Lesson 21 Second John 1 - 13
To whom is he speaking? This is the key to the entire book. We can be assured that he is speaking to the Church at Jerusalem and through her, to all the Lord's churches.
2 John 1:1 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;
A. The elect lady . . . John 13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
Ye have not chosen me . . .John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you
B. And her children. . .1 Cor 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
Church responsibility rests equally upon each of her members.
C. Whom I love in the TRUTH. Here is the only real and lasting basis for Christian love. If you love the church because of the friends you have in her, then what will happen when your friends disappoint you? Because of the pastor? What if the pastor leaves? Because of husband, wife or sweetheart? Situations change - (man married to Lois with Ruth tattooed on his chest!) Truth does NOT change and provides the basis for stable churches and steady Christians.
D. Truth is the basis for stability to everyone who really KNOWS it.
2 John 1:2 For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.
We love the Lord's Church, not only because we share the common bond of truth ( in truth) but also FOR TRUTH'S sake. It dwells with us and shall be with us forever.
A. The church is the pillar and the ground of the truth.
1 Tim 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Though men die and worldly organizations change, His church remains as the depository of truth and is kept by the truth she keeps.
B. And when He, the Spirit of Truth is come . . .
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
1 John 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
2 John 1:3 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.
Grace, mercy and peace is promised IN truth. There is no promise of these to those who persist in error. There is no peace in apostasy. There is no mercy in 'salvation' by works. (Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;)
What would have happened to sustaining Grace, if the church had gone out of existence at any time? It wouldn't have been sufficient!
2 John 1:4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
The greatest joy of a pastor is to see church members walking in truth.
1 John 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
2 John 1:5 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.
A. From the beginning. . .He is writing to the church which started out with Christ.
B. And the orders haven't changed yet!
John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
2 John 1:6 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
How do we express this divine love? Not by sugary words or condoning sin (mistakenly being 'loving') but by obedience. John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
2 John 1:7 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.
Many deceivers ...Any false teaching is a denial of the Lordship of Christ. It is not enough to say "I believe in the virgin birth" Do you believe all that the Messiah taught and did? False teaching is usually deceptive by stating a premise of truth and drawing false conclusions from it by sophistry. i.e. The sovereignty of God, or the work of the Holy Spirit.
2 John 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward
There IS a danger of losing out by forsaking the truth.
2 John 1:9 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.
Whosoever transgresseth. . . gets ahead of God - (by teaching something contrary to God's teaching.
2 John 1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
THIS doctrine. Speaking of that which goes immediately before. Invite him not into your house...(To whom is he speaking? the elect lady, the church) Does not mean we must shun all but brethren in the truth, personally. Else, how would we ever win any?
2 John 1:11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
To even wish a heretic well in his 'service' to God is to be guilty of his heresy.
2 John 1:12 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.
John's desire to once again visit the Jerusalem church.
2 John 1:13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
The members of the church where he was, at this time, joined in sending greeting to the Jerusalem brethren.
Next week: Third John
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