2 John 1 - If Everything is True Then Nothing is True!

2 John 1

Summary of the book of 2 John (From GotQuestions.org)

Author: The Book of 2 John does not directly name its author. The tradition from the earliest days of the church states that the author was the apostle John. There have been various conjectures over the years that another disciple of Christ named John may have been responsible for this letter. However, all the evidence points to the author as John the beloved disciple who also wrote the Gospel of John.

Date of Writing: The Book of 2 John would most likely have been written at about the same time as John’s other letters, 1 and 3 John, between A.D. 85-95.

Purpose of Writing: The Book of 2 John is an urgent plea that the readers of John’s letter should show their love for God and His Son, Jesus, by obeying the commandment to love each other and live their lives in obedience to the Scriptures. The Book of 2 John is also a strong warning to be on the lookout for deceivers who were going about denying the Incarnation, saying that Christ had not actually come in the flesh.

Audience: To the lady chosen by God and to her children. Verse 1 This could be an individual family or a metaphor for the Church as a whole. In other verses the church is referred to as the "bride of Christ", or she. 

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.

The phrase "elder" has caused some to wonder if the author was John. After all, why would he not just say his name. As time went on we know the concept of elders grew, sort of like I am called "pastor" usually not "reverend". So in all likelihood it is the apostle John. Peter, also calls himself an elder in 1 Peter 5:1. 

John's focus on the "truth" comes out again. The concepts of truth as opposed to falsehood and darkness as opposed to light is a frequent dichotomy he uses in his gospel and letters. The truth is not something on the outside of us but lives within us as children of God. So even though there were false teachers infiltrating the church, John was confident that the truth that lived inside would protect them. 

John uses Trinitarian language again by calling God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Father's Son. This points to the fact that as the end of the century drew near, the doctrine of the Trinity was emerging in the early church. 

How does having the truth inside of you help you in your life? How does it help you to recognize the lies our culture is putting out there and selling? 

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.

We do not just have the truth inside of us but we "walk in the truth". We live by the truth. We make choices in our lives based on the truth. The truth is not some passive body of information, but words to live by. Therefore, when the false teachers were making false claims about the nature of who Jesus was as both God and Man, they could recognize it. 

But then we get to the other main theme of John. Truth is always expressed in love. We can't say we are walking in the truth and then not love our brother or sister in Christ. Then Paul connects obedience to God's commands with love. We have to be careful here because we don't obey God's commands to earn his life, but we obey his commands because we have God's love and trust him. When we love others it shows we love God, and His love lives in and through us. You can't give away what you don't possess!

How do you connect your love for God with your obedience to God! 

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 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.

Once again John shows how the false teachers have showed their hand by not teaching that Jesus came as a human being sent from heaven from God the Father. He has the harshest words for these people. They are a "deceiver" and the "anti-Christ".  I would not want to be one of these guys on judgment day! 

John says the difference between those who will finish the race and those who get knocked out of the race are those who stick to the "teaching of Christ". This a very important word. The word "teaching" is also translated "doctrine". That's right "Teaching Matters!" "Doctrine Matters!"

Local churches need to teach God's Word over and over to train each believer how to handle the truth. We can never read through the bible, and especially the 4 gospels enough. Every generation has false teachers and even they can appear to come through the church and other supposed Christian institutions. The liberalization of the bible in the past century watered down the gospel so much that Jesus was just an ideal type of man, not the Savior who bled and died for us on the cross to save us from our sins. 

There was also the doctrine of "universalism" that tried to infiltrate the church. Universalism basically says, "All roads lead to God if a person is sincere enough about what they believe". But if a person can be reconciled to God by trying harder or being more sincere, then why did Jesus have to die on the cross. John 14:6 is clear Jesus makes the claim about himself,

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me." 

Either that is a true statement or not. Either it came directly from the lips of Jesus, who made the claim, or not. Either Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, or not. When everything is the truth nothing is the truth. This is where the relativism movement of the last century also veered off into heresy. 

The historical claims about Jesus are that he lived, died, was crucified on the cross and on the third day rose from the dead. One these truth claims Christianity stands or falls.

Do you think the church teaches enough about doctrine, which John calls "the teaching of Christ"? How do you handle it when someone says, "All roads lead to God!"?