Remain faithful in love for the reward

2 John 8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. In light of John’s warning about the deceivers who would not acknowledge that Jesus is God in a human body, he didn’t want the church to lose what had been accomplished by the teaching of the gospel, Jesus’ commands, and their loving one another with Christ for the sake of the truth. In this verse, John warned them to pay attention to themselves. He wanted them to make sure that they not be led astray by the false prophets, the antichrists. This warning is perhaps as needful today as it was in the first century. The church is experiencing an exodus of souls who have fallen for the same lies and deception. May I encourage you to watch yourselves to make sure you faithfully continue to live to love with Jesus until the end. Even if your children, who have been raised and taught the truth from birth, walk away, do not be deceived by their apostasy or falling away from the truth. Remain faithful to love with Jesus, believing He lives in you and will reward you in full. Jesus often spoke of rewards for faithfulness. In the Sermon on the Mount, He said, “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5:11-12). No doubt the deceivers of whom John wrote attacked, persecuted, and insulted the Lady and her children. Jesus also encouraged His followers to be faithful until His return when He told the parable of the master’s rewarding his faithful slaves, “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 25:21). Some of John’s readers were walking in love with Jesus. They could expect a full reward for their labors of love. I hope this verse encourages you to live to love with Jesus until the end of your life. There is a rich and full reward for establishing a faithful witness in this world of the living Son of God with your brothers and sisters in Christ. We accomplish that work in the power of the Holy Spirit as we abide in Christ for the sake of the truth.