2 Jo h n En c o r e #1

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1 2 Jo h n En c o r e #1 Nothing but the Truth Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love (2 John 3). S econd John is one of the one-chapter books in the New Testament. According to the number of verses it contains, it is the shortest book in the entire Bible. 1 It has only thirteen verses, while 3 John has fourteen and Philemon and Jude have twenty-five each. Obadiah, in the Old Testament, has only one chapter with twenty-one verses. Second John is a little book, but it has a big message. That message has to do with truth. Witnesses in US courts of law are asked to swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Churches and preachers must also resolve to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. This world has a problem with truth a problem to which the message of 2 John holds the solution. THE PROBLEM: A LACK OF CONCERN FOR THe TRUTH The tendency today is to de-emphasize the importance of truth in Christianity. Among Others Once it was possible to discuss our differ- 1 In the Greek text, 3 John is actually the shortest book in the New Testament, being about a line shorter than 2 John. (Henry Clarence Thiessen, Introduction to the New Testament [Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1943], 313.) ences with our religious neighbors; today, in contrast, the members of various religious groups seem to know little and care less about questions on doctrine. 2 If they think about truth at all, their view is likely to be Every one has his own truth. You have your truth, I have my truth, and others have their truth. The only thing that is important is that you be satisfied with your truth. Most people in the Western world deny that there is any such thing as absolute truth. (Apparently, the only thing such people are absolutely sure of is that you cannot be absolutely sure of anything!) In the Church Even in the church there has been a deemphasis on doctrine, on the importance of truth. Some church members are un willing to acknowledge that such a thing as absolute truth exists. Preachers in the Lord s church have been advised, Do not condemn people for not following the Bible. After all, they are following their own brand of truth. Our doctrine, our truth, is good for us; their truth is good for them. 2 Here the word doctrine is used for teaching about subjects such as the church, the plan of salvation, and worship. In the New Testament, doctrine simply refers to teaching, whether it refers to teaching about such subjects or about Christian living, marriage, the home, or anything else. 1

2 Even Among Preachers In this kind of atmosphere, many preachers are unwilling to preach the whole truth. They want to qualify Bible teaching so that no one will be offended. These compromising preachers may have their own versions of Bible passages on how to be saved, such as the following: John 8:24b Jesus said, Unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins. Their version: It is possible that unless you accept the correct theological stance concerning Jesus namely, that He is, or claimed to be, God incarnate you will expire in and on account of your misdeeds or at least that is what Jesus seems to say. Luke 13:3 Jesus said, Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Their version: It would appear that a person who refuses to repent is in danger of dire eschatological consequences though, of course, this may not apply under certain circumstances. Mark 16:16 Jesus said, He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. Their version: He who believes to some extent and is baptized, if he so chooses, shall be saved, or at least will be no worse off. He who does not believe shall, figuratively speaking, be condemned unless he has a good excuse for not believing. These preachers may emphasize love, grace, Christian attitudes, and doing good. Nevertheless, they should not forget the importance of preaching and teaching truth and rejecting false teachings the need, in other words, to preach the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth! THE SOLUTION: THE MESSAGE OF 2 JOHN Second John emphasizes the importance of truth. The apostle wrote, 1 The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 for the sake of the truth which 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 Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4 I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father. 5 Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which 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, that you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. 9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching [or doctrine] of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching [or doctrine], he has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching [or doctrine; KJV], do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; 11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds. 12 Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full. 13 The children of your chosen sister greet you. Three words dominate this book. (1) The word truth is found five times in the first four verses. (2) The word commandment(s) appears four times in verses 4 through 6. (3) The word teaching ( doctrine ; KJV) is used three times in verses 9 and 10. Twelve times in the letter, then, we find the concept of truth, commandment, or teaching. All three of these terms emphasize the importance of accurate teaching. The book presents three challenges which suggest goals for the Christian life. The Challenge to Walk in Truth According to the salutation, this letter was written by the elder. This probably is a reference to the apostle John. He likely identified himself in this way to emphasize his age and authority. The letter is addressed to the chosen lady and her children (2 John 1). While this may refer to a particular Christian lady and her children, it seems more likely that the chosen lady was a congregation and her children were the members of that congregation. 3 Whether the chosen 3 Among those who believe that the chosen lady was an individual is Guy N. Woods, A Commentary on the New Testament Epistles of Peter, John, and Jude (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Co., 1983), Those who believe that it refers to a congregation include Thomas F. Johnson, 1, 2, and 3 John, 2

