PART 1: 2 John 1-6

TEXT

2 John 1–6 ESV

1 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever: 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love. 4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

INTRODUCTION

What a strange time we’re living in.

We live in a culture that seems to constantly contradict itself when it comes to “LOVE” and when it comes to “TRUTH.”

Seriously.

What is LOVE? Is it a feeling? An emotion?

Is LOVE LOVE as some would have us believe? Nothing matters as long as there is love.

Societies have gotten into all sorts of fights over this. There are even “CULTURE WARS” over this.

What is TRUTH?

Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Lie, Faster Than Truth

“A lie can travel half way around the world while Truth is still lacing up her boots” (Attributed to Mark Twain).

Sociologists tell us that one of the underlying questions still being asked today is “is this true?”.

We’re told by the superstars to reject absolute truth…define our truth, live by OUR truth, and demand that others celebrate OUR truth…

We’ve moved beyond PLURALISM - which says that there many different paths to truth.

We’ve moved beyond RELATIVISM - which says what’s true to me is true - that’s all I need.

We’re entering a state of MAKE BELIEVE where we can deny revealed, settled, absolute truth and pretend that its real and penalize others who would question it!

The denial of the truth is as old as the truth. -David Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Welsh Preacher and Writer)

Someone once asked Charles Spurgeon, “how can we discern truth?”,

You may judge it by three things: by God, by Christ, and by man; that is, the truth which honors God, the truth which glorifies Christ, and the truth which humbles man. —Charles Spurgeon

TRANSITION

The Apostle John was plagued with folks who were distorting TRUTH and trying to redefine LOVE in his day, too.

If you missed our study in 1 John, that’s all available online.

We’re going to finish up these epistles over the next 2 weeks.

THIS WEEK: 2 John part 1 this week,

NEXT WEEK: part 2

SEP 1: 3 John

BACKGROUND NOTES

1-3 JOHN

These three epistles form a single package.

2 JOHN - The Cover Letter to the CONGREGATION

3 JOHN - The Cover Letter to the PASTOR

1 JOHN - The Main Sermon / Letter to the CHURCH

(BTW) The Church of Ephesus was made up of groups meeting in homes that would gather together for worship as often as they could.

THEMES​​​​

John contends for

TRUE DOCTRINE,

OBEDIENT LIVING,

AND FAITHFUL DEVOTION in this epistle.

FALSE TEACHERS ABOUND teaching BAD DOCTRINE - presenting a FALSE HOPE in works, or worse yet, ANOTHER JESUS - denying his humanity or his divinity.

FAKE RELATIONSHIPS WERE HARMING PEOPLE - people were settling for less than biblical fellowship with God and with one another.  

John also could that folks who were distorting DEVOTION TO GOD into a religious ritual were robbing themselves of the blessings that God promised from a living relationship with (and through) His Son, the LORD Jesus Christ!

Summary: As God’s people grow together, as a body, they will love and practice the Truth!

1. PRIZE the Truth

2 John 1–3 ESV

1 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever: 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.

2. PRACTICE the Truth

2 John 4–6 ESV

4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.