2 John 1:8
Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
The early church understood that apostasy was a real danger. Unlike modern "once saved, always saved" formulations that sometimes minimize the need for vigilance, first-century Christians took warnings about falling away seriously. They had seen professing believers apostatize under persecution or seduction by false teaching. John's warning reflects this experiential reality: those who seemed genuine could be lost to deception.
The concept of degrees of reward was well-established in Jewish thought and Jesus' teaching (Matthew 5:12, 19, 6:1-6, Luke 19:12-27). Early Christians understood that while salvation is by grace alone, rewards in the kingdom depend on faithful service. This motivated diligent discipleship and holy living—not to earn salvation but to maximize eternal reward and Christ's commendation.
John's generation witnessed significant labor: evangelizing the Gentile world, establishing churches throughout the Roman Empire, producing New Testament writings, and training second-generation leaders. All this effort could be undermined if subsequent generations abandoned apostolic truth. False teachers threatened to destroy in one generation what the apostles had spent decades building. John's urgent appeal for vigilance reflects his pastoral concern that their labor not be in vain (Galatians 4:11, Philippians 2:16, 1 Thessalonians 3:5).
Questions for Reflection
- What specific practices help maintain spiritual vigilance against deception in our current cultural moment?
- How does understanding degrees of eternal reward affect our motivation for faithful service and doctrinal fidelity?
- In what areas might we be vulnerable to losing the fruit of past spiritual growth through current negligence or compromise?
Analysis & Commentary
Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. John issues an urgent warning: "Look to yourselves" (Greek blepete heautous, βλέπετε ἑαυτούς), meaning "watch yourselves" or "take heed." The present imperative demands continuous vigilance. Believers must exercise constant spiritual alertness against deception, not assuming immunity from error. The reflexive pronoun emphasizes personal responsibility—each person must guard their own spiritual condition.
The concern is "that we lose not those things which we have wrought" (Greek hina mē apolesēte ha eirgasametha, ἵνα μὴ ἀπολέσητε ἃ εἰργασάμεθα). Some manuscripts read "you lose not what we have wrought," distinguishing between John's apostolic labor and the believers' potential loss. Either reading conveys the same essential truth: spiritual achievements can be forfeited through negligence or deception. "Wrought" suggests the hard work of evangelism, discipleship, and spiritual growth—all vulnerable to loss if believers abandon truth.
"But that we receive a full reward" (Greek alla misthon plērē apolabēte, ἀλλὰ μισθὸν πλήρη ἀπολάβητε) presents the positive goal. "Full reward" indicates complete recompense for faithful service. This is not salvation itself (received by grace through faith) but rewards for faithful stewardship and perseverance (1 Corinthians 3:12-15, 2 Corinthians 5:10). Believers can suffer loss of rewards while remaining saved, but John urges them to pursue complete rather than diminished eternal compensation. Fidelity to truth results in full reward; compromise produces loss.