The Destruction of the Wrong Combination

Listen, the Lord has stronger coffee for us and a better breakfast.

So let's turn to 2 John, where we're going to continue our time in God's Word.

And as you're turning to 2 John, I want to ask you guys a question.

Speaking of food and beautiful things,

have you ever had a meal that was just absolutely perfect?

Have you ever seen a piece of art that you thought,

right where this is, every line, every stroke, it's perfect.

Perfect.

Perfect.

Just right.

Friends, out of all the things in the world,

in the whole of the world,

nothing, nothing is more perfect than the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Nothing is more just right.

Nothing is more untouchably complete than what Jesus has already given us.

And here's what we need to embrace as John takes a turn in the second letter.

Here's what we need to embrace.

That because the gospel is absolutely perfect,

to subtract anything from it or add anything to it is destructive.

And brothers and sisters, last night we had a good time around God's Word,

thinking about the combustion of the right combination.

This morning, on the flip side, we're going to look at the destruction of the wrong combination.

So if you would, turn to 2 John with me again.

And I think we're going to just read the whole letter.

We're going to focus on verses 7 on for this morning.

But I figure it's good for us to read the whole thing as we start out together.

And friends, as we do, this truth is going to emerge to us.

That as with love and truth, may they make us a people who protect and promote the very perfection of the gospel.

Let's read 2 John in its entirety.

The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth.

And not only I, but also all who know the truth,

because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever.

Father, grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father,

and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.

I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth,

just as you were commanded by the Father.

And now I ask you, dear lady, not as though I were writing you a new commandment,

but the one we have had from the beginning, that we love one another.

And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments.

This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning,

so you should walk in it.

For many deceivers have gone out into the world.

Those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh,

such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.

Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for,

but may win a full reward.

Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ

does not have God.

Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching,

do not receive him into your home or give him any greeting.

For whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

Though I have much to write to you,

I would rather not use paper and ink.

Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face,

so that our joy may be complete.

The children of your elect sister greet you.

Let's pray.

Father, continue your work among us through these words.

And Lord, reaffirm in our hearts the perfection of Jesus Christ

and his gospel, we pray.

In Jesus' name, so be it.

All right, so for this morning,

we're going to consider John's turning argument in three points.

So our first point, we're basing out of verse seven,

and that's destruction through subtraction.

And you could pick it up when we read the whole letter.

I mean, last night, weren't his words so warm?

But now those words turn to words of warning,

and they ought to get our attention,

and we see what he's calling for here.

Friends, what we need to embrace

is if Jesus and his gospel

are the love and truth

that are to be the life and warmth

of every believer and every church,

that if that's the case,

if Jesus, in his perfection,

in his truthfulness and love,

if they are threatened,

everything we hold dear is threatened.

John wants to stress this,

but it's coming out of his commitment

to truth and love

that there is a time to protect

and promote what is absolutely perfect.

Look at this in the beginning of verse seven.

For many deceivers have gone out into the world.

It's almost like a reverse Great Commission,

where we're sent to take the gospel

into the nations.

Now as the gospel is going forward,

the church has been around for some time

at John's writing,

but it's not only the gospel

that has been going forward.

As Jesus warned years before,

wheat would always grow among the tares,

and so as the truth and love

of the gospel has gone out,

so have deceptive and destructive lies.

They've gone out into the world,

and note this word, deceivers.

What do deceivers do?

Yeah.

I mean, they don't show you the full thing, right?

They're not like,

well, this is the full package.

This is what you're signing up for.

Sign on the dotted line.

They come with something that seems plausible,

something even good,

but you're being tricked.

You're being swindled,

and so we need to understand

that this air that's going out,

it's not always going to be obvious.

It might be pervasive,

but it might not pronounce itself

as clearly as it ought to,

and John wants the believers

to be aware of this.

Now, what exactly were they saying

that was so wrong?

What were they getting wrong about Jesus?

John actually tells us,

look at the next part in verse seven.

Those who do not confess

the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh.

What are they denying?

The incarnation.

