The Little Letters - Day 26

2 John 10-11
10 If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. 11 Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.

I have been incredibly blessed to work with some amazing people who are in this work for not only the right reasons, but because of their love and devotion to Christ. I have also worked with those who seem to have a bit of a different motivation. 

I can’t know everyone’s motivation, so I will be careful here, but I do resonate with this particular text in that John was trying to protect his congregations from those who would prey upon them for either personal gain or to create division within the communities John was called to steward. 

Sometimes it is important for pastors to do the work of protecting their congregations from those who would abuse them when they gain access. Luckily, the SDA Denomination has always done a very good job of protecting its congregations from freelance “Preachers/revivalists” who would go from church to church to make a living. We have “Evangelists” that are hired by the conference and so don’t need the income from the offering plate. That is a good protection that we have from those who would seek to use congregations to be able to line their pockets. 

But there is also a theological truth that John is reaching toward. If people are preaching something that denigrates the role of Christ in our salvation or somehow diminishes his salvific work on the cross, we are not to engage or encourage or support them in their “ministry.” 

Discernment for every believer is important here. I think it is pretty easy to let the words of those who preach to wash over us, without really listening to their intent or their theology. I know that content comes quickly, but each believer needs to be listening for that which diminishes the work of the cross, in order to know when we need to move away from those who are not preaching a true gospel. 

1. Have you ever found yourself listening to a preacher or teacher and feeling as if something was wrong? Do you know why it felt that way? 
2. How do you go about discerning the words and intent of those to whom you listen? 
3. What is a good way to protect yourself from those who are seeking to gain something from you when they come to the church?