3 lady was an individual or a church, the teaching of the epistle remains the same. What is important is the recipients relationship to the truth. Notice what John said about them and the truth: (1) John loved them in [the] truth (v. 1). (2) Others who knew the truth loved them (v. 1). (3) John sent greetings from both the Father and the Son in truth and love (v. 3). (4) John rejoiced because some of the chosen lady s children were walking in truth (v. 4), 4 a statement which may also suggest that some were not. What does walking in truth mean? Jesus spoke of Himself as the truth (John 14:6), but the truth here must refer to the teaching which came from Jesus and the inspired men he sent out. Concerning His disciples, Jesus prayed to the Father, Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth (John 17:17). To walk in truth, therefore, is to follow God s Word. Walking in truth is more than just knowing the truth or knowing God s Word; it means living by it, obeying it, and worshiping according to it. We need to understand that walking in the truth is important. For what do you hope and aim? What do you wish for your family? What is your desire for your brothers and sisters in the church? Should it not be that you and they might walk in truth? Our goal should be to walk in truth. If we are walking in truth, our loved ones are walking in truth, and our fellow Christians are walking in truth, then we, like John, have reason to rejoice and be very glad (2 John 4). THE Challenge to Keep the Commandments After John expressed his gladness about finding some of the chosen lady s children walking in truth, he made a request of those to whom he was writing: Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another (2 John 5). New International Biblical Commentary (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1993), 147, and J. W. Roberts, The Letters of John, The Living Word Commentary (Austin, Tex.: R. B. Sweet Co., 1968), 150. Further, if the chosen lady was a congregation, then the concluding greetings (v. 13) are from another congregation. 4 Compare 3 John 3, where Gaius is said to be walking in truth. John urged his readers to keep the commandment to love one another. This was not a new commandment because Jesus Himself had given it (John 13:34, 35). These brethren had been taught its importance from the time they first became Christians. John emphasized the need to love one another by using a kind of circular reasoning: And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it (2 John 6). If we were to ask John, What is love? he would reply, To keep the commandments. Then, if we were to ask him, But what is the commandment? he would respond, To love one another. John s circular argument emphasizes the absolute necessity of loving one another. Most people are likely to appreciate what John said about the commandment to love one another. Some, however, think that loving one another is all that really counts. Teaching on doctrine does not count with them; it does not make any difference to them what others teach or believe as long as we all love one another. Certainly, loving one another is important, but is the command to love the only thing that matters? Verse 6 may suggest that there are other important commandments as well as the command to love one another, since it says we must walk according to His commandments plural (emphasis mine). Love one another is only one commandment; there must be others we are to obey. The next verse speaks of deceivers and the antichrist. 5 Some were false teachers, and the Christians were to beware of them. Consequently, the command to love one another is not all there is to Christianity. In fact, the importance of doctrine is related to loving one another: To teach false doctrine, or to accept false teachers, is to show a lack of love for others by putting their souls in eternal danger. Therefore, we have something to add to what we have said about the Christian s goal in life: 5 Antichrist means against Christ. It is a word found five times in the New Testament, only in the writings of John (1 John 2:18 [twice, once in the plural form], 22; 4:3; 2 John 7). It means one who opposes Christ, an adversary or opponent (Noel Merideth, False Teachers and How to Deal with Them, Denton Lectures [1987], 267). 3