The incarnation.

John is big on the incarnation,

because frankly,

the incarnation is a really big deal.

This is not a doctrine we take out

with the Christmas decorations

around the holiday.

Oh yeah, it's that time of the year

we consider the incarnation.

The incarnation is wonderful,

so I don't have Sean's permission,

but I hope this works.

I want to take a little aside

to just love on the incarnation

for a moment here.

That's not even really the point

of the message,

but if we're going to be a people

that love the perfection of the gospel,

let's just look at this aspect

of the gospel for a moment.

This aspect that in John's time

was being threatened.

Here's just three things

that are just wonderful

about the incarnation.

First, the incarnation speaks

to the nearness

and likeness of God.

Of all the things

we need to know in life,

it's that our God is near

and not far.

And not only do we need to know

that God is near and not far,

we need to know

what God is like.

And how are we going to know

what God is like

when we can't see His face

and live?

The incarnation

answers these deep longings

of our humanity

more than anything else.

Listen to John

from John's gospel.

And the word became flesh

and dwelt among us.

And we have seen His glory.

In seeing Jesus,

we've seen the glory

of the Father

and we have lived.

Glory as of the only Son

from the Father.

Full.

Full of grace and truth.

And I'm going to just hop over

to 1 John and read you

the first three verses.

These are wonderful.

That which was from the beginning,

which we have heard,

which we have seen

with our eyes,

which we have looked upon

and have touched

with our hands

concerning the word of life.

The life was made manifest.

That's through the incarnation.

And we have seen it

and testified to it

and proclaimed to you

the eternal life

which was with the Father

and was made manifest to us.

That which we have seen

and heard,

we proclaim also to you

so that you may have fellowship

with us.

And indeed,

our fellowship is with the Father

and with His Son,

Jesus Christ.

Oh my goodness.

What we have in the incarnation.

These realities of God's nearness

and knowing what God is like

is the basis for our community.

But there's more than that

with the incarnation.

The incarnation speaks

to our substitute and mediator.

Consider this.

1 Timothy 2.

For there is one God

and there is one mediator

between God and men.

The man, Christ Jesus.

Romans 5.

As for by one man's disobedience,

the first Adam,

the many were made sinners.

So by one man's obedience,

the second Adam,

Jesus Christ,

the many will be made righteous.

Consider the Heidelberg Catechism,

the 16th question.

Why must He,

why must Jesus

be a true

and righteous man?

He must be a true man

because the justice of God

requires the same human nature

which has sinned

should pay for sin.

He must be a righteous man

because one who is himself a sinner,

he cannot pay for others.

There is no gospel

without the incarnation.

I need Jesus to be truly man

so that His sinless life

can cover my sinful life.

In order for this to be

an authentic

and acceptable sacrifice to God,

Jesus Christ must be man.

He must take on flesh.

That makes this work.

But He also must be God

because if He were not

and He were not sinless,

His sacrifice could not atone

for the sins of all the people

who would believe in Him

for all times.

The incarnation is huge.

One more, one more.

And this is timely.

This is timely.

The incarnation speaks to the humility

and glory of Jesus.

How many of you see

just such a rank lack

of humility in our culture?

Pride is elevated.

How Jesus is so different

than the world?

Here in the incarnation,

we see His humility

and glory in a way that

I don't know how we see

anything more beautiful.

Let me read it from Philippians 2.

Though He was in the form of God.

We even sang about this this morning.

Did not count equality with God

a thing to be grasped,

but emptied Himself

by taking the form of a servant,

being born in the likeness

of men, incarnation,

and being found in human form,

He humbled Himself

by becoming obedient

to the point of death,

even death on a cross.

Therefore,

God has highly exalted Him

and bestowed on Him

the name that is above every name

so that the name of Jesus

every knee should bow

in heaven and on earth

and under the earth

and every tongue confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord

to the glory of God the Father.

Friends,

this is not going away

with our Christmas decorations.

This is a truth

we want to hang out all year

and we cannot afford

to lose it.

