This letter is from John, the elder. I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children, whom I love in the truth—as does everyone else who knows the truth— because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever. Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love. How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded. I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning. I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work. I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to do it with paper and ink. For I hope to visit you soon and talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete. Greetings from the children of your sister, chosen by God.
2 John 1:1-13 NLT
V. 3 “Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.”
The Apostle John writes this letter, the shortest book in the New Testament, to emphasize the need for “truth and love” within Christ’s church.
What is love? Love is to walk in obedience to the commands of God. Love does what is best for the other person regardless of sacrifice. For that very reason, God's love in us explodes into action to benefit others.
What is truth? John is joyful that some in this church are walking in truth (v. 4). Others have been led astray by certain deceivers (v.7). These deceivers mixed Christian teaching with Greek philosophy, preaching that God could not have taken on a body, and that God’s spirit temporarily wrapped itself around a mere man named Jesus. These false teachers called themselves “Gnostics,” meaning that they had knowledge more advanced than Christ’s teachings. They wanted God but had little use for Jesus.
John says that those who “deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body” are “deceivers . . . antichrist” (v. 7). Their teaching undermines the gospel of Christ’s sacrifice and they do not have a relationship with God (v. 9). Since these traveling teachers were typically housed by local church members, John tells the church not to partner with them in their evil work (v. 10).
The bottom line: If we love God, we will “be about His Word” so that we can stand against false teaching. How will you invest in “getting more of the Word” in you? How do you expect God to meet you in His Word?
