2 John 1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

I heard God Speed out of context last night. When I heard it I knew there was error in front of me, but I did not have a point of reference as to its use by my sister in Christ. Others had joined in the conversation and drew away from the issue of God Speed, having missed the issue.

I believe that what I heard was the result of the lingering memory of false doctrine. Verse 7 reveals the basis of my concerns, “many deceivers are entered into the world”. It is so easy to take a pleasant sounding catch phrase to build false doctrine.

I have not heard that false doctrine, but I heard the echo of it. So many times before I have heard similar sounding words, pleasant to the ear, but born in the flesh. False teachers will often use the enticements of sweet sounding words to distract believers away from sound doctrine.

I am not privy to that teaching. I must draw my sister aside with her husband to investigate more closely. If I can root out the doctrine, we can nip it in the bud before it grows any further.

Titus 1:15a Unto the pure all things are pure:

I believe she is pure. I believe she is innocent, but false doctrine echoing in the mind of the pure has no innocent intention and will sow its own seed.

Titus 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

Hold fast the Word of Truth ye defenders of the faith.

John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

There it is in a nutshell. Can you see it? They did not until Jesus showed them. Jesus did show them the Father.

My bottom line on discipleship is this; to see and show Christ.

Matthew 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Jesus is the light of the world and we are to show Christ in us. But do you look to see Christ in others?

Know that Christ is One and like the Father varies not in character or will. It is not that Christ is different in you than in me, but that Christ creates in each of us a different part of His body. To know Christ fully demands that we should see what I am in Christ and I should see what you are in Christ.

Each member does his part to do the will of the Father. My part is not your part. Neither should I be doing your part. When Paul warned about those who would say “I am of Apollo.” Or “I am of Paul.” He was warning us not to be seeing the man but to look to Christ in the man. We are of Christ.

When is the last time you said, “I see Christ in you!”

When is the last time you looked for Christ in another? In yourself? You cannot show Christ if you cannot recognize Him in yourself.

Love one another by seeing and showing Christ and then they will know you are His disciples.