If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. 2 John 10-11
Recently I have heard this verse used from the pulpit to inform what a certain but respected person does to Jehovah witnesses when they come to his door. His personal view is to drive that person from his porch as a false teacher then follows them to warn others that they are false teachers.
The passage above simply says not to welcome any person who does not believe in the deity of Jesus Christ with hospitality or open arms. Do not bring them into your home or agree with them to be polite or wish them good luck promoting his or her beliefs. 1 Corinthians 4:6 tells us not to go beyond what is written NIV or that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, KJV.
According to this passage we would not only have to prevent any Jehovah witnesses but the non-Christian from entering our home as well. However, as a Christian I have to take this verse and place it in context with the entire bible. You see, the bible has over thirty-one thousand verses that shape the foundation of God’s disposition in you, so there is more to being a Christian than living according to a single verse of the bible that may be misinterpreted.
Love is not rude nor does love drive a person from your door step because you disagree with them. Nor does love follow to persecute anyone for their beliefs instead it makes additional opportunities for you to testify to your personal beliefs.
As a Christian I have to look at the person standing at my door through the eyes of my Lord and Savior. That person whether a man or woman is a person God loves and whom Jesus died to atone for their sin. We need to focus on the overall picture that Jesus loves them and does not want them to perish.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17
The instructions that follow this passage tell us that we have been reconciled with God through Jesus Christ. In addition Jesus Christ has committed the message of reconciliation to us and made us Ambassadors with a purpose of presenting the salvation message to the unsaved on God’s behalf. In other words we have been commissioned to make disciples of all nations and teach them to obey everything God has commanded of you (Matthew 28:19-20). At the same time it’s crucial to muster our courage to present God’s message to the unsaved.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
An Ambassador has to deal with all kinds of people without being judgmental. No one can be a good ambassador of Christ by driving people away before doing what they are assigned to do. As an ambassador of Christ I have been commissioned to give them the good news that God does not want anyone to perish but believe in Jesus Christ who is the truth the way and the life.
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. 2 John 10-11
When one looks at this passage it doesn’t tell you to be afraid of them or to treat them with disrespect. They have come to you with a false conception about Jehovah God and their beliefs are based on the teachings of ignorant men. On the other hand God has given you the opportunity to use the scriptures to teach, correct and train in the ways of Jehovah God (2 Timothy 3:16). Remember their Jehovah God is our God, Lord and Savior.
Almost every Jehovah witness and Latter Day Saints carries a king James or NIV bible on their person when they come to your door. Ask them if they believe what’s been written in the bible. Then persuade them to read Acts 4:10-12 and John 3:16 to you and point out that Jehovah God must have highly exalted Jesus Christ to prominence in matters of salvation to make his name the only way a man may be saved.
Christ is a title and is defined as the Messiah – the anointed one. According to the Old Testament the persons appointed by God as prophets, kings, Priests, and Judges who were anointed for a specific tasks. Jesus is the only person that fills each of these positions. Jesus was a great prophet, God designated him as High Priest on the order of Melchizedek, he has been appointed judge separating the good from those who are evil, and he will serve as king in the ages to come.
By this time most Jehovah witness and Latter Day Saints are confused because their salvation is based on works. They will be on their way to their leadership to see how they interpret what you pointed out. Most Jehovah witness and Latter Day Saints do not understand that their trust is in what unsaved men believe and teach. As a bonus you may have planted the gospel seed in people you have never met.
You are a new creation in Christ Jesus and you must see life the way your Lord does. Showing the love of Jesus Christ to Jehovah witness and Latter Day Saints is far better than honoring them with a merit badge by running them off or persecuting them for their beliefs. Remember at one time the name of Jesus meant nothing to you but it was the love of God that drew you to him.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
Demonstrate the love of Christ who specifically died as atonement for everyone’s sin. Remember that you were saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ not by works. Those who come to your door to share their beliefs are ignorantly accumulating works as proof of their salvation. We should not judge them or treat them with disgust because we want to be respected in return.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Romans 10:14
Who is going to preach the gospel message if you don’t? Every Christian has been commissioned to make disciples of all nations and that includes Jehovah witness and Latter Day Saints. We are to teach them everything we have been commanded by God to do.
For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' Matthew 13:15
Christians have ears but don’t always listen or make the effort to make changes in their life. On the other hand men and women of the world are always hearing the word of God but do not understanding because their eyes and ears are closed to the gospel. Its only when they hear that it is possible for anyone to understand and turn from sin to be forgiven. For this reason Christians have been given the ministry of reconciliation. Will the unsaved know the love of God or the salvation message unless someone explains the gospel truth to them?
People want to know the truth especially when the truth is suppressed by the wickedness of men and their life is at stake. The world lives by sight not by faith. They believe what they see and it is important for the world to see the difference that Jesus Christ has made in you. Don’t hide your Christian experience under the shroud of persecution and don’t be like the world that only has the Sunday Morning pretense.
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