AM December 8th 2 John 1

December 8^th 2 John 1

A. Love expressed in the boundary of truth 

Greetings and blessing

1: The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; 2: For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. 3: Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

John’s plea for brotherly love

4: I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. 5: And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6: And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

B. Life is an expression of the Doctrine of Christ Be careful of false teachers

7: For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8: Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9: Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10: If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

C. Personal Greetings Farewell & personal messages

12: Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. 13: The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.

This is the second letter of John and it is written to ‘The Elect Lady’. We do not know who she was but she was greatly loved by John. Was it his wife? Or was it the Mother of the Lord? We don’t know. Johns call is again to love. He says this is the commandment of Christ from the beginning. He says love is expressed in keeping the Mosaic law. John describes the heresy of his day which he wrote about in his first letter. That is that Christ was not fully human (or not human at all) John describes this heresy as a deception and as an antichrist. One who stands in opposition to Christ. Those who do not teach the true doctrine of Christ are not to be received into your house nor are they to be given Gods speed! Because the person who blesses them partakes in their evil doctrine. John says l have so much more to say and l hope to speak to you in person. So that our mutual joy might be complete.

• What is the commandment of Christ regarding love?
• What is the heresy that John writes of?
• What does John say that we should do to false teachers?