4 The Christian s aim should be to walk in truth by keeping the commandments. 6 What commandments? Obviously, we must obey the commandment to love one another. In addition to that, we must do our best to keep all of God s commandments that apply to us today. While we may have many aims in life, our first goal must be to keep the commandments, to do God s will! THE Challenge to Abide in the Teaching, or Doctrine, of Christ For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist (2 John 7). Why did John urge these brethren to keep the commandments? Because many deceivers had gone out into the world (2 John 7a). What were they teaching? That Jesus Christ had not come in the flesh (2 John 7b). 7 Further, John implied that if they failed to beware of the deceivers or false teachers, they were likely to lose what they had worked for, to lose their reward (2 John 8). These Christians had served the Lord faithfully; they may have remained loyal to Christ even though they were being persecuted. If they were now led astray by false teachers, they would lose the reward for their faithfulness. In other words, they would be lost. How could they avoid being deceived? By understanding how serious it is not to abide in the teaching of Christ. Two facts suggest how important it is to abide in the teaching of Christ. We Must Guard Our Relationship with God (2 John 9) First, abiding in the teaching of Christ is so serious that it affects our relationship with God. 6 The importance of keeping the commandments, or obeying Christ, is stressed in such passages as Matthew 7:21; John 14:15, 21; 15:10; 1 John 2:4, 5; 3:22. 7 This false teaching is also mentioned in 1 John 2: Apparently, it reflected an early form of a heresy known as Gnosticism, which taught that everything fleshly or material was bad. According to this way of thinking, God could not have actually existed in the form of man. One version of this heresy said that Christ only seemed, or appeared, to be flesh and did not really have flesh and bones. John said, Anyone who goes too far 8 and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God (2 John 9). 9 Abiding in the teaching of Christ is so important that the one who does not abide in it does not have God that is, he does not have fellowship with God. What is this teaching of Christ in which we must abide? Some think that it consists solely of the correct beliefs about Christ: that He is the Son of God God incarnate, the Word made flesh, both God and man at the same time. 10 However, it is more likely that the teaching of Christ, while it does include facts about Christ, also includes all the teaching that originated with Christ. Surely, John meant all of the truth which came from Christ and was passed on to people in the early church by His disciples. 11 In other words, probably the teaching of Christ is comprised of all the essentials of the Christian religion as found in the New Testament. If we do not abide in that teaching, we will forfeit fellowship with God. We Must Not Support False Teachers Second, abiding in the teaching of Christ is so serious that we must not support false teachers. John wrote, If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds (2 John 10, 11). 8 The KJV transgresseth is a translation of a different word found in an inferior Greek text. The NIV has runs ahead, and the NRSV translates the verse, Everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it. The NAB says, Anyone who is so progressive as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ. 9 The kind of sin under consideration here is one in which one is progressing beyond the doctrine of Christ; he does not abide in the doctrine of Christ (Merideth, 270). 10 The test of those who come to you is whether or not they bring this teaching, i.e.,... that Jesus Christ indeed came in the flesh (Johnson, 158; emphasis removed). 11 One commentator wrote that the doctrine [ teaching ; NASB] of Christ (KJV) is the doctrine which Christ brought, and which he brought first in his own person, and then through his followers [Hebrews 2:3].... [T]he usage of the New Testament is uniformly in favor of it (Brooke Foss Westcott, The Epistles of St John [London: William Clowes and Sons, 1883; reprint, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1966], 230). J. W. Roberts said that the majority of commentators believe that the doctrine of Christ means the doctrine which Christ taught, but he admitted that it could mean the doctrine about Christ (Roberts, ). 4

5 The teaching then. How would John s readers have applied this teaching to themselves? In the early church, evangelists were sent out on their missions by local churches. They traveled from one congregation to another, taking the apostles message with them. As they went from place to place, they stayed with brethren who showed them hospitality and then sent them on their way with money and provisions to make it to their next destination. In his third epistle, John exhorted faithful Christians to support these traveling evangelists. He said that, by supporting these workers, the brethren became fellow workers with them (3 John 8). However, along with those faithful messengers of Christ who brought sound teaching, false teachers also traveled around the brotherhood. They, of course, did not advertise themselves as false teachers; they probably did not think of themselves as false teachers. Nevertheless, they were false teachers, or deceivers ; they denied that Jesus Christ had come in the flesh (2 John 7). These false teachers sought to be supported by Christians and churches, just as did those who preached the truth. John s message, in effect, was Do not extend hospitality to such a person! Do not let him stay at your house! We are not to give... a greeting 12 to a false teacher that is, we must not do anything to endorse or support false teaching. If John was addressing this letter to a congregation, then the message also suggests this instruction: Such men should not be received as teachers or supported by the congregation. Why not? Because he who assists such a teacher participates in his evil deeds (2 John 11). The false teacher is responsible for souls being lost; if we help him in his work, we share the