An icon used to represent a menu that can be toggled by interacting with this icon. "Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father, in truth and love..." (II JOHN 3). God desires to communicate with us. The false teacher must be shown that his teaching is unacceptable. 2 John 1:6, ESV: "And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it." All rights reserved. Even among the rest of the early Christians, the number of those who had actually seen Jesus was dwindling down to only a few, and it would not be long until no one would be left from the generation which had witnessed the Savior. The real test of faith and love comes in the application. First, truth corresponds to reality or “what is.” It is real. DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANOTHER'S EVIL DEEDS "If anyone comes to you, and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds." 3. 514.) And now I ask you, lady, not as writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever--2 Peter 1:12 Therefore I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth you now have. . John uses the word "truth" no less than four times in just the salutation. Today many like to say, "It does not matter what you believe as long as you are sincere." John is pleased to see that some believers are sticking to the truth, but this implies that others are not. (II JOHN 1-3). Truth - 2 John 2 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth "because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever." The second is a warning not to give encouragement to false teachers. The truth that originates with God is not a temporary, passing phenomenon, but is “the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever” (2 John 2). When we "know the truth" of what we are as brothers and sisters in Christ; when we "know the truth" of God's great love for us; when we "know the truth" of what it is to bear God's image as His offspring, then we will love one another as God has loved us. The apostle states: “Whoever transgresses and does not abide [continue, remain, endure] in the doctrine [teachings] of Christ does not have God. “Such truth ‘will be with us forever’ because it comes from the ‘Spirit of Truth’ [which] will ‘be with you forever’ (John 14:16) and because its acceptance leads to eternal life” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary, revised edition, p. Truth will be with us forever. “Truth” in 2 John 1-4 is technically metonymy, the use of an associated element to refer to a larger concept. 2 John 1-3 So, What is the Truth? “The letters we call 2 and 3 John are similar in words, style, ideas, and character to 1 John, and must have been written by the same author, who refers to himself simply as ‘the elder’” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary, p. 754—see 2 John 1:1; 3 John 1:1). One element of this body of truth is that it is true. Truth is simply telling it like it is. Used by permission. Fourth, The blessings of God; His grace, mercy and peace, will be with us "in truth and love." This is the test and challenge confronting true Christians! John warns (4:2), “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God” (see also, 2 John 7). In these first two sections we discover something else. John says, "and this is love, that we walk according to His commandments." They were denying that Jesus had come "in the flesh." He talked about heresies, about perversions of the truth, about the distortions and counterfeits that will exist from time to time, in cycles, throughout history. Truth is the necessary condition of unity and, as a result, the basis of hospitality. Second, John says all who "know the truth" would have the same love for this church as he does. SALUTATION: A MATTER OF TRUTH "The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love." There is a difference of opinion on this point. The world is back at it. God calls such people “liars” because the truth is not in them (1 John 2:4). John wrote to "the chosen lady." If we love Him, we will keep His commandments. If we push them aside substituting our own doctrines and practices, then we do not have God. The word “commandment(s)” is used four times; and the active verb “walk” or “walking,” three times. The truth is being threatened by false teachers. They have "gone out into the world" showing that they were once within the church (cf. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Believers are to love in both deed and in truth (i.e., "truly" 1 John 3:18). We must be loyal to the way, the truth and the life. Of course, this does not mean that the Old Testament is not concerned with truth—merely that the New Testament has a special emphasis on the truth of Jesus. In other words, they denied that Jesus was God in human flesh. Or perhaps Christians are being told not to allow a traveling false teacher a place to stay. John “rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.” He also wrote, “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. One writer, who believes it is impossible to fall from grace, said these people were in danger of losing "part of the reward at the judgment seat of Christ." For example, a teacher facing a class may say, “Now the only exit to this room is on the right.” Presumably the Christian community to which he wrote knew who he was. “Most modern commentators, however, conclude that ‘the Elect Lady’ is a general reference to an entire congregation, so that ‘her children’ are the individual members of the congregation” (revised edition, pp. First, John says he loves the elect lady and her children. You can imagine the esteem with which the early Christians would have viewed the last surviving apostle; one who had actually walked and talked with the Lord. It shows itself through his or her deeds, thoughts and words. It contains scarcely anything that is not found in the preceding; and out of the thirteen verses there are at