So,

thank you for letting me

go off on the incarnation

for a little bit.

We're getting back on our tracks

tracks with John's argument,

but I just,

I wanted to love on that

together for a bit.

Here's what we need to see.

We don't know exactly

how they were denying

Jesus' incarnation

in John's day.

Most scholars,

though,

believe it had a Gnostic flavor,

which they would have seen

the body as bad

or unimportant.

So,

they may have come

with a subtraction like this.

Oh,

Jesus is too spiritual

to have a body.

Oh,

Jesus is,

his divinity,

there's no way

he could actually

take on flesh.

And you can see

where the deception

comes in,

there's always going to be

something that

catches us a bit.

But if we deny

that he actually

came in the flesh,

look at all the perfection

we are denied.

All are grounds

for truth

and for love.

And here's where John

starts getting pretty serious.

And you're going to see

these turns he makes

in 2nd and 3rd John.

In this way,

he's kind of like Gandalf.

At first,

you can think

he's just this nice old guy

that really knows

how to smoke a pipe.

And you're like,

oh,

nice Gandalf.

Gandalf gets into

a different gear

when it's time for it.

And we see that

with the apostle of love.

He can change a gear.

So,

what does John call

this kind of subtraction?

Read on in verse 7.

Such a one

is the deceiver

and the antichrist.

Whoa.

Now,

these are

loaded

accusations.

And I don't want us

to get lost in them.

I want us to

catch what John is saying.

Who else is known

as the deceiver?

Satan.

There is something

very satanic

about subtracting

from the gospel.

Then he says

antichrist.

Now,

don't get into

like Timothy mode

where you're trying

to think about

the antichrist

and figure out that.

No,

it's talking about

a position.

An antichrist

position

to be opposed

or against.

To subtract

is to be satanic.

To subtract

is to be

anti

or against

Christ.

These things

aren't,

oh,

that's a really

creative thought

that you have there

about the incarnation.

Yeah,

maybe Jesus,

no,

no,

no,

no,

no,

no,

no.

That's satanic.

That's antichrist.

Now,

you can nuance

how you'll work

that out

in the community,

but John,

the apostle of love

is being very clear

in truth

with this section.

and it goes

for any doctrine.

We are looking

at something

that is

completely

perfect.

Why would we

think of taking

anything away

from it?

Usually,

that motivation

is because

we want to be

more accepted

by the people

around us.

We're tempted

to edit

the gospel

that it might

fit in our lives

with less trouble.

We'll get to that

as we go.

We have a second

point to get to.

Destruction

through addition.

This is where

we look at

verses 8

and 9.

Now,

there's a difference

between a hypothetical

threat

and an actual threat.

The threat

that John's

talking about

against the

perfection

of the gospel,

it's actual.

And it's actual

for us too.

And I want you

to see this

because this is

the weight

of verse 8

that we're meant

to feel.

Watch yourselves.

So that you

may not lose

what we have

worked for

but may win

a full reward.

Watch yourselves

is in the plural

imperative,

which means

it's a command

for the whole

community.

John is saying

to this

unspecified church

that he speaks

about in such

familial,

warm terms,

watch yourselves.

Watch yourselves.

we need to hear

this as a command

because the threat

is real

and active.

And what we need

to understand

is that there

could be a loss

here.

And indeed,

there is a loss.

This could,

depending on how

you understand the

Greeks,

speak of the

laborer's loss

or the listener's

loss.

But for us,

to lose anything

of the gospel

is to lose

the life

and the truth

that give us

all the warmth

and love we need.

To lose this

is to lose

what matters.

And the destruction

goes on.

How he describes

this is very

interesting.

Look at verse 9

with me.

Everyone who

goes on ahead

and does not

abide in the

teaching of Christ

does not

have God.

John's back

to these metaphors.

Very helpful

here.

Very helpful.

Anyone who

goes on

ahead.

What a picture

for not just

trying to destroy

the gospel

through subtraction,

but addition.

And I think

this can actually

be more tempting.

I just need

to add something

to the gospel.

