A Book by Its Cover

2 John

Have you ever heard the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover?” I will be honest, with artwork today, there are some really cool and creative covers for books. I can walk down the aisle of the bookstore at church and if a books cover standouts, I will pick it up and read it. Sometimes the book is really good with a great cover and sometimes it is just plain borring.

Here in the book of 2 John, we see John writing to a woman and her children. John wanted to warn her about the dangers of the false teachers. In 1 John, he warned the church that this was going around and now he is talking specifically to a mom and her children. In verse 9 it says, “Everyone who goes ahead and not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teachings has both the Father and the Son.” John wanted her to know how to judge the false teachers or know the book by its cover.

John was very clear that you can tell if someone is with Christ by how they abide to the teachings of Christ. This is why it is so important for you as a Christian to know the Bible. You may not be an expert or a scholar but you should not be fooled by people but read the Bible for yourself. The word abide means to remain or persist in. We need to remain in Christ and be obedient to what the Bible teaches. We can know if someone is a follower of Christ by how they follow Jesus Christ and what the Bible teaches. People love saying, “Don’t judge me!” but this is not judging this making an observation based on fact. John 15:2, 5 says, “Every branch that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear much fruit. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

As Christians we need to be aware of those who share something contrary to the Bible and deny Jesus as God in flesh. John warns us to not have Christian fellowship with false teachers. Young Christians, please be ready to make a stand for Jesus. Do not back down from the truth. We can tell those who follow after Jesus because they will be living and sharing with what the Bible teaches not something that is contrary.