II John

INTRODUCTION:

This epistle is addressed to an individual; "unto the elect lady" but some say the more correct translation is "to the elect Kryia". This Christian woman was evidently well known, and the apostle not only knew her children but had just recently, or at least prior to his writing, seen and spent time with them.

John's purpose in writing this brief letter is to warn her against false teaching and false teachers. That she was well known for her hospitality would appear from the admonition not to extend that hospitality to those whose teachings were opposed or contrary to the Faith. She is thus advised to safeguard both the Faith and the interests of her children.

This book, though the shortest book in the English Bible, holds a wealth of lessons to prepare the child of God for his daily living. As one writer has so aptly stated it, this book, as well as John's other epistles, was "written for a church that confronted new philosophies which sought to conquer Christianity by absorbing it, and that was struggling to maintain its distinctive message against perversion by error." In deed the church of our Lord must maintain its distinctive message (cf. II Timothy 4:1-6; Galatians 1:6-9, Luke 8:11). As in the days when John penned this short epistle, there is no shortage of "new philosophies" seeking to "absorb" true Christianity, to make it more "acceptable" to the un-churched. Thus this book will have great value to those desiring to continue down the narrow way which leads to life everlasting.

v1-3. "THE ELDER UNTO THE ELECT LADY AND HER CHILDREN, WHOM I LOVE IN THE TRUTH; AND NOT I ONLY, BUT ALSO ALL THEY THAT HAVE KNOWN THE TRUTH; FOR THE TRUTH'S SAKE, WHICH DWELLETH IN US, AND SHALL BE WITH US FOR EVER. GRACE BE WITH YOU, MERCY, and PEACE, FROM GOD THE FATHER, AND FROM THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF THE FATHER, IN TRUTH AND LOVE."

"The elder" The term translated "elder," presbuteros, when used in reference to Christians, has reference either to age (I Timothy 5:1-2; I Peter 5:5) or the office of an elder (Acts 14:23; 20:17; I Timothy 5:17; Titus 1:5). Some would debate which is meant here but we can see that either could apply to the Apostle John. He was definitely an elderly man when this was written and he could have served as an elder in the church as well. It matters not, the fact that this book has been preserved as part of the New Testament canon down through the centuries is sufficient to be proof of its importance to us today.

The letter is addressed to "the elect lady and her children." In this greeting we see the kind and loving character of this great apostle as he speaks freely of loving this Christian sister and her children. So much does John speak of love that he is frequently referred to as the "apostle of love." In John we learn that one can be both a "Son of Thunder" (Mark 3:17) and an advocate and practitioner of love. Too often we find those that have acquired one without the other and there is no balance in their approach to daily living of the Christian life.

The remainder of these three verses is devoted to "TRUTH". "Truth" is an important word to the apostle John; it is found 99 times in the New Testament, in John's writing 45 of those 99 times and in this short book 5 times. Let's look at these:

1) We are to "love in the truth" (v.1). While the word used here for love, agapo, means that love which seeks the best for another, the special love of Christianity, John shows how great love can be by linking it with "Truth." This indicates love in the "highest sphere." This speaks of the sincere, "unfeigned love of the brethren" (I Peter 1:22). Especially in the face of trials this is the reassuring love we need to have among one another.

2) The Truth can be "known." John assured the elect lady not only of his love, but of the love of those who "have known the truth”. How ridiculous it would have been to pen either this or any other epistle if it were, as many among us now profess, impossible to know Truth. It is not surprising at all to see the current digression in the body considering how so many are being assured they cannot know what God has said in His holy Word. However, no matter how much such is set forth, the Word proclaims clearly that the Truth (which is God's Word, John 17:17) can be known (John 8:32).

3. Truth is the basis, the motive for love (v.2). Those who loved this sister loved her "for the truth's sake." It is only when we have that high love, founded in and on the Truth, that the Truth will prosper and souls will be saved. The earnest love within the individual for the Truth will compel him to love those of like mind. Truth is the common bond that draws us together in love. WE WILL NEVER HAVE PEACE AND HARMONY WITHIN THIS OR ANY OTHER CONGREGATION OF THE LORD'S CHURCH WITHOUT IT.