least eight which are found, either in so many words or in sentiment, precisely the same with those of the first epistle.” (Adam Clarke) As a result, he encouraged them to continue walking in the truth, thereby renouncing false teachers attempting to introduce beliefs contrary to the true doctrines Christ established in His Church. First, John says he loves the elect lady and her children. Jesus is real! But the writer was an *elder overall the churches in a large area.Much of this letter is like John’s first letter. This letter repeats many themes from John’s first letter, and Second John reflects these themes as well. A standard papyrus sheet measured ten by eight inches and the length of these letters would each take up almost exactly one sheet” (Barclay’s Daily Study Bible: The Letters of John and Jude, 1976, p. 127). John commends those who were "walking in truth" and then tells us that this means keeping God's "commandments." But John says nothing about losing a part of anything. John cautions "watch yourselves" because it would be possible to "lose what we have accomplished." As Christians, we are to endeavor to actively walk in obedience to God’s commandments with our whole being, trusting in Him to help, support and mercifully forgive us upon repentance when we realize we have fallen short.In this short epistle of 13 verses, John uses the word “truth” five times and “love” four times. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" - John 14:6 [See Hebrews 1:1-3] Conclusion (II JOHN 4-6). Some note that the brevity of the book can actually be a sign of its authenticity. Diotrephes. Get the latest blog posts from Life, Hope & Truth straight to your inbox. God breathed is Word into existence - 2 Timothy 3:16; E. Jesus embodies truth - John 14:6. 2 John is being written to warn a “sister” congregation some distance away of the missionary efforts of the secessionist false teachers, and the dangers of wel… We must follow the truth and have love for God and one another in order to receive the blessings. Notice what John says concerning the "truth." Everyone going to work, going to school, going somewhere. The reason for the great amount of attention given to truth, the commandments and obeying them is the very real danger which existed (and exists today) of being destroyed by a false teacher. Doctrine does matter! He wasn't really here! At the start of the letter, the writer calls himself the‘*elder’. To “walk” in truth before God means striving to follow and imitate the example Christ set: “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6). We must continue to abide in the teaching of Christ to maintain our relationship with Him and the Father. 2 John 1:6 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] 2 John 1:6, NIV: "And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands.As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love." However, these words are more like our southern expression "you all." And notice something else, though it had been many years since Jesus had ascended back into heaven and the gospel began to be proclaimed on the day of Pentecost, the commandments were the same as when the twelve had stood up and preached the first gospel sermon proclaiming Jesus as the Christ. He became known as “the friend of God” (James 2:23; Isaiah 41:8), taking his rightful place among the biblical examples of living faith (Hebrews 11:8-10). It has already been determined. It could meanthat the person was old. D. God's Word is truth - John 17:17. In Second John, the elder ( 2 Jn 1) briefly explains the relationship between the three: Love and truth. WARNINGS ABOUT FALSE TEACHERS "For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. There is a reason for that. Sign up to receive the week's latest articles, blog posts and updates. Truth and obedience. Notice what John says concerning the "truth." Take a Tour. In other words, it matches its object and is known by its referent. Each localchurch had its leaders who were the ‘elders’. The context suggests that "the elect lady" is not a single person but a group of people. He highly commends Gaius' care and hospitality to his messengers whose mission was to take the Gospel from place to place, whether they were known to him or were strangers. Demetrius. Truth is also correspondent in nature. John uses the word "truth" no less than four times in just the salutation. He did not really die! As Christians, we are to endeavor to actively walk in obedience to God’s commandments with our whole being, trusting in Him to help, support and mercifully forgive us upon repentance when we realize we have fallen short. Love is walking in God’s commandments (verses 4-6). John was concerned that the members were being deceived into rejecting the truth of God and replacing truth with human-devised dogmas. This view that John is addressing a congregation is further supported by the fact that in some verses (6, 8, 10, 12) the plural is used when addressing the kuria, and therefore it is most likely a reference to a church rather than a specific person. These teachers were the antichrists. There are three ways that we can use the word ‘*elder’. There is a reason for that. Pastor John Miller begins a study through the Book of 2 John with an expository message titled “Walking in Truth” using 2 John 1:1-13 as his text. When two parties know the truth, love comes naturally. (II JOHN 7-9). If Jesus reigns on the throne of our hearts, then truth is the law of our lives. Some say truth is a power play, a metanarrative constructed by the elite for the purpose of controlling the ignorant masses. His body was an illusion! It could mean that the people respected him as amature man. Our house sits very close to I-20 in SW Fort Worth and on busy mornings you can hear the hum of the highway. Do not even wish them well in their work, because whatever encouragement or support we may give them will only serve to