Doctrine Divides

What do we have in common with those who deny what the Scriptures teach about Jesus? We have nothing in common with them. It is right that doctrine divides us from those who “do not abide in the teaching of Christ,” because they “do not have God.” (2 John 1:9-10)

“Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself,” “whoever does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning His Son.” Do you see that? Those of us in communion, you know what we share? We share, “the testimony that God bears concerning His Son.” We believe Christ to be who the Father says that Christ is. 

Listen, fellowship that is not based on what God has revealed about Jesus Christ is never, ever, true fellowship. Did you all get that? We live in an ecumenical age, where it is just expected that we are gonna accept one another if we’re loving. Oh, you guys are Christians! You say that you’re loving! Isn’t that what Christianity is viewed as? It’s viewed as these people who are loving. It’s these people who are not gonna be aggressive, these people who are just gonna be kind to everybody, and they’re gonna accept everybody. And that’s what we’re slapped in the face with. How can you guys say you’re Christians and you act so unloving! 

Listen, if there was anybody who was an Apostle of love, it was John himself. And if there’s anybody that came along and would’ve been thought today to be narrow and bigoted, extreme and unloving, it’s him! I mean, if there was anybody that firmly stood on the truth of Scripture as revealed about Christ and His work. 

You know what the world likes to say, “Doctrine,” what? “Divides.” Doctrine divides. In the name of love we should just be tolerant. You know what John says. He says that’s garbage. At the most important level, what in the world do we share in common with people who speak of Jesus, but deny what Scripture teaches about Him? We share nothing in common with them. Nothing. 

And you know what, the Catholics come along, and they want to tell us about a Jesus who’s inferior to Mary, and if they don’t admit it, they’re liars. I used to be a Catholic, I know exactly. Mary is exalted, Christ is not. That is not the Christ of the Scriptures. Tawfiq comes out of Islam. Any Muslim, who wants to tell you they have a Christian view of Jesus Christ, they’re liars. It is not true. JW’s come to your door. They’re liars. They do not believe in the Christ of Scripture. Neither do the Mormons. These Oneness Pentecostal’s do not know Christ. 

Of course doctrine divides, but Scripture would have us divide away from the heretics, would they not? I mean, here comes John. John is quite passionate, here, the Apostle of love, what does he say? No matter who comes to your door, just look at them with doves eyes, and welcome them into your house. 

That’s not what he says. In 2 John 1:9, “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ,” Another word for teaching: doctrine. The doctrine of Christ. This is essential. This is what John is hitting on: “everyone who goes on ahead,” ahead of what? Ahead of the apostolic truth. That which God has revealed to His Son, His Son has revealed. That message which God gave to the Son, that’s probably a better way to say it, and that He revealed to His Apostles, and they have in turn revealed to us. That is the correct teaching of Christ. 

And if they don’t have that, if they don’t abide there if they go on ahead of that, if they, like, move beyond it, as though, you know, that’s some good thing. They always come, those that reject the teaching of Christ in Scripture. They always come as though they have, you know, some new knowledge, some mystical revelation, something we need to figure out, something, if we’re gonna really be Spiritual, we need to be enlightened too as well. But he is saying look, if they don’t abide in that teaching of Christ, that doctrine of Christ, they don’t have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. And he says this in verse ten: “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.” John allows no fellowship with heretics. And heresy is not just somebody that comes along and says “you’re saved by works.” It’s not just somebody that comes along and is an atheist and denies the existence of God all together. I’ll guarantee these deceivers that are talked about in chapter two, they were talking about Christ. They were talking about Jesus. When he says they don’t continue, and abide in this doctrine of Christ, it’s got to do with who Christ is as a person. His work. But they weren’t teaching according to the Apostles doctrine. 

Certainly John is an Apostle of love, but I’ll tell you this, he never encourages love, or fellowship, with those who are not straight on Christ, Now, I’m not talking about a person who is genuinely inquiring, but they come from a background where it’s just all ignorance, and they’re ready for the light. I’m talking about people who are insisting that their deviant views are right they would go about to teach. You remember, they are seeking to deceive. They’re people that ignore, reject, what Scripture says. Never encourages love, or fellowship, with those that are not straight on the doctrine of Christ. 

And brethren, do we not know this personally? You know, if there’s anything that we do know. Christian, before you were saved. I know how it was with me, I mean, coming out of the Catholic background I had high views of Mary. I did. You had high views of Muhammad. That’s the way it is. But what happened when God saved us? Did He not welcome us into revealing the glory of Christ to us? I mean, I just look at the Puritan paperback on my shelf that says, “The Glory of Christ,” and something jumps inside me. Does that happen to you? Why? Why? Because, suddenly, what God sees in His Son, what God finds ravishing, beautiful, just glorious, in His Son, He’s welcomed us into that. We share that with the Father. We share with the Father, a delight in the Son.