Sermon #63 Through The Bible Series
Title: 2nd John
“For the Truth’s
Sake”
Text: 2 John 1:1-13
Date: Tuesday Evening — August 17,2003
Tape
# Y-39a
Readings: Bob Poncer & Larry Criss
Introduction:
“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”
(2 John 1:1-3).
Though it does not bear his
name, it is evident that this epistle was written by the apostle John. When we
compare its language (2 John 1:5-9) with that of 1st John (1 John
2:7-8; 3:23; 4:1-3; 5:3), we see that the language used here is the same. John’s purpose in
writing this brief epistle is to exhort and encourage us to continue in the
truth and faith of the gospel, to walk in love to God and his people, and to
avoid false teachers and their doctrines.
The Elect
Lady
John addresses this epistle to “the
elect lady.” Did you ever pause to think about what name is used most often
in the New Testament to describe God’s people? They are called “saints”
forty times, “sons of God” sixteen times, “strangers” six times,
“Christians” just three times, and “believers” just twice. But
the term that is used more often than any other, except for “saints,” to
describe the people of God in the New Testament is “the elect.” In fact,
the word “saints” is but another way of saying “elect.” God’s
saints are those separated from others, separated from eternity by electing
love.
Election was such a commonly known and
commonly discussed theme in the early church that when believers spoke to and
about one another they used the word “elect” to distinguish God’s people
from the rest of the world.
Many suggest that this “elect lady” was a certain, believing woman, and that John wrote this epistle to her and her believing children. Perhaps that is the case. In Christ there is neither male nor female. Both are one in him.
It is certain that our Lord gave special attention to and showed special care for certain women: — the Samaritan woman, — Mary and Martha, — the woman with an issue of blood, — the Syrophenician, and the woman who anointed him for his burial. After his resurrection he appeared to a woman and sent her to tell the disciples that he was alive. If we think of Miriam, Ruth, Deborah, Esther, Dorcas, Lydia, Priscilla, Lois and Eunice, we should not be at all surprised to see the Holy Spirit honor and distinguish a certain woman by addressing an apostolic epistle to her.
If the epistle was written to an individual woman and her children, it should be noted that her children were addressed as grown, mature children who were found “walking in truth” (v. 4). They were children who had themselves professed faith in Christ and walked in truth.
I think, however, that John uses the term “the elect lady” to refer to a local church. It really does not matter which, nor is there any need for us to know which. The epistle was written by divine inspiration for us and to us who walk in truth. It is certain that John’s words are written to every child of God in this world, for God’s children are God’s elect. His church is his “elect lady.” God's elect are those chosen by his grace to eternal life in Christ before the world was made (Matt. 24:31; Rom. 8:33; Eph. 1:3-6; Col. 3:12; 1 Thess. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; 1 Peter 1:2).
We are not told when the epistle was written, or where John was when he wrote it. But, again, such things are not material. It is God’s Word to us today. May he teach us its message and make it sweet to our souls.
The Truth
“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” (v. 1).
“The
elder” — John calls himself an Elder because he was both a pastor and an
old man. At the time he wrote this epistle, he was at least a hundred years
old.
“Whom I love in the truth” — John expresses his sincere and heartfelt love for
this elect lady and her children, whom he and his companions loved in the
truth. He speaks of the joy he and his companions, who were lovers of the
truth, found in these who walked in the truth.
Believers love all men as men, but God
gives his elect a special love for those who are in the family of faith (Gal.
6:10; Titus 3:15).
(Galatians
6:10) "As we have therefore
opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are
of the household of faith."
(Titus
3:15) "All that are with me salute
thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.
Amen."
Notice the connection between John’s love for God’s saints and their love
for the truth. Those who love Christ, who is the Truth, love all who walk in
the Truth. We love one another for Christ’s sake. It is he who dwells in us and
abides in us forever.
