see for themselves if this was true. It wasn't out of a heart of mistrust but of one that wanted to confirm directly in God's Word this wonderful Good News was in fact true!
Okay I'm signing off for the morning. Thank you for your prayers while I've been sick.
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