II John, III John

“For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh” (II John 1:7).  John said that true Christians know that Jesus came “in the flesh” (I John 4:2), while “deceivers” teach that He was only spirit.  Denying Jesus’ bodily humanity led to “spiritualizing” the faith; they preached an abstract idea that ignored the importance of loving real people in sacrificial, concrete ways.  Diotrephes, for example, refused to practice hospitality and discouraged others (III John 1:9-10). 

“Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do” (III John 1:5).  Faithfulness means making our faith visible by our actions, just as Jesus visibly demonstrated God’s love for us.