Notice
this also — John speaks to God’s elect with great confidence, as well as
with great tenderness and affection. “The elect lady,” as John
calls her, had in her election all the blessings, benefits, and effects of
election. As the bud contains all the future blossoms and foliage of the
flower, so God’s elect have all the blessings of grace in Christ (Eph. 1:3-6),
“according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.”
Robert Hawker wrote…
“Together with this electing grace, there is the
calling grace appointed also. ‘For whom
he did predestinate, them he also called’ (Rom. 8:30). And in the season of
that call, there is given the pardoning grace to all sins. So blessedly speaks
the Apostle. ‘And you being dead in your
sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he
quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses’ (Col.
2:13).
And neither doth the blessing stop here. For
justification immediately follows. ‘Being
justified freely by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus’
(Rom. 3:24). And both sanctification and glory bring up the rear, in the
sure events involved in the blessed act of God’s sovereign love, when, from all
eternity, the Lord chose the church in Christ Jesus (Eph. 1:4; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2
Tim. 1:9; Rom. 8:30, 31).”
The Truth’s Sake
“For the truth's sake, which
dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever” (v. 2).
The word “truth” occurs five times in the first
four verses. It refers both to Christ and to the doctrine of Christ. The two
cannot be separated. Truth is more than mere facts about Christ. Truth is
Christ himself (John 14:6; 4:24; 8:32; 18:37).
(John
4:24) "God is a Spirit: and
they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."
(John
8:32) "And ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free."
(John
14:6) "Jesus saith unto him, I am
the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by
me."
(John
18:37) "Pilate therefore said unto
him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest
that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the
world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the
truth heareth my voice."
Christ dwells in us and his Word dwells in us, as an
inward principle of grace forever
(John 17:17; 15:4-7).
(John
15:4-7) "Abide in me, and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more
can ye, except ye abide in me. (5) I am the vine, ye are the
branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much
fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (6) If a man abide not in me,
he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them
into the fire, and they are burned. (7) If ye abide in me, and my
words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto
you."
(John
17:17) "Sanctify them through thy
truth: thy word is truth."
John’s Salutation
“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” (v. 3).
John’s salutation is like that used by other apostles
(1 Tim. 1:2; Rom 1:7), but he characteristically adds, with respect to Christ,
that he is the Son of God. This was a special issue to John and it appears that
he never missed a chance to state it emphatically (John 1:1; 10:30; 1 John
1:3,7; 4:2,15).
“In truth and love” — These two words, “truth”
and “love,” are used repeatedly in this epistle. They are companions.
They cannot be separated. God is light (truth) and God is love. Let them ever
be united in our minds and hearts. Truth without love becomes stern, cold and
even cruel. Love without truth (if such were possible) would be unstable and
without foundation.
Great Joy
“I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we
have received a commandment from the Father” (v.4).
God’s
children rejoice when they find others who are God’s children. The Psalmist
sang, with regard to God’s church, his “elect lady,” — “Lo! Children are an heritage of the Lord,
and the fruit of the womb is a reward” (Ps. 127:3).
Apply these words, as we may to an individual household, and see cause for great joy to any parent. To see
our children walking in truth is, perhaps, the greatest boon we can experience
in this world as believers. When they are blessed with grace, we are blessed
with grace!
Even when that is not the case, even when we must, like David, look over our sons and daughters with
sorrow, seeing nothing but Absaloms, Adonijahs, and Amnons coming from
our loins, let us, as we sigh, “although
my house is not so with God,” take solace in God’s covenant grace “ordered
in all things and sure” (2 Sam. 23:5).
Apply this to a pastor looking over a local church he has served or a church
with which he has any connection, and the same joy is the expression of a
faithful pastor’s heart and love. God’s servants dance in their hearts when we
see his children walking in truth, walking with Christ in the blessed truth of
Christ revealed in the gospel.
It brought great joy to the apostle’s to find the
children of this elect lady “walking in truth,” living day by day in a
continual, progressive spirit, attitude and conversation which revealed that
Christ was in them. They not only professed to know Christ, but their conduct
and conversation revealed a living union with him. This is the commandment we
have received from the Father (Micah 6:8; 1 John 3:18).
