Walking with God—the Fullness of Joy in Daily Life- 2 John

Last week we laid the foundation of this second letter of John. Lord willing, we will turn our attention to the third letter next week, but this week we will look at this thought of Walking with God—the Fullness of Joy in Daily Life. A poll conducted in the US in 2020 by the University of Chicago found that only 13% of Americans said they were “very happy.” Only 13% of those polled said they were “very happy.” Now, we take into account that June 2020 was the highpoint of covid. But just two years before, 2018, only 31% said they were happy. In the same study, researchers found that 50% of Americans say “they’d often or sometimes felt isolated in recent weeks.” That was up from 23% in 2018.

There are few people in this life that do not want to be happy, yet we find that so many in this country are unhappy. We could argue, though, that this is dealing with lost people. They are unsaved and they therefore do not experience the joy of God. But, as we would all attest, Christians are not that different. There are many Christians who would say they are unhappy.

Christians often walk around depressed, sad, and lack joy. We know why the lost experience this, but why do Christians experience this? Christians are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ from eternal damnation, provided a home with God for all eternity, adopted into God’s family, and blessed with every spiritual blessing in Jesus Christ. They are also, according to Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Why are Christians so joyless? I would posit that, according to 2 John, many Christians fail to walk with God. Now, when we say “walking with God” we do not mean literally walking along the road with God. So, what do we mean? Well, I am glad you asked. John tells us what it means to walk with God. John also tells us what happens as a result of that. When we walk with God we experience the fullness of joy in daily life. Walking with God, then, is a picture of living with God. You speak to Him and hear Him speak through His Word. You ask Him for guidance, for help, for encouragement. You obey Him and live according to His commandments.

Remember, John is the disciple whom Jesus loved, the one who was so overwhelmed at the gracious love of Jesus it spills over into every area of his life. John wants every believer to share in the wonderful truth that Jesus loves them and thereby experience true joy!

We want to love God through loving-obedience to experience the fullness of joy.

I. Walking with God comes through Jesus Christ- 1–3

The only way we can walk with God is through Jesus Christ. John wrote his gospel account for the very purpose that people would believe.

John 20:30–31 “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Walking with God, life with God, only comes through Jesus Christ. We see this in John’s gospel again in John 1:12–14 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

And again, John 3:16 ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Caiaphas makes a prophecy, unbeknownst to himself, but through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit concerning the death of Messiah, John 11:50-51 “Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,”

You cannot walk with God without Jesus Christ.

II. Walking with God comes through loving obedience- 4–6

Likewise, you cannot walk with God without loving obedience.

John clearly demonstrates that joy comes from loving obedience. John received great joy knowing these dear brothers and sisters were walking with God. These brothers and sisters also received great joy in their walk with the Lord.

We obey the Lord through love, and we enjoy the fullness of joy in daily life.

What does this look like? Let me say that loving obedience is simply doing what God has commanded us to do and avoiding those things that God has forbidden.

But notice I include the word loving. This distinguishes it from simple obedience. You can obey the commandments of God perfectly (i.e., outwardly), and be damned to eternal hell. Is this not what our Lord Himself taught in Matthew 7:21–23 ““Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

If we are to walk with God we must lovingly obey him. Outward obedience will not do. What do we do if we do not feel love? Confess that sin, ask God for restoration and ask God for a change in your emotions.

Psalm 51:12 “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”

As we walk with God through loving obedience we experience the fullness of joy in daily life. This commandment, by the way, is found in the Scriptures (“love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind, and strength”).

III. Walking with God protects us from the Antichrist- 7–11

We read this verse a moment ago, but it deserves our repeating, John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

God gives joy; Satan robs joy. God grants life; Satan destroys life. God gives peace; Satan throws chaos.

When we walk with God, we are by God’s perfect design protected from the antichrist. John connects our loving obedience to protection from the antichrist. Who is the antichrist? is a popular question. John tells us definitively: anyone who denies the incarnation of Jesus. They are, like their father (the devil), deceivers and opposed to the work of God (1 John 3:11–15).

John commands us (i.e., this is not optional) to watch ourselves. Keep an eye on them. Like a mother keeping her eye on her child at the play ground, watch yourself. Why? Because the devil can rob us of our joy in Christ.

There are two streams of thought on which we must focus. If we are in Christ, our salvation is secure. It is based on the work of God. However, we forfeit rewards. John says we need to be protected from the antichrist so that “you” (plural) may not lose what “we” (apostles) have worked for. The devil and his minions cannot take away your salvation, but they can rob you of your reward (including present rewards such as the fruit of the Spirit).

The second stream is that this deception can demonstrate a false conversion. (Matt. 13:1–9) There are two types of false faiths throughout church history: “temporary” and “historical.” Temporary faith is one that, on the surface, appears genuine, but as the difficulties arise they walk away from the faith. Today we hear the term “deconstruction” referring to an individual leaving the faith.

Then there is “historical” faith. This is faith that has the facts of Scripture right, but does not have an inner change (i.e., they are not saved). The devils are orthodox theologians (James 2:19).

“It is not the fault of the gospel, nor of Christ, offered therein, nor of God, who calls men by the gospel, and confers upon them various gifts, that those who are called by the ministry of the word, refuse to come, and be converted: the fault lies in themselves; some of whom when called, regardless of their danger, reject the word of life; others, though they receive it, suffer it not to make a lasting impression on their heart; therefore, their joy, arising only from a temporary faith, soon vanishes, and they fall away; while others choke the seed of the word by perplexing cares, and the pleasures of this world, and produce no fruit. - This our Savior teaches in the parable of the sower. Matthew 13.” —Canons of Dort, III:9.

We must abide, live in, dwell in the teachings of Christ. That is why it is vital to read, study, and live the Word of God.

But there is one more statement that John makes, and one that may seem unChristlike. 10–11 tells us not to have anything to do with false teachers.

John, overwhelmed by the love of Jesus, rightly is passionate about maintain purity of God’s truth. Theology, the study of God, is not something we can or should take lightly. You understand that getting doctrine wrong is a matter of heaven or hell, right? Welcoming someone who holds devilish doctrine is a manner of support.

Mormons are not Christians. Jehovah’s Witnesses are not Christians. We are, under the authority of God’s Word, not to welcome them or give them “greeting.”

Now, let me make one remark before moving on to our last point. We are not dealing with people who are lost and know it (1 Cor. 5:9–13). John is dealing with people claim to be Christians but by their lives and the believes demonstrate themselves not to be Christians.

IV. Walking with God sweetens the fellowship- 12–13

We will not dwell on this point long, but walking with God sweetens our fellowship. I cannot tell you how excited I get when you share how the Lord is working in your life. When you tell me something you learned from your Bible reading, or a prayer that God answered, it is sweet. I greatly rejoice, like John.

So, what do we learn from the disciple whom Jesus loved?

We want to love God through loving-obedience to experience the fullness of joy.

Lost

Saved

Deceived

Floundering