An Extra Set of Eyes
3 hours ago
3 min read
Today's Verse:
Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. ~2 John 1:8
I am thankful for people who serve as an extra set of eyes for me. These are people who assist me in making sure we have left no stone unturned, covered all of our bases, and seen what I cannot see in my blind spots. The Apostle John was writing to “the elect lady and her children.” Some believe this was addressed to a lady and her children in a local church. As I study the context of his letter, I believe it was a reference to a local church (the church at Ephesus) and the saved members of that church. In this letter, he was serving in the role of an extra set of eyes in exhorting them to be steadfast in the faith.
John makes an emphasis on living and walking in the truth.
The word "truth" is used five times in the first four verses. In three short epistles, John refers to truth no less than twenty times. Truth is absolute. Truth is honest. Truth is what is genuine and authentic. Truth is our Lord Jesus Christ. Truth is God’s holy Word. He praised them for walking in the truth. These believers not only believed the truth, but they were also living it out. Walking in the truth means obeying and living out the commandments of God. We are to behave according to what we believe. These believers were living out their testimony in the truth.
The believers were under spiritual attack.
There was an attack on their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by a sect of false teachers known as the Gnostics. They did not believe that Jesus could be 100% God and 100% man, and without sin, at the same time. John made it clear that if one does not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, that person is a deceiver and antichrist. John said, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.” He forbade them from allowing these false teachers into their homes and bidding them godspeed. False teachers are sinister agents of Satan who seek to blind us and draw us away from our devotion to the Lord.
John issues a strong caution.
“Look to yourselves”! He was saying, “Look out for your faith and spiritual welfare.” Don’t let your guard down! Be circumspect about those who question what you believe or subtly try to steer you away from the Lord. Then he said, “That we lose not the things which we have wrought.” This is a way of saying don’t throw away what you believe. Don’t take a sledgehammer and start trying to break up the foundation you have built upon. It is important that we have a long-distance view of the race we are in. Our eyes must be on the finish line and not on the distractions on the sidelines or the people in the stands. Think of someone running a marathon race. He has trained for one year and conditioned himself for this event. He enters the race and has completed three fourths of the race only to be distracted and entangled with another runner. He and the other runner both fell to the ground, tumbled several times, were injured in their legs, and he realize that his injuries will keep him from finishing the race. This is a picture of the caution John is giving.
John encourages us to be steadfast, obedient, and strong.
There are no partial rewards. A full reward is given to those who finish faithful, obedient, and without disqualification. A full reward is the loving approval of our Lord to us for running our race well. This morning, we have been given an extra set of eyes to help us receive a full reward. Look to yourselves!
Have a steadfast God Morning!
Reading Schedule: Ezekiel 46-48
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