Second John Lesson 1: Living in the Truth: unities and indwells Antioch Christian Fellowship Spring...

Second JohnLesson 1: Living in the Truth: unities and

indwellsAntioch Christian Fellowship

Spring 2012Rev. Christopher J. Respass

The Truth Unites and Indwells(2 John 1-4)

Occasion and Purpose

This letter addresses the same basic historical events as 1 John:

1. False teachers and their attack on congregations.

2. The heretics’ itinerant pattern of moving from church to church.

3. The danger in aiding false teachers by showing them hospitality.


Author, Date & Place of Writing

The Apostle John, the beloved disciple, is the author. Most likely, 2 John was composed in the city of Ephesus shortly after 1 John (circa 90-95 AD).


Destination & Its ReadersThe epistle of 2 John is addressed to “the elect lady and her children.” The identity of this addressee is a debated issue. Does this refer to an actual woman and her family or is this a cryptic metaphor referring to the Christian church to protect it from discovery by the “powers that be”? The ambiguities prevent a dogmatic position for either option. For our purposes, we will treat it as a metaphor for the church.


I. The Truth

A. Truth: Absolute or Relative?

1. Pilate asked, “What is truth?” (John 18:38).

2. Absolute: objective with a clear sense of right/wrong or yes/no.

3. Relative: subjective and only “true” for the one making the truth claim (e.g., “that’s true for you, but not for me.”).


B. What do we know about “truth”?

1. Bible—word of truth” (John 17:17, Ps. 119:60)

2. God—God of truth (Isa. 65:16)

3. Christ—Is the truth (John 14:6, Eph. 4:20-21)

4. Holy Spirit—Spirit of Truth (John 14:16-17)

5. Salvation—Belief in the truth (2 Thess. 2:13)

6. Believers—Sanctified in the truth (John 17:17)


C. Proverbs 23:23 says, “Buy truth, and do not sell it....”

Q: Why is truth so valuable—especially for the Christian?

Because we live under a world system instituted by Satan, the father of lies (1 John 5:19, John 8:44). We need the truth to resist Satan and please God.


II.The Truth Unites Believers (v.1).

A. The one thing that unites all believers is the truth of the gospel.

1. We all believe in Jesus.

2. We all believe in his divine birth and atoning crucifixion.


3. We believe in his resurrection and his imminent return.

4. We all are saved because of our belief in that truth.

If you don’t accept all of the biblical gospel you have rejected the truth and unity amongst believers is destroyed.


B. We can have no real communion with those who reject the truth of the gospel because we share no common spiritual life with them.

1. Those who believe in Jesus and love God also love the children of God (1 John 5:1).


2. You can only love (agape) this way if you have purified your soul by obedience to the truth and been born again (1 Pet. 1:22).

With this in mind can there really be such a thing as “ecumenical” worship (2 Cor. 6:14-15)?


C. Truth, therefore, must always govern the exercise of love.

1. Eph. 4:15 “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,”

2. We speak in love—but it must be the truth.

3. Love does not minimize the truth; Love requires the expression and manifestation of the truth.


III. The Truth Indwells Believers (v.2).

A. John wrote 2 John “because of the truth” (ESV/NIV) or “for truth’s sake” (KJV)

because he feared that church members would compromise truth in the name of hospitality thereby allowing the heretics to preach/teach as a gesture of kindness.


1. Christians are called to be compassionate, hospitable, encouragers of fellowship (Rom. 12:13, 1 Pet. 4:9).

2. Christians cannot, however, compromise their commitment to the truth of Scripture in the name of love or hospitality. It is the unswerving commitment to the truth that affords the opportunity for real fellowship and hospitality.


B. The truth “abides” or indwells the believer forever.

1. The believer has an anointing of God who teaches him about all things (1 John 2:20-21, 27).

2. This “anointing” is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth (John 14:16-17) and brings all things that Jesus taught to our remembrance (John 14:25-26).


3. This indwelling truth of the word works to create the “mind of Christ” in us (1 Cor. 2:16).

Questions?

Second John Lesson 1: Living in the Truth: unities and indwells Antioch Christian Fellowship Spring...

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