Wise, if they are left to themselves, but your un-comfortability was accurate, just as your bringing forth these verses are.
Thanks for the enlightenment as well. Had heard of this ... construct, the ULC before but never really looked at it.
http://www.ulchq.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Life_Church
I recalled the 'anybody can become a minister' certificate process, but didn't realize the extent of the ... absurd. It would be more credible to try and buy your groceries with Monopoly money.
The context of the whole chapter is emphasized by a contrast,
2Jo 1:1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the [u]truth[/u]; and not I only, but also all they that have known the [u]truth[/u];
2Jo 1:2 For the [u]truth's[/u] sake, [i]which dwelleth in us[/i], and shall be with us for ever.
2Jo 1:3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in [u]truth[/u] and [i]love[/i].
2Jo 1:4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children [u]walking in truth[/u], as we have received a commandment from the Father.
Both truth and love ...
2Jo 1:5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
And then the defining of what love is ...
2Jo 1:6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
Appropriately and almost ironically to what you have described, this comment from John Gill;
[b]2Jo 1:7 - For many deceivers are entered into the world[/b],.... By whom are meant false teachers, who are described by their quality, "deceivers", deceitful workers, [u]pretending to be ministers of Christ[/u], to have a: value for truth, a love for souls, and a view to the glory of God, but lie in wait to deceive, and handle the word of God deceitfully; and by their quantity or number, "many", and so likely to do much mischief; and by the place where they were, they were "entered into the world"; or "gone out into the world", as the Alexandrian copy and some others, and the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read; See Gill on 1Jo_4:1; and by their tenet,
Certainly the word 'minister' carries a variety of definitions, but to masquerade under the covering of another word 'church' and abuse the all inclusive 'universal' is to say everything while stating nothing.
...[i]who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.[/i]
This has always caused a bit of a wiggle, because even those with an ordination from below can make this sort of statement, i.e.;
Jam 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Without overly complicating the matter, Gill again ...
[b]who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh[/b]; these were not the Jews who denied that Jesus was the Christ, though they would not allow that Christ was come in the flesh; but these were some who bore the Christian name, and professed to believe in Jesus Christ, but would not own that he was really incarnate, or assumed a true human nature, only in appearance; and denied that he took true and real flesh of the virgin, but only seemed to do so; and these are confuted by the apostle, 1Jo_1:1; and upon everyone of these he justly fixes the following character.
[b]This is a deceiver and an antichrist[/b]; one of the deceivers that were come into the world, and one of the antichrists that were already in it; and who were the forerunners of the man of sin, and in whom the mystery of iniquity already began to work; for antichrist does not design anyone particular individual person, but a set of men, that are contrary to Christ, and opposers of him.
Somewhere around here is a posting on the defining and expression intact within the 'anti-christ', but the word "contrary" is the very root.
2Jo 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
My, a fresh look at this verse again ... How applicable to so much!
2Jo 1:9 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.
The doctrine of Christ. How all encompassing, it is He who is the head of the universe and the church (His) universal, anything else is contrary and redundantly, anti-christ.
2Jo 1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not [u]this[/u] doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
2Jo 1:11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
[b]2Jo 1:10 - If there come any unto you[/b],.... Under the character of a preacher;
[b]and bring not this doctrine[/b]; or does not preach the doctrine of Christ, as before explained, but despises it, and preaches a contrary one:
[b]receive him not into your house[/b]; neither into the house of God, suffer him not to preach there; nor into your own house, give him no entertainment there: false teachers always tried to creep into houses, where they served their own turn every way, both by feeding their bellies, and spreading their pernicious doctrines; and therefore such should: be avoided, both publicly and privately; their ministry should not be attended on in the church, or house of God; and they should not be entertained in private houses, and much less caressed:
[b]neither bid him God speed[/b]; or give him the usual civil form of salutation, as a good day to you, all hail, all health and prosperity attend you, the Lord be with you, and the like. The word used by the Jews was אישר, which signifies "happiness"; so it is said (i), what do they salute with? אישר, "God speed"; which was forbidden to say to one that was ploughing in the seventh year. The meaning is, that with such no familiar conversation should be had, lest any encouragement should be given them; or it should induce a suspicion in the minds of other saints, that they are in the same sentiments; or it should tend to make others think favourably of them, and be a snare and a stumblingblock to weak Christians.
John Gill
Hard to apologize for the length here, am appreciative of the exercise and what I am gleaning going through it. [i]Under the character of a preacher[/i]. The irony of what keeps popping up between what you described and the context of theses passages... perhaps irony is a poor choice of a word. Your spiritual instincts are correct, those that produced the level of discomfort. Having said all that, there still is an "if" back of all of this, which might guide your response to this lady if you happen across her path again. Otherwise, we are at the same crossroads of;
Mat 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Or in this case the reverse, [i]receive him not[/i]