4. Truth should be that which "dwelleth in us" (v.2). "THY WORD HAVE I HID IN MINE HEART, THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST THEE" (Psalms 119:11). The Truth abiding in us is the God-given way to faithfulness and prosperity. Though once known as a "people of the Book," we are fast becoming more like the generation of Israel which "knew not the Lord" (Judges 2:10). It is past time for us to emphasize again the need for zealous study of God's Word. When the children of Israel were about to enter into the promised land; God charged Joshua saying:

"THIS BOOK OF THE LAW SHALL NOT DEPART OUT OF THY MOUTH; BUT THOU SHALT MEDITATE THEREIN DAY AND NIGHT, THAT THOU MAYEST OBSERVE TO DO ALL THAT IS WRITTEN THEREIN: FOR THEN THOU SHALT MAKE THY WAY PROSPEROUS, AND THEN THOU SHALT HAVE GOOD SUCCESS (Joshua. 1:8)."

If we are to enter into the "promised land" we must likewise meditate on His Word day and night - "RECEIVE WITH MEEKNESS THE ENGRAFTED WORD" (James 1:21). Then we may proclaim with Job, "NEITHER HAVE I GONE BACK FROM THE COMMANDMENTS OF HIS LIPS; I HAVE ESTEEMED THE WORDS OF HIS MOUTH MORE THAN MY NECESSARY food" (Job 23:12).

5. The Truth "shall be with us for ever" (v.2) Time and again the eternality of God's Word is affirmed (cf. I Peter 1:23-25). Such is not set forth as a wish or desire, but as an assurance: It "SHALL BE WITH US FOR EVER." It has and will stand the test of time and threats of men.

As we look to the blessings of Truth being with us themselves, we see a clear connection among Grace, Mercy and Peace and a reason for the order. "GRACE," the unmerited favor from God, has appeared to all men (Titus. 2:11), thus all men have the hope or prospect of salvation if they follow what it teaches (Titus 2:12-14). When man follows God's Divine will which His grace supplied and is thus "BORN OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT" (John 3:5), then it is by "HIS MERCY HE SAVED US, BY THE WASHING OF REGENERATION" (Titus 3:5). Having then been baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27) wherein are all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3) we then "HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST" (Romans 5:1). It has been said that grace is God's attitude toward sinful man, mercy is that attitude of God to those who respond to His grace, and peace is the resulting experience between God and man. After one becomes a child of God, he longs for that peace to abide, thus is in constant need of God's grace and mercy.

v4. "I REJOICED GREATLY THAT I FOUND OF THY CHILDREN WALKING IN TRUTH, AS WE HAVE RECEIVED A COMMANDMENT FROM THE FATHER."

This woman was assured by John that he found "THY CHILDREN WALKING IN TRUTH" I wonder how many people, members of the church even upon receiving a letter from someone saying the same thing would lay it aside and say that's fine but how are they doing in their job...school...etc??? What are our priorities for our children or our grandchildren? What is it that we emphasize in their training and teaching? Is it their love for the Word of God? Is it their love for the truth in its purity or what they make of themselves in their careers or what their school grades might be?

Through the pages of the New Testament we have impressed upon us that the primary thing in all our lives is to walk with God (Matthew 6:33; John 8:31; I Corinthians 10:12; Colossians 1:21-23; I Thessalonians 5:21-23; Hebrews 3:14; Revelation 2:10, etc.) When we cry because the church is losing its young people is it because the church hasn't provided enough "programs" or "entertainment" for them or is it because we haven't taught them, by our example and direction, the proper depth of love for God's Word.

v5. "AND NOW I BESEECH THEE, LADY, NOT AS THOUGH I WROTE A NEW COMMANDMENT UNTO THEE, BUT THAT WHICH WE HAD FROM THE BEGINNING, THAT WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER."

Having just studied the book of I John we talked about love and can refer again to John 13:34, 15:12; I Peter 4:8; I John 3:23; I John 2:7-8 to see the proper place of love in God's pattern for our living. John also confirms that this is not a new commandment, but in fact that which they had from the beginning.

v6. "AND THIS IS LOVE; THAT WE WALK AFTER HIS COMMANDMENTS. THIS IS THE COMMANDMENT, THAT, AS YE HAVE HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING, YE SHOULD WALK IN IT."

See also John 14:15 & 21; I John 2:5 & 24; I John 5:3.

I have no problem at all with saying, as some have put it, "all we need is love."

But I do have problems with is the unbelievable definition that many have of "love." It's as warped as the world calling lust "love". Indeed love is pictured as some sort of magic potion which enables God and man to be blinded to the faults in man himself, and to the commands of God; but is that what love is? John gives us the answer.