aid in the accomplishment of evil. The Bible does not use the term  "antichrist" to refer to some future world leader. His word is true! verses 4-6). It is not unusual for the Scripture to do so (EPHESIANS 5:22f; II CORINTHIANS 11:2; etc.). How Should a Christian Deal With the Coronavirus Pandemic? (2 John 3–5) According to John, love plus truth equals an environment in which “grace, mercy and peace will be with us.” Regrettably, we often act as though grace, mercy, and peace depend on love minus truth. By faithfully and steadfastly walking along this way, we are doing “those things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 John 3:22). Third John shows us what happens when people follow sound teaching . If it is true that the "elect lady" is a church, then "house" here could be the place where the saints assemble to worship. Never miss a post! Just as in the Gospel of John the author does not explicitly identify himself with the Apostle John, so here he prefers the designation the elder. “The very shortness of these two letters [2 John and 3 John] is the best guarantee of their genuineness. John refers to the "elect lady" as "you all." (II JOHN 10,11). This letter stresses the need to walk in the commandments of God. Where the first section emphasized the word "truth," this section elaborates. In our English translations the Greek words "humas", "humin" are translated "you." Good morning and happy Monday. And this is love, that we walk according to His  commandments. Warning against religious deceivers (verses 7-11). Here we observe that the expression which we are considering in 2:4b is applied by the inspired writer to US--i.e., to himself and his Christian readers. That is to say he loves the church (the elect lady) to which he is writing as a whole as well as the individual members (her children) who make it up. (II JOHN 1-3). Truth is objective. This demonstrates Abraham’s willingness to walk with God in truth. Here it means that the writer is a leader in the church. Reality exists of two levels, a relative level and an absolute level. came into the world to “bear witness to the truth” (John 18:37). The truth that originates with God is not a temporary, passing phenomenon, but is “the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever” (2 John 2). The particular false teachers of John's day were called "deceivers" and "antichrists." God has spoken. John places a great deal of importance and emphasis on preserving the biblical truth within the Church. At any rate, Christians are prohibited from lending encouragement to false teachers. Yes! All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version (© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.). The Bible states that God commanded Abraham to “walk before Me and be blameless” (Genesis 17:1). 2 John is a short letter from John the Elder to someone called ‘the elect lady’ and her children. Truth refers to the basics or fundamentals of the faith that John has discussed in 1 John (sound belief in Christ, obedience, love), as well as the truths expressed in 2 John (e.g. It makes us free. For example, in 1 John 1:8 we read: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (italics added). In fact, it … And to the enemies of truth; to those who mock it and desire it to disappear, we have this bit of bad news; the truth will be with us forever. Believers are of the truth, which no doubt means that they belong to Jesus, who is the truth ( 1 John 3:19). Both "truth" and "love" are important. Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son." It cannot! (2 Corinthians 4:10) When we compare His life to our own lives and see how enormously … Greetings to the elect lady (verses 1-3). The basic message of Christianity is termed "the truth, " and believers know the truth, and can discern that no lie is of the truth ( 1 John 2:4 1 John 2:21). For example, the use of the plural personal pronoun in the Greek in verses 10 and 12. The epistle called 3 John concerns three individuals, and in this letter the apostle John sends an essential message to each of them: Gaius. Truth is that which matches its object. The Greek word for “lady” is kuria, which is a feminine form of the masculine kurios, which means “master” or “lord.”. The epistle (letter) called 2 John tells us it is from “the elder.”. In a prayer to His Father before His crucifixion, Jesus Christ stated, “Your word is truth,” a clear reference to the inspired Word of God—the Bible (John 17:17). He says we can lose it all or we can receive it all; a full reward! Andre van Belkum currently serves as the pastor of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, in New Zealand and the Pacific region. (John 1:14) So the truth is the life of Jesus – which is to be manifested in us. God's communication is consistent with His nature. New International Version Update. John loves those who know the truth, because the truth “abides” in them ( 2 Jn 1–2 ). It was "forever." Old Testament incidents and examples have been recorded for our benefit (Romans 15:4; 16:26; 1 Corinthians 10:11). For further study, read the articles in the section “General Epistles.”