responsibility for those lost souls! What a tragedy it would be if, on the Day of Judgment, we were to hear someone say, I am lost because you supported a false teacher! I believed him and so lost my soul! The teaching today. How are we to apply this teaching today? Certainly, this instruction does 12 The words translated give him a greeting (v. 10) in the NASB are translated bid him God speed in the KJV and welcome him in the NIV. Johnson said that the expression implies more than just a greeting; it includes cooperation in and help with the mission of those who have divided the community (Johnson, 159). not require us to refuse to say hello if we meet someone we know who teaches false doctrine. Neither does it forbid us to be benevolent by offering a cup of cold water to someone who teaches error. Especially, it does not keep us from meeting with one who teaches false doctrine so that we might teach him in the way of God more accurately (Acts 18:26). John s teaching does, however, require us to try to ensure that only those who teach the truth are allowed to preach and teach in the local congregation. We should also take this teaching to heart individually. Personally, I do not intend to help those who are spreading false doctrine. When someone comes to my door spreading denominational ideas or literature, I will talk to him. If he is thirsty, I will give him something to drink. If I think I might be able to convert him, I will invite him in to try to teach him. However, I refuse to do anything to help him accomplish his work. I will, for example, take printed material from one whom I consider a false teacher, but I will not give him money for that material or make a donation to his cause. In a similar way, every Christian needs to resolve not to support the teaching of false doctrine. We Are to Be Part of the Solution John s words in verses 10 and 11 contain the solution to one of the greatest threats against the Christian life: the danger of false teaching. False teaching is a real danger, and the New Testament constantly warns us to guard against it. 13 The solution is twofold: (1) Let us stay with the teaching of Christ, and (2) let us make sure that we do not support or encourage those who spread false teaching. Our aim as Christians should be to walk in the truth by keeping Christ s commandments and abiding in His teaching. CONCLUSION Proclaiming the truth is not the only important part of Christianity. It is important for us to live what we teach; to cultivate Christian characteristics; to seek a closer daily walk with God through prayer, Bible study, and worship; and to love our neighbors and do good to everyone as we have 13 See, for example, Matthew 7:15; 24:24; Acts 20:29, 30; 1 Timothy 4:1, 2; 2 Timothy 4:1 4; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 2:18; 4:1; Jude 4. 5

6 opportunity (Galatians 6:10). The Bible abounds in warnings against merely knowing or believing God s Word without doing what it teaches; 14 and it thoroughly condemns those who engage in religious rituals, offering worship to God while at the same time mistreating other people. 15 Even though teaching the truth is not all that is important, it is extremely important! Those who propose that we replace teaching on doctrinal matters with teaching on grace and love are guilty of setting up a false dichotomy. They seem to say that we must choose between preaching on doctrine and preaching on Christian living that we can either do one or the other, but not both. Christians are not faced with an either/ or situation; we can do both! We can, and should, preach the truth on matters of doctrine and teach Christians to lead lives of love and holiness! We should let John help us set our preaching agenda: He said, Grace, mercy and peace will be with us... in truth and love (2 John 3). Both truth and love are important! Richard Pectol wrote, It is possible sometimes to get out of focus. It is possible to put so much emphasis on truth without any regard for love that we become harsh, unyielding, and [belligerent], driving people away from the Lord. But on the other side, we can develop such an attitude about love, forgiveness, and acceptance that keeps us from standing for what is true. We must avoid both extremes and practice the truth in love. 16 How important is it for us to preach and teach the truth? In our modern legal system, if 14 See Matthew 7:21 27; James 1:22 25; 2: See Isaiah 1:10 17; Micah 6:6 8; Matthew 23:14, Richard Pectol, Love in the Truth, The Preacher s Periodical 6 (November 1985): 14. someone fails to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, he can be convicted of perjury, which is a serious crime. Let us make sure we are not guilty of religious perjury; let us teach nothing but the truth. Coy Roper Jesus & False Teachers In Revelation 2 The Speaker: Jesus Christ The One Receiving the Revelation: John John Was to Write to Whom? The churches of Asia Jesus said to write to the church at Ephesus: concerning false apostles (Revelation 2:2). He commended those who had tested these apostles and had persevered. (See 1 John 4:1.) Jesus said to write to the church at Pergamum: concerning those who were following the teaching of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:14 16). He warned them to repent, or turn from these false teachers. (See 2 John 10, 11.) Jesus said to write to the church at Thyatira: concerning Jezebel, who by her teaching was misleading the Lord s servants (Revelation 2:20, 24). He warned them not to tolerate this false teacher. (See 2 John 10, 11.) Copyright, 2009, 2010 by Truth for Today ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 6