Q&A 14 - DOCTRINE OF CHRIST IS MISSING!

Q - How are we as Believers to interact with those who are not?

A - I John 4:15 says: "15) Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God." What a beautiful sentiment this is! However, the converse may be troubling. It implies that the one who fails to confess that Yeshua is the Son of God does NOT have God in him, and is not in God. We know that this is true of those in Tree 2 who have not yet found Yeshua, and do not yet understand who He was and is, but how are we to relate to them? The following is hard to write. It is covered in a later portion of the three epistles of John.

II John 1:7-11 states: "7) For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8) Look to yourselves that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9) Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10) If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed: 11) For he that biddeth him Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds." If a person attempts to interact with a Believer, and it becomes known that the doctrine of Christ is missing, John states clearly that the Believer is not to interact with that one. This seems very harsh in nature, so lets look at it closely.

What does Godspeed mean? It is Strongs #5463, and means a greeting or salutation, but it has the dual nature of addressing a person when either arriving or departing, similar to our hello and goodbye. So are we not to acknowledge the presents of such a person? Are we not to be civil toward such a one? The word "bid" here is Strongs #3004, and Zodhiates tells us it means to "speak by linking and knitting together in connected discourse the inward thoughts and feelings of the mind", which seems to give us a bit more latitude.

So before we border on extreemism, we should also harmonize this context with that of Romans 10:13-14. It reads: 13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14) How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" You see, the very fact that the Tree 2 people do not yet know who Yeshua was and is, rather obligates Believers to reach out to them and present the gospel message to them. This would necessitate making contact with them in order to tell them of Yeshua. It seems that we are NOT, however, to engage in lengthy exchanges of the mind or seek their companionship. II Corinthians 6:14-18 says, "14) Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what FELLOWSHIP hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what COMMUNION hath light with darkness? 15) And what CONCORD hath Christ with Belial? or what PART hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16) And what AGREEMENT hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." Conversely it looks as the Believer who chooses to remain entwined with one who does not believe upon Yeshua may eventually be (to some degree or other) excluded as sons and daughters while interacting with such a one. They may actually be in a state of separation from God (or at least experience the removal of His hedge of protection as evidence of this breach) while they are in rebellion to this precept.

It appears that God's intent to us as Believers is clear. We are not to reject those who do not know Yeshua as we do; we are to reach out to them to share the gospel message. Actually Luke 16:9-11 even allows us as Believers to "make friends" (the Greek indicates a form of neighborliness) with the "mammon of unrighteousness" that we might have "everlasting" (which means here "to the end of the age") habitations. It may be that we will need their help, and God may allow them to provide it for us. We are not to intimidate, ridicule, or offend these people. We are to witness to them, and be neighborly toward them. However, this is to be done at arms length. We are not to enter into a bond of any kind with them. We have within us the Living God, and we are His Temples. "What AGREEMENT hath the temple of God with idols?" We are not to defile God's Temples by developing a bond with one who does not likewise abide with and in Him. His words ring in our ears: "Come out from among them, and be ye separate", saith the Lord. "Yoked" in this passage relates strongly to marriage, but is not limited to this perception. Correlating this passage back to our I John 4 passage, we see that even bidding Tree 2 people Godspeed may fall into this category. If repeated attempts are made to bring them to the Tree 1 understanding, and these attempts are repeatedly rejected, then the Bible indicates that we are to come out from among them. We are not to interact with them intellectually, physically, or even in business agreements. We are to separate ourselves from them. Per II John 1:9, the one who does not abide in the doctrine of Christ is in transgression, and we are not to interact with such a one, or we cannot receive a full reward (verse 8). Verse 11 indicates that when we interact with them, God sees us as participants in their transgression! Either John is wrong (i.e. the Bible is wrong), or we (as Believers) are duty bound to uphold that which it teaches. If we are sincere in our walk with the Lord, we (as Believers) cannot afford to ignore God's Word in this matter. It appears that failing to do so is grievous to God, and could result in a loss of rewards, as well as other harsh and more immediate consequences, so be forewarned, and take heed Believer. We are obligated to align with God's Word, and walk within its precepts.