2 John 1:1-13 - Love the Elect in Christ

2 John 1:1-13

Greeting the Elect Lady

1 The Elder,

To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth, 2 because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:

3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Walk in Christ’s Commandments

4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. 5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. 6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

Beware of Antichrist Deceivers

7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

John’s Farewell Greeting

12 Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

13 The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.

The elder who wrote this encouraging letter to a chosen woman in Christ and her children appears to be to an actual person representing a local church and its members.  He wrote of the truth and love for them because they know the truth of the gospel and person of Jesus Christ, the truth that never leaves or fades away.  This truth of the Lord abides forever in we who have come to know Him through repentance and faith and are now found in Christ and His righteousness alone.  To these and we who now read these words, we are given grace, mercy, and peace with God in the Father and Christ His Son by the understanding of His Spirit living in us and comforting each one.  The elder John goes on to share his joy in knowing some of them (not all, unfortunately) are indeed living and walking through life in obedience to the truth of all Jesus taught us (Matthew 28:20) to do beyond merely being saved from God’s wrath on our sin.  The commandments to follow are not burdensome but lightening to the load of life’s worries and give hope in peace with God through His sacrificial death which paid the price forever for us as the Passover Lamb of God whose lifeblood was shed on the tree of our cursing to cleanse us from all past, present, and future sins.  He then commands above all that we show godly and unconditional love to one another as a plea from the shepherd of a shepherd to the flock of wandering and sometimes self absorbed sheep.  This love is defined by keeping all His commands to follow and love Him first and others as ours as we recall from His words in Luke 10:27 and explained further in Romans 13:8, 10 for us to dwell on.  Galatians 5:14 goes even further to tell us that such love is the culmination and fulfilling of love the moral Law contained in the Ten Commandments.  This is the same commandment which they and we are to heed by living it out.  This letter also warns that there are some in the local body who are deceivers, antichrists who deny the deity of Christ Jesus who came in an actual body of a man (Philippians 2:7-8, 1 John 4:2-3) while still being God among us (1 Timothy 3:16), Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23).  Our reward is in taking God at His word in the person and work of the divine Son of God.  The warning extends to beware of those falsely professing Christ while denying His identity, work, and teaching because without adhering in the heart and mind to these truths we do not have God in truth and are still lost in our sins.  Such who teach contrary to Jesus Christ as the divine Son of God and man come to pay the full price for our sins are not to be taken in or even greeted in the name of Christ because they are opposed to Him in their denial.  This is a difficult saying that we need to understand and consider well.  In the end, we should greet one another in person who are in Christ by their confession of His divine person and saving work that our joy may also be full as John’s was like he told them here for reassurance and in love.  We are also to love and care for the elect of God in Christ who hold to the truth of this confession.