WALK IN LOVE

2 John 1:1-13 / Keywords 1:6

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

1:1 The elder,

To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth— 2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:

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.

4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.

12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

13 The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings.

Footnotes

a. 2 John 1:8 Some manuscripts you

 

1. This book is written by John the Elder to a house church that seems to be led by a woman. He praises her for her staunch faith and clear upbringing of her children in the faith.

 

2. He encourages the believers in her house church to continue to walk in love and obedience to God’s commands. When we make love our aim and humbly obey Jesus’ command to do so, we can remain faithful to him.

 

3. Next, he cautions her house church not to welcome false teachers who deny Jesus is God. These deceivers have rejected Jesus’ teachings and destroy the community of faith, love and obedience. We also need to be on guard against good sounding humanism and cultural relativism that can lead us to compromise. For example, people say love is love, live together outside of marriage, and put rainbow signs in church windows. This humanistic view of love compromises God’s truth and denies Jesus who died to save people from their sins of immorality. We should not share in their wickedness, but love them by helping them to repent and be saved.

 

Prayer Father, help me to hold fast to the truth that your one and only Son Jesus died for my sins. Help me to love Jesus and to obey his commands to walk in his love.

One Word Love Jesus and obey his commands