. The patriarchs of old “walked” with God. 513-514). . To some, truth is subjective, the individual world of preference and opinion. By Jon W. Quinn From Expository Files 1.8; August, 1994. I JOHN 2:19). Watch yourselves, that you might not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. Early Christians received the second epistle of John from the aged apostle in the latter quarter of the first century. The letter encourages them to continue walking in truth, in the love of God and love of one another. The truth dwells in the faithful Christian. Most scholars accept the long tradition that “the elder” mentioned in the opening verse was the elderly apostle John, as the writing reflects a voice of loving authority, and therefore suggests that the author is more than a local elder or member of the Church of God. John Was And Is Very Special; We Should Pay Attention To Everything He Wrote In This Letter; Yeshua Is The Life That Appeared; Encouragement To Have Fellowship With The Father And Son And True… He referred to himself as "the elder" and is  certainly the last apostle living at the time. Walking in the Truth - 2 John Sermon by Pastor Todd Riley on August 5, 2018. The elect lady and her children refers to a particular local church at some distance from the community where the author is living at the time. Some assume that this is a reference to a church congregation and its spiritual children, while others contend that it is a particular lady who was a member of the Church of God. They lived and worked in the first century. WALKING IN THE TRUTH "I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment from the Father. One is that we are to walk in love and this means keeping the commandments of God. “Such truth ‘will be with us forever’ because it comes from the ‘Spirit of Truth’ [which] will ‘be with you forever’ (John 14:16) and because its acceptance leads to eternal life” ( Expositor’s Bible Commentary, revised edition, p. They said that that which was divine could not become material flesh. And it is through the truth that true Christians are “sanctified” (John 17:19), which means “the setting apart of the believer for God” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words). 2. The book of 2 John is addressed to the “elect lady and her children.”. Print subscriptions available in U.S., Canada and Europe, Article URL: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/holy-bible/new-testament/general-epistles/2-john/, Historical Background of the New Testament Resources. Hence, “truth” refers to a particular body of truth, not a particular singular truth, but also not to all truth. As a short letter, 2 John doesn’t develop any one topic too deeply. He loves them "in truth." 2 John – Walking In the Truth “This epistle is more remarkable for the spirit of Christian love which it breathes than for anything else. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it” (2 John 4, 6). In Chinese Buddhism, the Madhyamaka position is accepted and the two truths refer to two ontological truths. as if sincerity can make a wrong belief right. It is not what I wish were true or feel is true that determines what is true. The truth is being threatened by false teachers. For a quick link to all the other books of the Bible, see “Books of the Bible” on the Learning Center. "Just as you have heard from the beginning" John says. The Bible identifies truth as a quality intrinsic to the very nature of God. If we go beyond the teaching, or doctrine of Christ, then we forfeit our relationship with God. How foolish and prideful to tamper with the truth by seeking to alter the commandments of God to fit our own cultures and fads and opinions. In fact, the next time you ask someone how they a Certainly both are true. This includes Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and Noah, who “was a just man … [and] walked with God” (Genesis 6:9). John began this theme (in Chapter 2, Verse 18) on a rather negative note. We live in such a busy world. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son” (2 John 9, emphasis added throughout). 2 John 1-4 1 The Elder, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth, 2 because of the truth which abides in … Third, John says that the truth "abides in us" and that it will be with us "forever." Other New Testament writers agree: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22; see also Romans 2:13). There are two main points which John makes in the letter. He is concerned over the influence of false teachers, using strong terms to reject their teachings. Read the Bible; Reading Plans ... 2 John 2. The Bible says, “Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws” (Genesis 26:5). 514.). Previously he pastored congregations in southern Africa, including South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi. Abraham enthusiastically responded to God’s command. “First, it is unclear whether John is referring specifically to an individual or metaphorically to an entire congregation,” according to The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. clear what our position should be regarding the enemies of the truth How does God refer to individuals who claim “I know Him” but refuse to “walk” in His ways? It appears that this is a personification of a church and not a literal lady. Busy, busy, busy. Others believe truth is a collective judgment, the product of cultural consensus, and still others flatly deny the concept of truth altogether. Brief Summary: John is writing with his usual strong emphasis on truth to this much-loved brother in Christ, Gaius, a layman of some wealth and distinction in a city near Ephesus. Third John is the shortest book of the Bible: only 219 words (in its original Greek). “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He [Christ] walked” (1 John 2:6). This could mean one of two things: either he loves them sincerely or that he loves them as they both stand in the Lord's truth. and when they don’t: When Christians walk in truth, joy abounds (3 Jn 4). They are so brief … that no one would have gone to the trouble of inventing them and of attaching them to the name of John. This is the commandment that you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it." As in his first two epistles, John continues to stress the importance of “the truth” and how he was filled with joy when he heard of those who “walk in the truth” . 15:4 ; 16:26 ; 1 CORINTHIANS 10:11 ) ) So the truth and of... Love for God and love comes in the latter quarter of the first century strong terms reject! Was an * elder overall the churches in a large area.Much of this letter stresses the need to with! 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