We start a new book today, 2 John 1-4:
Today's verses are 2 John 1-4, which read,
"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. I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father."
John addresses himself as "the elder" probably stresses that he is getting along in years and maybe indicating that he is the last one left of the disciples who were eyewitnesses of Jesus.
The letter is addressed to "the chosen lady." A woman who is a Christian who might be hosting a church in her house. This was common practice of the day for the 1st century Christians.
In 1 John the theme was "love" and in 2 John the theme is "truth." Look at how many times it is said in these four verses, five times. This begs the question, "What is truth?" and John is going to unpack what he means by that word.
You can love someone "in" truth and you can "know" the truth. The truth can "abide" in us and be a reason, a "sake," for love. God the Father and Jesus Christ give grace, mercy, and peace to us "in" truth and love. Finally, we can "walk" in truth and it is a "commandment" from God to do so.
If one can be "in" the truth; "know" the truth; have that truth "abide" in him; give "sake" or reason for my love because of the truth; be the avenue from God and Jesus to give grace, mercy, and peace; "walk" in truth; and have "commandment" to have obedience to the truth as a habit of one's life then it must be very important to the Christian and the Christian life.
It doesn't sound like it is something to be made trivial or something to be played around with. It doesn't sound optional or something unnecessary. Truth seems to be more than just a knowledge of a fact that has been verified. This truth is big in the life of the Christian. In the land of many opinions, John speaks of a truth that is crucial to the genuine Christian.
A common thought today is that if we can just "all get along" as Rodney King said that it will bring unity. Tolerance brings unity is the thought. It brings something but I don't think we can call it unity. What it does is dilute the truth. It raises our opinions of what is right and wrong above what God has given us. If all of our opinions are equal and God's is just one of the options then because of our sin nature we will not gravitate to "just get along." One opinion will rise above the rest or assert itself and that brings disunity. It is only when we rest on the truth that God has given us that we will find true unity because it is on truth and not our version of it.
The truth is outside of us, coming into us, and we are walking in it in obedience to the One who gave it. It matters what God says and it especially matters in the church and among those who call themselves Christians. Truth cannot be altered to fit the culture that we live in but we need to be continually conformed to the truth of God regardless of the culture we live in. Truth is a big deal when it comes to living out our lives for Christ.
"Lord, may I realize how important it is to know the truth that You have given us. May I live out that truth in my life that will manifest itself as real love for You and others. Help me to recognize when I am wandering into my opinion and away from the truth that You have given in which I receive grace, mercy, and peace from You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
"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. I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father."
John addresses himself as "the elder" probably stresses that he is getting along in years and maybe indicating that he is the last one left of the disciples who were eyewitnesses of Jesus.
The letter is addressed to "the chosen lady." A woman who is a Christian who might be hosting a church in her house. This was common practice of the day for the 1st century Christians.
In 1 John the theme was "love" and in 2 John the theme is "truth." Look at how many times it is said in these four verses, five times. This begs the question, "What is truth?" and John is going to unpack what he means by that word.
You can love someone "in" truth and you can "know" the truth. The truth can "abide" in us and be a reason, a "sake," for love. God the Father and Jesus Christ give grace, mercy, and peace to us "in" truth and love. Finally, we can "walk" in truth and it is a "commandment" from God to do so.
If one can be "in" the truth; "know" the truth; have that truth "abide" in him; give "sake" or reason for my love because of the truth; be the avenue from God and Jesus to give grace, mercy, and peace; "walk" in truth; and have "commandment" to have obedience to the truth as a habit of one's life then it must be very important to the Christian and the Christian life.
It doesn't sound like it is something to be made trivial or something to be played around with. It doesn't sound optional or something unnecessary. Truth seems to be more than just a knowledge of a fact that has been verified. This truth is big in the life of the Christian. In the land of many opinions, John speaks of a truth that is crucial to the genuine Christian.
A common thought today is that if we can just "all get along" as Rodney King said that it will bring unity. Tolerance brings unity is the thought. It brings something but I don't think we can call it unity. What it does is dilute the truth. It raises our opinions of what is right and wrong above what God has given us. If all of our opinions are equal and God's is just one of the options then because of our sin nature we will not gravitate to "just get along." One opinion will rise above the rest or assert itself and that brings disunity. It is only when we rest on the truth that God has given us that we will find true unity because it is on truth and not our version of it.
The truth is outside of us, coming into us, and we are walking in it in obedience to the One who gave it. It matters what God says and it especially matters in the church and among those who call themselves Christians. Truth cannot be altered to fit the culture that we live in but we need to be continually conformed to the truth of God regardless of the culture we live in. Truth is a big deal when it comes to living out our lives for Christ.
"Lord, may I realize how important it is to know the truth that You have given us. May I live out that truth in my life that will manifest itself as real love for You and others. Help me to recognize when I am wandering into my opinion and away from the truth that You have given in which I receive grace, mercy, and peace from You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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