 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. Walking 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. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. Final Greetings 12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 13 The children of your elect sister greet you. Meditation When personal faith in Christ flounders then discipleship in the next generation will suffer. This is the impetus of the downward spiral of Judges (Judges 2:10), one generation not passing down truth in love to the next generation. John “rejoices greatly” to know children of the early church are walking in the truth (4). In his next letter, John says he has “no greater joy” than to know children of the Church are walking in the truth (3 John 6). The superior joy of “elder” John is knowing the younger members of God’s family are walking in truth. John states his love for the church “in truth” (1) because truth abides in the church and the church abides in truth (2). To know and show love is to walk in truth (5-6) even as deceivers attempt to distract, divide, and derail our love in truth (7-8). The “truth” is Jesus and His teaching (9-11; John 14:6). To know Jesus’s love is to walk in Jesus as the way, obeying His teaching to demonstrate our love for Him (John 14:15). Christians must walk in real relationship with God to learn rejoicing in the next generation’s love for God. Elder Christians must respond to God’s grace by walking in the truth, trusting God’s Spirit to guide us in truth (John 16:13), so the next generation can walk with us in truth, loving Jesus and His word more than anything else in the world. Richly Dwelling -Do you rejoice in truth, relishing real relationship with Jesus Christ? -Grace invites us to repent and return to real relationship with Jesus, rejoicing in truth and finding superior joy in Jesus alone. Where do you need to repent and return? -How can you participate in encouraging the younger generation to walk in truth and love? Key Verse 4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. Comments are closed.
|