Receiving one whom God has received aligns us with God Himself – “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). It is the mark of true discipleship, and is manifest evidence of a fuller understanding of Christ’s redemptive work (cf. 1 John 3:16-17). For this reason, it is a travesty when some operate under the label of love to receive those whom God has not received. Such is contrary to the very premise of Jesus’ expression of love in His death on the cross. He did not die to receive men in their sins, but that through His death their sins might be forgiven (cf. Romans 7:24-25a), and through the power of His resurrection they might die to sin once for all (cf. Ephesians 1:19-20). It is in this way that Jesus provided an opportunity for eternal fellowship with Him and the Father in heaven (cf. John 14:1-6). When one receives another who is in sin, thus has not been received by God, he undermines the very reason for which Christ died. He does not make himself like Christ, but raises himself up against Him.

The litmus test of fellowship is the divine revelation of truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). He later prayed to the Father that His disciples would be sanctified by the word of truth (cf. John 17:17). The word of God, the truth, sets one apart from the sinful world, the power of darkness, and consecrates him to the service of God in the kingdom (cf. Colossians 1:13). This is contingent upon the obedience of man to the truth – “You have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit…having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Peter 1:22, 23). Obedience to the gospel, initially and subsequently, is that which separates man from sin, and brings him into the fellowship of his Creator and Savior. Thus, if a man ceases to submit in obedience to the gospel message, that man separates himself from God, and returns to the world of sin (cf. 2 Peter 2:18-22). He is then unworthy to be received by those whom God has received.

John utilized this test of fellowship himself, and commanded from apostolic authority that his readers do the same. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world” (1 John 4:1-3). The “mystery of godliness,” that is the gospel of Christ, included this truth, that “God was manifested in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16). To teach and believe otherwise would be to sever your fellowship with God. Furthermore, to receive one who taught and believed such a doctrine would be to align yourself with his beliefs, thus, to separate yourself from God – “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds” (2 John 9-11).

Those who argue that “the doctrine of Christ” is limited by John to the truth of Jesus’ manifestation in the flesh would do well to consider the entire context. The first six verses of 2 John commend the reader’s walk in truth, and commands that they continue to do so. The second half of the epistle forbids fellowship with a specific doctrine, and the teachers of it, which is contrary to the truth. The love expressed from John to “the elect lady and her children” was “in truth…because of the truth” (vv. 1-2). The love was confined to the borders of God’s revelation, and existed due to the very commonality in that truth. Furthermore, the “grace, mercy, and peace…from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ” were only extended to them “in truth and love.” For this reason, John “rejoiced greatly” to find them “walking in the truth” (v. 4). Because the blessings of God, and fellowship with Him are only enjoyed in the truth, John pleaded with them to “walk according to His commandments,” namely, “that we love one another” (vv. 5, 6). Thus, the warning about the “many deceivers” (v. 7). They are false teachers. They teach that which is contrary to the “truth.” Ultimately, the foundation of their doctrine rested on the false premise that Jesus Christ had not come in the flesh (v. 7). Such was the specific contradiction to the general “doctrine of Christ,” which is the entire truth. The problem was not merely a contradiction to the doctrine about who Christ was, but a contradiction to the “doctrine of Christ” – that which He taught (cf. John 14:8-11; Luke 24:36-43). The same is understood concerning the doctrine of the Pharisees (cf. Matthew 16:12), of Balaam (cf. Revelation 2:14), and of the Nicolaitans (cf. Revelation 2:15). Such concerned their teaching.

The reception of one who does not “abide in the doctrine of Christ” followed by the claim to reject their teaching is self-contradictory. Words without the agreeing actions are empty. One who is truly opposed to sin and error in word and heart will be opposed to sin and error in action. To receive such a one is to “share in his evil deeds.”

We must recognize additional implications of receiving such a one who returns to the filth of sin, and is separated from God. Such does not accomplish the restoration of a soul. Rather, it shows acceptance of, or at best indifference toward their life of rebellion against God. It bids them success on their journey toward eternal damnation. It fails to recognize their current spiritual state, and therefore fails to act in a fitting manner.

One of the many failures of the Corinthian church which Paul addressed was their tolerance of sin. There was a man involved in sexual immorality, “and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles – that a man has his father’s wife” (1 Corinthians 5:1). These brethren were “puffed up” to the extent of failing to see the sorrow of the situation (v. 2). They did not mourn over a soul lost to the wiles of the devil. They put up with the evil, and did not seek to repair the wounds of the evil doer. Allowing one who was no longer recognized by God, but was dwelling in the “power of darkness” (Colossians 1:13), to participate with them in the activities of the kingdom of God was helping neither the sinner, or the church. Paul commanded, “deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (v. 5). Their tolerance of the sinner might have led him to believe his soul was safe. However, he was a servant of sin in the kingdom of Satan, and to impress upon him such a truth, they were to deliver him to his actual abode. This, not reception in spite of sin, would work toward the saving of his soul.

In addition to their reception of the one in sexual immorality contributing to the loss of his soul, it was endangering the church. Paul wrote, “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (v. 6)? We are naïve to think we are above the leavening properties of sin and error. The tolerance of sin by the church gives the implication that sin is not dangerous. More, then, are made further susceptible to sin’s lure, and grasp. “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits’” (15:33). The effects of one man’s sin are far reaching. Paul commanded, “Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (vv. 7-8). Furthermore, when Paul wrote his second letter to Corinth, he explained, “For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things” (2 Corinthians 2:9). To tolerate sin in the church, and receive those whom God has not received, is to rebel against His divine command.

Ultimately, God requires the bride of Christ to be holy. Daily, we are to set ourselves apart from sin, and be consecrated to God. We cannot achieve such holiness while receiving those God has not received. “For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty’” (2 Corinthians 6:16b-18).