Truth and Love!
Scripture reading for December 21st: 2nd John
John wrote two shorter letters to those in the church that he loved. In this second letter, John writes to the elder, a chosen lady and her children. He writes to encourage them to walk in love and in the truth. John had written in his Gospel that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6) As the truth, Jesus embodied all truth and everything that was righteous. Satan was a liar, with no truth in him! (John 8:44) John also wrote that God is love and that He so loved the world that He gave His Son Jesus Christ to bring salvation to whoever would believe on Him. (John 3:16)
There is a balance between love and truth that believers must be aware of. God wants all His children to walk in love and to love each other. This does not mean that our love just naively accepts anyone who believes or teaches what is contrary to the truth. Our love must be tempered by truth. False teachers were trying to seduce some of the members of the early church that John had labored to build.
“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. Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. . . .If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.” (2nd John 7-8,10-11)
The false teachers were gnostics, people who did not believe that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. The were secretly introducing heresy into the church. Although God’s people are loving, we love in truth and cannot welcome those who are false teachers into our fellowship. This is a loving thing to do to protect the church and our own souls! John taught that when we welcome the false teacher or false apostle into our homes, we share in his or her wicked work and lose our own reward! That is serious teaching that should make us all cry out for discernment! The last days are marked by deception and false teaching! Check your own love and truth balance today as you re-read this short epistle!
0 thoughts on “Truth and Love!”