DON'T LOSE YOUR REWARDS

Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 2 John 1:8 (NIV)

This warning follows John’s statement in Verse 7 that:

… many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

The New Testament clearly teaches that rewards await those believers who have worked the works God has led them to do.

Those who understand and live out the message of our union with Christ are led by the Spirit and empowered to do the works God leads them to do.

One who follows those who pervert the Gospel of Christ even for a short time will lose the rewards he could have been accumulating during his time of spiritual relapse.

However, the words, “… that you do not lose what you have worked for …” imply that rewards already gained through a walk with the Lord will be sacrificed by those who go astray.

Even though the New Testament does not fully describe what the rewards will be, it is clear that they are important to God. This alone should make them important to us.

Because many false teachers are attempting to lead believers and non-believers, we will do well to make those we teach aware of the Apostle John’s warning.