(Micah
6:8) "He hath showed thee, O man,
what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly,
and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"
(1
John 3:16-18) "Hereby perceive we
the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to
lay down our lives for the brethren. (17) But whoso hath this
world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of
compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? (18) My
little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in
truth."
Love One Another
“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” (v.5).
This
is the same thing John told us in 1 John 2:7,8. He is probably referring to the
words of our Savior in John 13:34. It is that which our Lord taught from the
beginning. How sweetly the life of grace in Christ, leads to a life of love. — “As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord,
so walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him” (Col. 2:6-7). It is
impossible to be otherwise. Where Christ is, there must be fruitfulness in
Christ. Where the Spirit of God is the love of Christ shines.
The love John is talking about is much more than warm
feelings and emotions about God and one another. We cannot love one another and
walk in love if we do not walk in truth, if we do not walk with Christ in the
truth he reveals in his Word — “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” (v.6).
Antichrist
“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 antichrist”
(v.7).
“Many deceivers have gone out into the world” —
John is referring to false teachers and preachers, who are described by their
character and work. They are seducers who cause others to go astray. They
pretend to be gospel preachers, to love the truth, to be concerned for men's
souls, and to desire the glory of God. But they handle the Word deceitfully.
They are impostors (1 John 2:18; Matt.7:15,16; 2 Peter 2:1-3).
(Matthew
7:15-16) "Beware of false prophets,
which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
(16) Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or
figs of thistles?"
(2
Peter 2:1-3) "But there were false
prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among
you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies,
even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift
destruction. (2) And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason
of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. (3) And through
covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose
judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their
damnation slumbereth not."
(1
John 2:18) "Little children, it is
the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are
there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time."
The primary error of these false prophets is their denial of the person and work of Christ. They profess to believe in Christ as a prophet, teacher, healer, a messenger from God, and even the Messiah and the Son of God, but they deny him altogether by denying that he has come in the flesh and accomplished all that the Scriptures declare he would accomplish — The redemption and salvation of his people (Dan. 9:24; Isa. 53:10-11; Matt. 1:21; Heb. 9:12). They do not necessarily deny that he came. They deny that he has effectually accomplished what he came to do, but assert that he merely made redemption and salvation possible.
(Daniel
9:24) "Seventy weeks are determined
upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to
make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in
everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint
the most Holy."
These whom John describes as antichrists deny that the Lord Jesus actually…
·
Finished the transgression and made an end of sins.
·
Brought in everlasting righteousness.
·
Fulfilled all the prophets, “sealed up the vision.”
·
And was anointed as Lord over all because he finished the work.
(Isaiah
53:10-11) "Yet it pleased the LORD
to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul
an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days,
and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. (11) He shall
see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge
shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their
iniquities."
He who is the Christ “shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.” The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ shall never be discovered a miscarriage! He satisfied the justice of God and the justice of God shall satisfy him. “He shall see his seed”…
· Brought out, out of captivity, prison, bondage, and the world.
· Brought in, into his kingdom.
· Brought up, taught and cared for.
· Brought home!
(Matthew
1:21) "And she shall bring forth a
son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from
their sins."
(Hebrews 9:12)
"Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he
entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for
us."
All who deny, either in word or in doctrine, by statement or implication, that Jesus Christ is God are deceivers and anti-Christ (John 10:30-33; Matt. 1:21-23).
Look to Yourselves
“Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought,
but that we receive a full reward” (v.8).
This is an exhortation to the elect lady and her
children to look about them, be aware of these antichrists and their doctrine,
take care of themselves and beware of these false teachers and their doctrines
(2 Cor. 11:1-4).
(2 Corinthians 11:1-4) "Would to God ye could bear with me a
little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. (2) For I am jealous
over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I
may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. (3) But I fear,
lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your
minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (4) For
if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye
receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye
have not accepted, ye might well bear with him."
