2 John; this is love, that we walk according to His commandments
Lesson 9:
Introduction:
Scholars agree that the epistle of 2 John was written by apostle John who wrote 1 John around the same time, 85-95 AD. John wrote this epistle to warn his audience against the same heretic gnostic teachers.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we pray that You will enlighten our spiritual insights to study your word with boldness and confidence. We pray that we will abide in You and Your words will abide in us, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
2 John 1-13, walk-in truth and obedience
VV 1-3, 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 us and will be with us forever. 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
John, the Elder, wrote this epistle to the elect lady and her children. Scholars are not in agreement as to the identity of this elect lady, whether this was a real person or just a figure of speech. Her children refer to the Christians in the region of Ephesus. John loved them in truth and prayed that truth abides in them forever. He pronounced grace, mercy, and peace to them from Father God and Jesus, the Son, in truth and love.
VV 4-6, 4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. 5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.
John rejoiced that his audience was walking in truth, obedience, and love. The test of loving Christ is obedience to his commandment to love.
VV 7-11, 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. 9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
Deceivers speak of the heretic gnostic teachers, who rejected the incarnation of Christ and had the spirit of antichrist. Those who follow the false doctrines of the heretic gnostic teachers do not know God. John warned his audience to reject these heretic gnostic teachers, do not invite them into their houses, and do not even greet them.
VV 12-13, 12 Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. 13 The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.
John hoped to be able to meet his audience personally to share in their joy. He sent them greetings from their elect sister, whoever she was.
Application:
We are to beware of false heretic teachers. Today, false teachers are preaching false doctrines and cults are peddling false theology. The only sure way to discern false doctrines is to have a strong foundation on the word of God. Do not be deceived by false preachers who claim to be from God but are not.
2 Timothy 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth”.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we pray for wisdom and discernment to tests every spirit because not all spirit is from You. We pray for the spirit of wisdom, understanding, discernment, and insight to rightly divide the word of truth, to discern and reject false doctrines, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
