Beware of Deceivers

John warns that many deceivers are already active and identifies their defining error: they refuse to confess Jesus Christ coming in the flesh. Believers must therefore watch themselves so that they do not lose what has been worked for but receive full reward. He explains that anyone who runs ahead without remaining in Christ's teaching does not have God, while whoever remains in that teaching has both the Father and the Son. On that basis John forbids the church from receiving or greeting such a teacher in a supportive way, because doing so would share in the teacher's evil deeds. The paragraph shows that fidelity to Christ sometimes requires withholding ordinary expressions of welcome.

F⁷or many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. ⁸Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded. ⁹Anyone who runs ahead without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever remains in His teaching has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰If anyone comes to you but does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home or even greet him. ¹¹Whoever greets such a person shares in his evil deeds.