We must take care not to lose, or throw away, those
things that we have wrought by faith, those things that we profess have been
wrought in us by grace, and in the end lose our own souls. If we depart from
the gospel of Christ, there remains no sacrifice for sin (Heb. 10:26; 6:4-6).
Christ is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption (1 Cor.
1:30). If we are not redeemed in him, we have no life or hope (Gal. 4:4,5). Let
us persevere in the faith of Christ until we are made like him. This shall be
our full reward (Heb. 3:6,14; Col. 1:19-23).
(Colossians
1:19-23) "For it pleased the
Father that in him should all fulness dwell; (20) And, having made
peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto
himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or
things in heaven. (21) And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies
in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled (22) In
the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable
in his sight: (23) If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and
be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and
which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul
am made a minister."
(Hebrews
3:6) "But Christ as a son over his
own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing
of the hope firm unto the end."
(Hebrews
3:14) "For we are made partakers of
Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast
unto the end."
The Doctrine of Christ
“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the
doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he
hath both the Father and the Son” (v.
9).
“Whosoever transgresseth”
—The person who denies the doctrine of Christ, the Messiah, has not, knows not
and believes not God. “The doctrine of Christ” concerns:
· His person as the Son of God, as truly God, and the
union of the two natures — divine and human, in one person.
· His offices as Mediator, Surety, Prophet, Priest and
King.
· His redemptive work — his obedience, suffering, death,
resurrection and ascension.
· His return to judge and to reign.
This is the doctrine of King Messiah, the doctrine of
redemption and eternal glory. The man who abides in the truth of Christ has
both the Father and the Son. He has an interest in them and a knowledge of them
(John 17:3; 1 John 5:11-13).
Receive Them Not
“If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not
into your house, neither bid him God speed” (v.10).
If anyone comes to your church or your home
(pretending to be a gospel preacher) one who does not preach this doctrine but
despises and denies it, do not allow him to preach in the house of God and do
not entertain him in your home” (Rom. 16:17; Gal. 1:8,9).
“Neither bid him God speed.” — Do not help him,
encourage him, or pray for him. Do not give him the impression that you are
sympathetic with him.
“For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of
his evil deeds” (v.11). — Those who
wish false teachers well, who encourage them, or who converse with them in a
friendly and familiar way instead of reproving them and shunning them as they
ought, are aiding and abetting them, supporting them in their attacks on Christ
and can be considered partakers in their evil deeds.
Conclusion
John concludes this epistle very graciously,
expressing his love for these dear saints, and his desire to see them face to
face, and by conveying to them the greetings of another gospel church, the elect
sister of this elect lady.
“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” (v.12).
Although he had many things to write to them and teach
them, he preferred not to do so with paper and ink. This blessed old man hoped
to visit God’s dear saints and talk to them personally, so that their joy may
be complete.
There is a great value in writing to believers and
communicating in various ways, but nothing replaces personal fellowship,
exhortation and encouragement (Heb. 10:24,25; 3:13; Col. 3:16).
“The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen” (v.13).
Let
us learn (especially gospel preachers) from this short, but gracious epistle of
John the elder, how to address God’s elect with words of comfort and
consolation in Christ. They are to be spoken to graciously and affectionately,
for comfort and edification, to build them up in mutual love, in the fellowship
of the Truth, in the fellowship of Christ, not harshly and bitterly.
“There is nothing more strengthening to the Church of
God, than when old disciples speak to young ones, concerning God’s purposes in
Christ, as manifested in his electing, converting, redeeming, establishing
grace! It is blessedly said by one of old, “the
righteous shall bring forth fruit in his old age, to shew
that the Lord is upright.” I do not presume to say so much, but I humbly
ask, did not the Lord the Spirit cause this Epistle to be sent by John to one
Elect Lady, to be recorded in the Church, and handed down, through the several
ages, to the present hour, on purpose to teach old saints, and especially
faithful old ministers, how to speak to the elect children of Christ, in the
several stations and characters as they stand in grace?”
Robert Hawker