Read verse six again: and perhaps we need be reminded that this is a God breathed definition of love. Love and obedience CANNOT be separated!!! And, of course, one of these commandments is to love our brother. If it were not so eternally tragic it would be humorous to watch as multitudes seek to explain how love compels man and God to overlook sin; but such is not the case. Let's do a comparison.

Man's "Love" overlooks sin;

God's love "REPROVES, REBUKES, EXHORTS" (II Timothy 4:2)

Man's "Love" refuses to disfellowship the sinful brother or sister

God's love Demands we withdraw (II Thessalonians 3:6)

Man's "Love" refuses to mark and avoid false teachers

God's love demands we mark and avoid them (Romans 16:17)

Man's "Love" preaches smooth things

God's love Preaches the Word (II Timothy 4:2)

Man's "Love" Says it is unloving to call names

God's love demands and illustrates such (Romans 16:17; II Timothy 1:15)

Man's "Love seeks "unity in diversity"

God's love demands unity in the Word (John 17:20-21; I Corinthians 1:10)

More could easily be listed but such should be sufficient to illustrate how man has so grossly twisted what God commands. Let us look at those who had zeal without knowledge for God’s word:

Romans 10:3 "FOR THEY BEING IGNORANT OF GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND GOING ABOUT TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, HAVE NOT SUBMITTED THEMSELVES UNTO THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD."

II Peter 3:16 "AS ALSO IN ALL his EPISTLES, SPEAKING IN THEM OF THESE THINGS; IN WHICH ARE SOME THINGS HARD TO BE UNDERSTOOD, WHICH THEY THAT ARE UNLEARNED AND UNSTABLE WREST, AS they do ALSO OTHER SCRIPTURES, UNTO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION."

v7. "FOR MANY DECEIVERS ARE ENTERED INTO THE WORLD, WHO CONFESS NOT THAT JESUS CHRIST IS COME IN THE FLESH. THIS IS A DECEIVER AND AN ANTI-CHRIST."

Moses said that false prophets were to be put to death under the law (Deuteronomy 13); Isaiah spoke about God cutting off the prophet that teaches lies (Isaiah 9:15); Jeremiah said the Lord spoke unto him,

"THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO ME, THE PROPHETS PROPHESY LIES IN MY NAME; I SENT THEM NOT, NEITHER HAVE I COMMANDED THEM, NEITHER SPOKE UNTO THEM; THEY PROPHESY UNTO YOU A FALSE VISION, AND DIVINATION, AND A THING OF NOUGHT, AND THE DECEIT OF THEIR HEART (Jeremiah 14:14).

Ezekiel warned against false prophets (Ezekiel 13:3) as did Zechariah (Zechariah 13:4). Jesus said, "BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS, WHICH COME TO YOU IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING, BUT INWARDLY THEY ARE RAVENING WOLVES" (Matthew 7:15). He further warned, "FOR THERE SHALL ARISE FALSE CHRISTS, AND FALSE PROPHETS, AND SHALL SHOW GREAT SIGNS AND WONDERS; SO AS TO LEAD ASTRAY, IF IT WERE POSSIBLE, EVEN THE ELECT" (Matthew 24:24). Paul said that he knew "GRIEVOUS WOLVES" would enter in "NOT SPARING THE FLOCK" (Acts 20:29-30). He warned that there would arise "SEDUCING SPIRITS," and teachers walking after their own lusts (I Timothy 4:1; II Timothy 4:1-2) and we could go on into I John, II Peter for more. It is abundantly clear that the Word of God warns us against false teachers. Over the past 30 years we need only to have read a few articles in such publications as "Image", "Wineskins", "The Christian Chronicle" or any number of others or listen to tapes of the Tulsa Workshop, Nashville Jubilee, or the Midwestern Workshop or any number of others to be able to readily see that things haven't changed in 2000 years.

v8. "LOOK TO YOURSELVES, THAT WE {YE} LOSE NOT THOSE THINGS WHICH WE HAVE WROUGHT, BUT THAT WE RECEIVE A FULL REWARD."

