V. 10 – “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;

 

V. 11 - for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.”

 

Remember the previous verse – this is a teaching that is not the teaching of Christ.  It is not consistent with the truth and it opposes what God’s word says.

 

If such a person comes to us, we are not to accept him into our house. 

 

I remind you of what it says in verse 4 – 

 

“I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father.”

 

We are to be walking in the truth – this is the commandment we have received from the Father.  

 

Here’s the point.

 

We cannot receive what is true while entertaining what is false.  

 

To receive the truth completely is to have no room for anything else.  

 

“Do not receive him into your house and do not give him a greeting…”

 

Do not receive them with joy.

 

Do not show them hospitality – make them feel welcome or give them support in any way. 

 

The one who does this participates or partakes in his evil deeds. 

 

This is not simply referring to not allowing a false teacher to sit down to dinner with you.  

 

I doubt many of us would even have that opportunity.  

 

In what ways can we align ourselves with what is false?

 

In what ways can we show support for those who would deny Christ?

 

We are coming to the end of this letter.  In some ways this is where the rubber meets the road so to speak.  This is where we show if we are obediently walking in truth or not. Where our allegiance comes to bear through our actions.  

 

Walking in truth shows itself by what we align ourselves with.  What we associate with.  

 

We’ve talked a lot about walking in the truth already, but I want to consider one last aspect of it – and that is discernment.

 

How do we know if we are lending support to what is false?

 

Giving hospitality to false teachers doesn’t have to mean that we are sitting down and dining with them.

 

Do we ever think through the different things that we support or entertain?

 

Something might and in fact be alright in and of itself, but have you ever stopped to consider where it comes from?

 

Who wrote or produced the music we listen to or the books we read? Who sponsors the events we are attending? 

 

Do we care enough about Christ to take a good look at the things we support?

 

I think Christ is worth our time and effort…

 

A lack of discernment, I think many times, comes down to pure laziness… We don’t want to take the time to look into something before we participate in it or we have not acquired the knowledge and wisdom it takes to see things as they are either from a lack of study or lack of attention to God’s word. As those who have unlimited access to the truth – we have no excuse. 

 

Discernment is the application of wisdom and wisdom begins with a fear of LORD. (Prov 9:10)

Holding the LORD as revered above all else in my life is going to promote a thoughtful consideration of everything I do and say.

 

To fear God is to really know God. To know God is to know wisdom.  To know wisdom is to act with discernment. It’s to take those principles and truths in God’s word and bring them to bear on whatever we face in this life. 

 

Should I do this or should I do that? What does God’s word say?

 

Our problem is we want to be told what to do instead of searching scripture for ourselves.  

 

Many times, we will just keep asking people until we find one that is sympathetic to what it is we want and take that as conformation that I’m doing what God wants me to. 

 

We need to be careful.  

 

My point in all this is –

 

If we love the truth, really love the truth it’s going to be evidenced by not just conformity to it, but an aversion to anything that opposes it.  Which is going to require the utilization of discernment in our lives when it comes to what we choose to do with our time and resources. 

 

Do. Not. Receive. Him. Into. Your. House. 

 

“for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.”

 

This is some pretty strong language. 

 

“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 

 

Therefore do not be partakers with them; 

 

for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 

 

(for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 

 

Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 

 

for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 

 

But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.

 

For this reason it says,

“Awake, sleeper,

And arise from the dead,

And Christ will shine on you.”

 

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.” – Eph 5:6-16

 

When we participate in the deeds of lawless men we are not just condoning their rebellious behavior – we’re sharing in their disobedience.  

 

We slipping back into “the old self” that was crucified with Christ.  A self that was at enmity with God. You were formerly darkness. you’re not anymore. So, what are you doing? 

 

What harmony does Christ have with Belial?

 

PARTICIPATE – to have fellowship, to be connected or associated with. 

 

One commentator said – 

 

“"Therefore be not partakers with them," which is very similar to the word participate in verse 11. But there is a difference. Partakers means simply that you join in with somebody and do what they do. It may be a one-time thing, maybe a two-time thing or whatever. You just happen in a weak moment to come along side of them and you do what they do. But the word (command) "Don’t participate" goes a step further. It means to share in common with. In the first situation you are partaking of the deed. In the other it goes further and you are beginning to absorb within you the very attitudes of the people that are around you. Not only are you partaking in the deeds, but you are sharing things in common with people who wear garments of darkness.”  

 

There is a progression. Very similar to what we see in Psalm 1…

 

Discernment stops this progression before it happens.  It looks ahead and sees the danger.  It takes note and thinks through the source and determines by the principles and wisdom of God what the response needs to be. 

 

You’ll never regret discernment, but stupidity and ignorance are always regrettable and avoidable. 

 

Discernment takes time and effort, ignorance is easy. 

 

We should never be in a hurry to participate in something we don’t fully understand. Or to even assume we fully understand it. 

 

We need to learn to examine these things – even if it means we need to tell someone, 

‘hey, I need some time to think and pray about this.’  

 

I think we have all been in situations when we think, ‘if I had just thought about this a little more…’

 

We need to take note of those times and learn to make discernment a habit.  A prerequisite to decision making. 

 

One way to start doing this is to ask someone who is older or who you perceive to be wise, to help you think through an issue.  

 

And if they are wise they’re probably not going to tell you the answer, but will ask you, “What does God’s word say about this?”  Help you determine the heart of the issue and point you towards the appropriate scripture to seek the answer yourself.  This is the work that discernment requires. If you want to do something discerning ask a wise man, if you want to be discerning, learn how the wise man thinks.  

 

God blessed me with a very wise father.  Something I’ve observed in him as an overlying attitude that underscores the many issues and decisions he has had to make and deal with, as well as the council he has given myself and others is – the supremacy of scripture.  

 

God’s word is always the answer, no matter what the question.  It is completely adequate in its entirety for any query, struggle, trial or issue we may face in this life. (2Tim 3:16-17)

 

To hold this view of scripture is to have a proper fear of God – and that is wisdom.  

 

Discernment is a learned behavior, and it starts with holding scripture and the LORD in the highest honor – and is nurtured by a consistent and steady stride down the way of truth.