One of the most frequent questions I get from born-again Christians is, “In light of 2 John 1:10-11, what should I do when LDS Missionaries knock on my door?”
2 John 1:10-11 says this: “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.”
Let’s make four observations and then draw two conclusions.
1. Serious Warning
2 John 1:10-11 offers a very serious prohibition to born-again Christians who, in a misguided attempt at charity, support theological error. It’s a strong warning that must not be ignored.
2. Theological Error
2 John 1:7 specifies the type of error John forbids us to support, “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is a deceiver and the antichrist.”
Most Bible scholars believe that John is confronting an early form of Gnosticism, which taught that Jesus was not a man, but a spirit. Mormonism teaches that Jesus is the offspring of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, contrary to John 1:1–3, Hebrews 1:1–8, Revelation 1:8, etc. However different Mormonism may be from early Gnosticism, they are both serious theological errors that we cannot support.
3. Hospitality
John says that we are neither to “receive” nor “greet” these types of false teachers when they show up at our house. These words, however, were much stronger in John’s culture. “Receive” in other contexts can mean to take a wife, to break bread at the Lord’s table, to seize forcibly, etc.
“Greet” in other contexts means “to rejoice.” The words described in 2 John seem to be something more than a one hour chat, but a week-long stay, a sacrificial donation to that minister, or a formal extension of fellowship.
4. Correction
The New Testament offers other advice that may also be applicable to the situation. Passages like Titus 1:7 and 2 Corinthians 10:3–7 encourage mature believers to instruct, correct, or even rebuke those who are in error.
The missionaries who come to your door are typically no more than 19 or 20; most have only ever known Mormonism. They’re not cynical – they’re just kids doing what they’ve been told to do.
Conclusions
Let’s draw two conclusions from the observations above.
-
First, 2 John 1:10–11 forbids us from calling Mormons “Christian” and prevents us from supporting their cause.
-
Second, in my opinion, simply inviting LDS missionaries to sit on your couch for a brief theological discussion neither endorses nor supports the Mormon endeavor the way 2 John 1:10-11 forbids.
When LDS missionaries knock on your door (they always come in pairs), my mission field has just come to you. I would strongly encourage you to express kindness and genuine concern for their welfare.
Sit down. Have a chat. Respectfully ask questions about their faith. Disagree with a smile and unflinching grace. Mercifully appeal to them to read the Bible. Offer to have them back if they ever want to discuss what they’ve read.
If your conscience disagrees with my interpretation of 2 John 1:10-11 and you simply cannot let them in, that’s okay. I very much support your obedience to God’s Word. You can still do everything I just mentioned graciously at your door.