Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

640.   "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing"
October 31, 2012
2 John-Part 3   (verses 7-11)
Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.  2 John 8 KJV

LET IT GLOW

Not all things are as they seem. This has become a philosophy, a saying, of mine. Something or someone may appear to be kind, loving, concerned, right, but in their heart they are not, or it is evil in disguise. They are wolves in sheep's clothing. They can turn on you to devour you. Turn on a dime is the saying. So I need to always be watching what I say and do, inspecting fruit, too. John is still warning us in this small book of only 13 verses.

Liberty Bible Commentary says:

John is giving us a warning in regard to false teachers. It should probably read "Watch out! That you do not lose what we have accomplished." It is the apostles who have preached and thus fulfilled the Commisssion and made great gain (salvation) possible for the believers; the apostles will not lose anything themselves, but the believers stand to lose all the blessings of Chrisitianity if they listen to the false teachers. It is the believers also who will receive the reward, which is not a reward for something done, but the gift of salvation by grace.
 

A false prophet may have pulled the wool over the lady's (church's) eyes.

John is giving us biblical guidelines for Christian hospitality in this letter:

• its basis (1-3)
• its behavior (4-6
• its bounds (7-11)
• its blessings (12-13) (MacArthur Bible Commentary)

Do I watch who I take under my roof and let sit at my table? Do I let anyone holding a black book into my house? If I do, then I am participating in his evil deeds, according to verse 11.

Love is the hinge on which hospitality turns to open its door. But just as a door has hinges, it also has a lock. And love never opens a locked door to a wolf-even if it is dressed in sheep's clothing.
(Swindoll's New Testament Postcards, a Bible Study Guide)

LET IT GROW

Deceivers are misleading, leading into error, a corrupter. (Thayer's Lexicon)

Satan comes as an angel of light (2Cor.11:13-15), believers musst be on guard against error by having an intimate acquaintance with the truth. Deceivers deny the deity and humanity of Christ. False religions, heresies, and cults deny the true nature of Jesus Christ. (MacArthur)

Deceivers are not faithful to the fundamental, sound doctrines of the faith, which shows they have never been born again.

Don't show hospitality or even greet these deceivers. If we help them spread their heresy, then we are sharing in their evil deeds.

Am I loyal to God and His Word alone?

Verse 9 uses the word transgresseth, proago in Greek, should be translated "Whoever goes too far and refuses to live by the teaching." The standard by which the false teachers are to be tested is called the "teaching."  (Liberty Bible Commentary)

On the other hand, if we do abaide in the doctrine of Christ, we have the Father and the Son. (verse 9)

LET IT GO

Inspect the wool.

Let these wolves pass me by.

Know what I believe and believe the truth in the Bible.

Don't be hospitable to deceivers.

Lift up Jesus as Savior and the Word of God as Truth.