It's like when

your kids are

on a hike

and they go

on ahead of you.

It's not actually

what you want

because they're

going outside

of healthy

and safe

boundaries.

But there seems

to be a tolerance

in the evangelical

church for going

on ahead.

Meandering off,

looking for more.

But John uses

another metaphor.

We're not to

wander off from it.

We're not to go

on ahead as though

that were needed.

We are to

abide,

John tells us,

to find our life

and our home

and our place.

To abide means

to stay

and build a life.

Friends,

the gospel

is the perfection

of God

for us.

Nothing can be

taken from it.

Nothing can be

added to it

without taking

away from it.

So remember

that perfect meal?

Well,

if you added

just one more

dash

of seasoning,

it's no longer

just right.

One more stroke

to a masterpiece,

it's no longer

a masterpiece.

It's divine

vandalism.

And John is

intolerant.

The apostle of love

is intolerant

of these kind of

threats to the gospel.

He's warning

the whole church

to be watchful

for these friends

and that's

so necessary

for us.

And I believe

it starts

with a discontentment

in our own hearts.

We become

gospel bored.

We tire

of hearing it.

That's a real symptom

when someone

talks about

the gospel

and your heart

no longer

alights to it.

Now you may ask me,

Andrew,

is it realistic

that I'll always

have affection

for the gospel?

Is it realistic

that who Jesus is

and what he's done

in all its perfection

will always

be captivating

to me?

Humanly,

we are very weak.

And I understand

why and how

we struggle.

But when we

actually think

about what this is,

we should never

get over this.

There is enough

in this.

And here's the deal.

There is enough

that we actually

haven't plumbed.

We don't need

to go beyond.

I don't need

to take away

from it

or add to it.

What it is,

there is more

for me to consider.

There is more

for us

to ponder

and dwell on.

So if you feel

those numbings

coming in,

the answer

is not to go

on ahead.

And the answer

is not to tailor

it and cut it back

so it fits better

in your life

is to behold

the perfection

and to live

in that.

The call,

friends,

here is not

to add to the gospel

but to abide in it.

And I would ask you

in your life,

is the gospel

the most sacred place?

The most safe place?

The most dear place?

It's meant

to be our place

for life.

And what are they

strained from?

It's the teaching

of Christ.

Did you see that

in the text?

Everyone who goes

on ahead

and does not abide

in the teaching

of Christ.

I'm shorthanding

that as the gospel

but what that includes

is teaching

about Jesus

and teaching

from Jesus.

Colossians calls us

to let the word

of Christ

dwell in us richly.

When Paul uses

that language

the word of Christ

is probably

a longer way

of saying the gospel.

Who Jesus is

and what he's done

that's meant

to steep in you

like a tea bag

steeps in tea.

And here we're called

to abide in his teaching

and that makes sense

with what we learned

last night.

Friends,

we must learn

this life

of abiding

because the danger is

when we don't

we no longer

have God

John says.

Does not have

God

or his exact

words.

Why is this?

I think

David Jackman

says it well

as soon as we

leave the basis

of God's revealed

truth

we begin to

venture

into unreality.

I remember

having

a conversation

with my aunt

in the car

and she asked me

Andrew what do you

think heaven

is going to be like?

And I go

well Aunt Julie

the Bible says

no no no no no

I didn't ask you

what the Bible said

what do you think

heaven's going to be like?

I'm like well

Aunt Julie

heaven's a real place

like I don't get

to make up

what it is

and isn't

and we started

having this conversation

she's like well

let me tell you

what I think

heaven is

and she just

goes into that

that's a form

of unreality.

Anytime

we say

or make

Jesus

something that

he's not

we are no longer

walking in the truth

we're walking

in unreality

and what is the

ground for all

our fellowship

and hope?

It's in the truth

of who Christ

is

unchanged

unfiltered

as it's been given

from the Father

to us.

So

that said

this is where

we're going to land

on this

third point.

We don't just

want to seek

to protect this

we want to promote

this.

