John the apostle has been sharing a lot with us about the truth and love. His concern is for “the elect lady” and we have been the recipients and benefactors of the words he has been sharing. Deceivers and antichrists were in the world at John's time who would lead this “elect lady” and her children away from the truth about Jesus Christ. Many like these deceivers are still around today, and John's concern is noteworthy for ourselves as we walk through this life. Today John gives us warning and challenge with a motivation to keep that which we have. He wrote in Second John verse eight:
Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
The warning John gives is that the “elect lady” and her children should “look to yourselves”. In other words, pay full attention, be circumspect, and be careful. Why? So that she and her children would not lose what John has “wrought” or “worked for”. There is the possibility with so many deceivers walking around and touting every opposing value to the gospel of Jesus Christ that some may be persuaded. They give reasons, arguments and convincing logic as to why their beliefs are true. The trouble with deception is that a person can be ninety nine percent correct and only one percent incorrect, and it is still not the truth. Ninety nine percent truth is like drinking a glass of cool refined water with only one percent of strychnine added to make it complete. Death is still in the glass, and those who are deceived thereby are not wise.
John desires that we walk in truth and love and not be deceived by any other offerings. He emphasizes the “full reward” that is desired for each one who receives Jesus as their Savior and Lord. In other words, that we receive a reward to full capacity. There are differing degrees of capacity that are offered to those who follow Jesus Christ. Jesus made reference to these capacities as recorded in the gospel of Matthew in chapter twenty five and verse fifteen:
And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
Whatever the capacity is, John doesn't want us to lose it. We should desire to fulfill the full capacities that God has given us in truth and love. John's concern for the “elect lady”, her children, and us is that we not lose what we have been given on account of some deceiver or antichrist persuading us. We must stick to the truth, study the truth, and continue in the love of God and His Son Jesus Christ lest we lose our full reward. God desires fellowship and communion with us, and He has made provision for us by Jesus dying upon the cross for our sins. May we all continue in truth and love as John encourages us to do.
Next time we shall look at the benefits to the doctrine of Jesus Christ, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow...there is more...
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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