To a Chosen Lady
Notes
Transcript
To a Chosen Lady
To a Chosen Lady
We are going to continue our journey into John’s letters.
Today, we are going to take a look at 2 John.
The letter opens with an immediate question.
In point of fact, there are so many questions that come up in this little letter.
Here is a sample:
v1. Is it John the writer?
v1. Is the recipient a female leader?
v6. Love=walking according to him commands
v9. Losing a full reward for faith and loyalty
v11. A handshake joins you to evil deeds?
Now, we left last week with John telling us that the whole cosmos (world system) is under the power of the evil one.
We know that we are from God, and the whole world is under the power of the evil one.
Which leaves us with a couple of issues.
If you trust in Jesus, then there is a power of evil that stands against you.
There is a power of evil that stands against the plans of God.
That power of evil comes in many forms.
It can come externally, from society, government, families, etc.
It can come out of nowhere, violence, etc.
It can come from one who says they are a Christian
And others...
John, in his second letter, is concerned with those who will sneak into the church.
Mainly because Rome is thoroughly pagan already.
For John, this is the world he grew up in.
There is a form of justice, but not like what we would expect.
He is not going to veer too far from his first letter.
From the Elder to the Chosen Lady and her children, whom I love in truth—as indeed, in addition to myself, do all those who know the truth, because of the truth that abides in us and is with us for ever. Grace, mercy and peace from God the father and from Jesus the Messiah, the son of the father, be with us in truth and love.
That opening verse needs a bit of explanation.
John is the author
The lady and her children are likely the church and its members (see last verse)
I was delighted when I found some of your children walking in the truth, just as we received the commandment from the father. And now, dear Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we had from the very beginning, that we should love one another. This is love: that we should behave in accordance with his commandments. And this is the commandment, just as you heard it from the very start, that we should behave in accordance with it.
I would appear that John has heard a report or met some of the people from this congregation.
Love = behave
There are many systems that simply ignore this, but we should not ignore what John is teaching.
He teaches, over and over, that how we behave is important.
Towards ourselves and others.
In short, he wants the church to know that he is not changing or adding to what he has already taught.
So here is the warning…about the power of evil.
Many deceivers, you see, have gone out into the world. These are people who do not admit that Jesus the Messiah has come in the flesh. Such a person is the Deceiver—the Antimessiah! Watch out for yourselves, so that you won’t lose what we have worked for, but may receive the full reward.
We can identify with this, but perhaps not in the way that you immediately think.
We are excellent at identifying what is wrong in the world.
And it is wicked my friends.
John is not concerned with those people in this letter.
In other words, he is not worried about those who have no regard for Jesus.
He is worried about those that call themselves Christians and don’t believe.
John is saying that you can be deceived. He is writing to a church that has believers in attendance.
He is concerned that they can be deceived.
He is concerned that they can lose out on the full reward.
What is the reward?
He does not say, not good to speculate, but be aware something is at stake.
Evil is interested in slowing down, preventing, discouraging, stopping the movement of the Gospel into the world.
It is interested in breaking relationships in the Church by introducing things that are untrue.
All through the Hebrew Bible the prophets are concerned with people following the gods of their fathers, turning away, ignoring those in need, walking away from Yahweh.
And when they did, they lost the reward of the land.
They lost the reward of God’s presence.
You have worked hard to have a relationship with Jesus, and it can be lost through deception
Most of us don’t need someone else to do that, we deceive ourselves just fine, thank you!
His warning goes on...
Anyone who goes out on their own, and does not abide in the teaching of the Messiah, does not have God. One who abides in the teaching—such a one has the father and the son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, don’t receive them into the house; don’t even give them a greeting. Anyone who utters a greeting to such a person shares in their wicked deeds.
Another problem verse here.
It’s plain reading might indicate that one can abide in the teaching of the Messiah, and then leave, is not of God. Does this mean they left their salvation.
That rubs against many theologies
John is calling attention to the distinction of beliefs.
If they reject the reality of the Messiah, Jesus coming in the flesh, then don’t call them brother or sister.
Don’t give an indication that they are correct.
Do not associate with those who mistreat others in the body of Christ. Period.
He is appealing to the power you have as a believer.
If you affirm them, then they can trade on the power of Jesus’ name through you.
I have many things to write to you, but I did not wish to write with pen and ink. I am hoping instead to come to you, and to speak face to face. That will complete our joy.
The children of your Chosen Sister send you greetings.
So, where do we go with a letter like this in today’s age?
I want you to notice something very important, and it is a common theme throughout the NT.
John is instructing them to avoid those who say they are Christians but fail to show love towards the Church.
He is not saying to avoid the world; those who are not Christian.