It was very necessary that the "elect lady" and her children be ever watchful and on guard against deception from these deceivers. Those people were fruits of John's labors, and he identified himself with them in the things "wrought," the efforts all of them were putting forth in the Christian life. The "reward" of which he wrote was the sum of all things awaiting the faithful at the end of the age.

v9. "WHOSOEVER TRANSGRESSETH {GOETH ONWARD}, AND ABIDETH NOT IN THE DOCTRINE {TEACHING} OF CHRIST, HATH NOT GOD. HE THAT ABIDETH IN THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST, HE HATH BOTH THE FATHER AND THE SON."

The King James Version has the word "transgresseth" and the American Standard Version has "goeth onward." The kind of sin under consideration here is one which one is progressing beyond the doctrine of Christ; he does not abide in the doctrine of Christ. When division arose in the church over the use of instrumental music in worship, those who used it styled themselves as "progressives" and they stigmatized those who adhered to the original plan of God as "non-progressives". There is a very definite fitness in these terms. Instrumental music was not commanded by Christ, no apostle ever sanctioned it, no New Testament writer ever authorized it, and no apostolic church ever practiced it. To use instrumental music in worship is indeed to be "progressive"--to "progress" beyond the things which are written. There are many other things that could be included in the things that are "progressive" or would cause our brethren to consider themselves "progressive" that fit into the same mold.

It is interesting to note the following terms in II John: "truth" (II John 1,2,3,4); "commandments" (II John 6); and "doctrine" (II John 9,10) all mean one and the same thing. It is obvious that those who abide in the doctrine of Christ have both the Father and the Son; that this is the same as walking in the Truth; and all of this is the same as keeping the commandments.

v10. "IF THERE COME ANY UNTO YOU, AND BRING NOT THIS DOCTRINE {TEACHING}, RECEIVE HIM NOT INTO YOUR HOUSE, NEITHER BID HIM GOD SPEED."

John penned these words to make clear to "the elect lady" that false teachers were in no way to be encouraged in their efforts to deceive the people.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS WE CAN BID A FALSE TEACHER GODSPEED.

To receive such into one's house is to provide assistance in the work in the work they do, and is to partake with them in the evil deed of false teaching. It follows from this that those who teach are not to be supported, encouraged, or assisted, in such efforts, in any way whatsoever. If some one of this type appears, we are not to welcome him, we must not offer him hospitality, we must not assist him on his way. We are not to extend him fellowship. Paul wrote, "AND HAVE NO FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS, BUT RATHER REPROVE them." (Ephesians 5:11). John said if a false teacher appears we are not to welcome him, we must not offer him hospitality, we must not assist him on his way. We must not do anything which could be interpreted by others as an endorsement of his work. This does not mean that we cannot perform acts of kindness in areas not associated with the work of the teacher. If disaster befell him, or his family, if sickness invaded his home, it would be our Christian duty to assist him and his family in any way we can; but we should see to it that what we do does not in any way advance the proclamation of false doctrine. False teachers are the most dangerous men on earth.

v11. "FOR HE THAT BIDDETH HIM GOD SPEED IS PARTAKER OF HIS EVIL DEEDS."

John gave the reason for such stringent prohibitions. He said that he who greets him, that is, he who thus receives and sends on his way such a false teacher, is "PARTAKER OF HIS EVIL DEEDS." This means that he is in fellowship with his wicked work. The Greek here uses koinonei, a verb, "to have fellowship"; so the person who bids the false teacher Godspeed has "fellowship" with the wicked work. Acceptance of the Truth makes fellowship possible between Christians (I John 1:3, 7), but denial of the doctrine of Christ destroys the basis of that fellowship and fraternal sharing which we have in the Gospel. Paul thanked God for the Philippians' fellowship in the furtherance of the Gospel (Philippians 1:5), but wickedness and error forfeit the right to that fellowship. What seems to the cowards among us as strong language should be meditated upon and followed. Avoiding of false teachers is often taught in the New Testament (I Timothy 5:22-25; Revelation 18:4; II Corinthians 6:14.)

v12. "HAVING MANY THINGS TO WRITE UNTO YOU, I WOULD NOT write WITH PAPER AND INK: BUT I TRUST TO COME UNTO YOU, AND SPEAK FACE TO FACE, THAT OUR JOY MAY BE FULL."

John may have been separated for a while from those to whom he was writing and could say he had many things to write; but he explained the shortness of the present letter by saying he would rather not use paper and ink to write any more. This preference of John may have meant that John anticipated a visit, making a lengthy letter unnecessary. His desire was to talk face to face.

v13. "THE CHILDREN OF THY ELECT SISTER GREET THEE. AMEN.