Between Sisters Blog | The Only Truth, Part One
Unlike 1 John, John begins his second letter with a more formal opening, yet it is unusually worded. John calls himself “the elder,” and the church to whom he writes is called “the elect lady,” probably referring to a particular church in Asia Minor. The word for “elect,” eklekte, is actually “chosen.” This is the root word from which we get ekklesias or “church” and points to the unique election of the body of Christ. He even ends the letter with a greeting from the children of another elect sister, which makes sense if it was a greeting from one church to another.
Know the Truth (2 John 1–3)
In this first paragraph, John emphasizes that they should know the truth, being the gospel and what it says about Jesus. He even points out that truth abides in us as the Holy Spirit indwells us. “Christians who truly possess the truth, which is eternal life through Christ who is the truth, are…
Eternally secure based on Christ’s abiding presence in the children forever.
Equipped to fend off all false doctrines.”
Then he ends verse 3 with a confident declaration that “Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us.” Grace is all that God through Christ has done for us that we do not deserve—salvation, reconciliation, etc. Mercy is God not giving us all we do deserve—hell, judgment, separation from Him. “Peace is the resulting state we have with God and with others that results from the application of God’s grace and mercy to our lives.”
Walk in the Truth (2 John 4–6)
The next paragraph is a call to the people of this church to walk in the truth (to obey Christ’s commandments). John rejoices in verse 4 that “some” (not all) of the believers have been found walking in the truth. John reiterates Jesus’ command and his own cry to his readers in his first letter, the old new commandment of 1 John 2:7 and 3:23, “that we love one another.” “Love is more than mere feelings; it is an act of the will. That is why John teaches us to live our lives according to God’s commands as revealed in his Word.” This picture John is painting is that we should, as Allen says, “Let your behavior balance out with what the gospel says your behavior should be.” We must remember that “the Biblical teaching is that right behavior should always follow right belief.”