We want to build

up godly convictions

and this is what

John is calling

his listeners

to do here.

This kind of

conviction

comes out of

our care

for the perfection

of the gospel.

Look at verses

10 and 11

with me.

If anyone

comes to you

and does not

bring this teaching

do not receive

him into your house

or give him

any greeting

for whoever

greets him

takes part

in his wicked

works.

Now I will admit

to you

I have misunderstood

and misapplied

this for a long

time.

In the city

we would get

JWs

Jehovah's Witnesses

by the house

all the time

and I'd always

talk to them

on the steps

never in the house

because I wanted

to be faithful

to John

you can't come

in my house

and I

wouldn't say

what's up

to the JWs

either

because I didn't

want to give

them a greeting

I'd be like

hmm

yeah

real kind

and warm

real actual

apologetics

right there

that's not

what John's

talking about

if we're

understanding

the cultural

context

to bring

someone

into your

home

a traveling

preacher

there were

good ones

and obviously

bad ones

in these times

to welcome

them into

your home

and to show

them any greeting

is to show

them your support

you're saying

you stamp

them

now I think

that looks

a lot

different

in our times

but I think

there are lessons

that we can learn

from John here

first John calls

out their air

there will be

deceivers

who go out

into the world

and after talking

to a few of you

you're like a church

that goes out

into the world

like you're here

for a little while

then you're there

I think God

has a special

calling on this

church

for that

I think

there is a lot

of kingdom

potential

and purposes

there

I'll talk

about that

later

but you guys

will be

in different

churches

different places

throughout your

life

and you're

going to run

into a lot

of things

John would

have you

be able

to discern

what is

the air

John says

very clearly

here in his

times

the air

is that

the incarnation

was at

threat

and that

threatens the

perfection

of the gospel

you need

to know

in your

times

and places

what are

the threats

around you

and what

are the

threats

facing God's

people

what are

these plausible

arguments

that are

sneaking in

that could

deceive them

and rob

them

from all

this life

and warmth

that truth

and love

bring us

and friends

we're going

to need

grace

for that

but John

would tell

you never

never take

away from the

gospel to make

that happen

never add

to it

instead

abide in

it

and friends

the more

it becomes

precious to

you

and you're

like this

is my

place

above all

places

the less

likely you

will compromise

it

when you

are in

a hard

situation

all right

we'll wrap

it up

here

so much

to say

I'm glad

we have

more sessions

together

here's the

deal

if you

love

anything

you're

going to

protect

it

you really

are

and again

we're talking

about the

apostle John

now we're

seeing a little

bit of a

different side

maybe the

son of

thunder is

reemerging a

little bit

but it's

coming out

of love

it's coming

out of love

we don't want

to be

convictional

because we're

self-important

that gives

off a vibe

doesn't it

you know

when someone

like is

being

righteous

but it's

really just

self-righteous

we need

convictions

that come

out of a

realization

of how

important

Jesus is

when we

come out

of those

and not

just that

he's

important

but he's

everything

to us

that warms

up the

whole thing

so John

just gives

this like

corporate

warning

and then

let's

consider how

he ends

the letter

the last

two verses

though I

have much

to write

to you

I would

rather not

use paper

and ink

instead I

hope to

come to

you and

talk face

to face

why John

so that

our joy

may be

complete

the children

of your

elect sister

greet you

friends

let us

not

forget

under all

this is

John's

desire

for our

joy

and that

joy

will only

be

complete

as we

together

protect

and promote

the completeness

and perfection

of the gospel

we have in

Jesus Christ

would you pray

with me

father we

we want to

thank you

together

we can

easily

confess that

we have

more in

Christ

than we

have yet

realized

so we

pray help

us

abide

Lord when

we are

tempted to

shave

when we're

tempted to

add

help us

abide

help us

find our

life

more and

more in

Jesus

who he

is and

what he's

done for

us

Lord

we thank

you we are

not alone

in this

thank you

that you

hear our

prayers

answer in

this moment

and in the

moments beyond

this moment

we pray

in Jesus

name

so be

it