Chapter 1
1 The older man, to the chosen lady and to her children whom I truly love… and not just me, but so do all those who’ve come to know the truth, 2 through the truth that exists in us and will be with us through the age. 3 We’ll have the kindness, mercy, and peace from God the Father and from Jesus the Anointed One, the Son of the Father, in truth and in love.
4 I’m so very happy that I’ve found that your children are walking in the truth and following the commandments that we received from the Father. 5 So, now I’m asking you lady (I’m not giving you a new commandment, but one that we’ve had from long ago) to love each other. 6 And this is [how we prove our] love: By following His commandments. Yes, that’s the commandment. You’ve heard the same thing from the start, so just keep following it. 7 Because, many have strayed [back] into the world and won’t admit that Jesus the Anointed One came in the flesh. These who have strayed are the Antichrists.
8 Watch out for yourselves, so you don’t destroy the things we’ve worked [so hard] on. Then you can receive your full reward. 9 All those who run ahead and don’t remain in the teaching of the Anointed One don’t have God; but whoever sticks with this teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t welcome him into your homes or even greet him; 11 because, whoever greets him shares in the wicked things he does.
12 Although I have many things to write to you, I don’t want to do it in paper and ink. Rather, I’m hoping to come and speak with you face to face, so your joy can be realized.
13 The children of your chosen sister send you their greetings.
Notes
Removing the Wicked from the Congregation
John (the Apostle) gave these instructions at 2 John 7 when he was discussing individuals in the congregation who ‘have strayed [back] into the world and won’t admit that Jesus the Anointed One came in the flesh.’ And he referred to them as the ‘Antichrists.’
He then said (at 2 John 10, 11), ‘If anyone comes to you and doesn’t bring this teaching (of the Anointed One), don’t welcome him into your homes or even greet him; because, whoever greets him shares in the wicked things he does.’
So, in the case of someone who denies Jesus (the Antichrists), they shouldn’t even be greeted on the street. However, notice that this is a unique instruction to cover the unique circumstances of one who is an ‘Antichrist.’ So, these instructions don’t seem to have been added to what was said some forty years earlier by Paul, for there were no instructions that forbade talking to errant Christians during most of the First Century.
Would this same action be taken against someone who simply disagrees with some other doctrinal point(s)? No, because notice what Paul wrote about this situation at Romans 16: 17, ‘Now, I beg you brothers; keep an eye on those who are creating divisions and setting traps by going against the teachings that you’ve learned. Avoid them.’
So, Paul’s instructions were to ‘keep and eye on’ them and to ‘avoid’ them (gr. ecclenete ap auton – incline away from them), not cut them off from the congregation.
Another situation was mentioned by Paul in First Corinthians. There, Paul laid out some procedural guidelines on how to deal with ‘those called brothers’ who are guilty of other serious and unrepented sins.
The matter of what to do with those who are guilty of scandalous
sins was raised when one of the congregation members in
Notice that Paul said (at 1 Corinthians 5:11), ‘However, now I am writing you to quit associating with anyone called a brother who is sexually immoral, greedy, an idol worshiper, an insulter, a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with a person like that.’
So, he didn’t say to stop talking to this type of person, just, not to treat him/her as a friend that you would ‘eat with.’ Of course, in those early days of Christianity, most of their congregational meetings were held in private homes (not ‘synagogues’ or public meeting places), so, exclusion from the congregation could also have meant that the offender was no longer welcome at their (private) meetings.
The total list of offenses that Paul implied qualified for such congregational removal, include:
· Sexually immorality
· Idol worshiping
· Adultery
· Homosexual behavior (gays and men who have sex with men)
· Thievery
· Greed
· Drunkenness
· Insulting
· Extortion.
In Matthew the Eighteenth Chapter Jesus spoke of how Jews should deal with each other when one was guilty of harming another, and Jesus outlined three steps that they should take, ending with the words (verse 17), ‘If he refuses to listen even to the congregation, then let him become as a man of the [worldly] nations, or a tax collector to you.’
Now, although many have concluded that Jesus was discussing
how to handle such matters within the Christian Congregation, we have to
realize that the Christian Congregation hadn’t been formed yet, and that Jesus
wasn’t giving these instructions just to Christians. Rather, he was speaking to
Jews and referring to what the Bible calls ‘the congregation of
Through the years, such expulsion of notorious members of the Christian congregation has taken many forms. Catholics, for example, call such removal excommunication. However, they limit the discipline to those who offend their Church. Yet, other groups may disfellowship or expel unrepentant sinners for reasons that are closer to those outlined by Paul. Still, many other religions just ignore Paul’s instructions and object to any such action against members who sin in vile ways.
In certain cases, religious groups have taken the extreme view that the sanctions recommended by Paul and John are cumulative and that they must take official action against all who are guilty of any of the practices listed above (including doctrinal disagreement). These forbid associating with or talking to persons who have been removed, and after they are reinstated, impose further disciplinary measures. These views, of course, can’t be supported from the Bible texts listed above.
In other cases, religious groups have banned talking to members of one’s own family when they are guilty of some of the offenses listed by Paul. Is this a correct understanding?
It would seem that where there are no clear written Biblical guidelines (as in the case of how to treat erring family members), one would turn to basic Scriptural Law for guidance in such matters. What does God’s Law require? For wives to respect their husbands; for husbands to love their wives; for children to obey their parents; for everyone to respect their mothers and fathers; and for each one to provide for those who are in their own households. Any action beyond that would fit the description that Paul gave of how Godless people would act in ‘the last days’ (at 2 Timothy 3; 3), ‘They won’t love their families (gr. astorge) or be willing to agree on anything.’
Notice that such directions go beyond Paul’s instructions at 1 Corinthians the Fifth Chapter, and stray into conflict with Jesus’ words to the Pharisees as found at Matthew 15:6-9, which say, ‘So, [you are really saying] that [you] shouldn’t honor [your] parents at all. And when you do this, you are nullifying the Word of God with your traditions. You hypocrites! How well Isaiah prophesied about you when he said, These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me. It’s a waste for them to keep worshiping me, because they preach the teachings of men as commandments.’
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Who Are the Antichrists?
The answer to this question is so simple, although there has been much speculation about this in the past. As John said here (1 John 2:22), ‘This is the Antichrist: He who denies both the Father and the Son.’
Apparently, by the turn of the Second Century C.E., there were people in the Christian congregation (probably more Judaizers) who were denying that there ever was a Jesus, or possibly denying that he was the Chosen One of God. And as John said (at 1 John 2:23), ‘Whoever denies the Son [also denies] the Father.’
Such denial of Jesus amounted to an unforgivable sin against God’s Holy Breath, because it was God’s Breath that testified to just who Jesus was. So, this was a very serious matter. In fact, it was so serious that John told Christians not to even talk to such people – to treat them as though they were dead – because, what they were saying truly condemned them
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