Because You Are Loved
May 25, 2022
Commentary
The author, the Apostle John, calls himself “elder." John was a leader in the Church and now is over 90 years of age. He is writing the letter to an “elect lady” (the church) he regarded highly and whom he is impressed with her testimony (v. 1). For all things John has one remedy and that is love (v. 2). The word “truth” appears five times in the first four verses of the book. This theme points to the fact that the Christian life and ministry must be built on the foundation of the truth. God’s blessings and inner harmony are enjoyed where truth and love are in control. Actually truth is the basis of love.
If love and truth are maintained then grace, mercy, and peace come from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 3). John clearly lays it down. He has talked of the suffering, sacrificing, incredibly generous love of God; and then he says, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” 1 John 4:11). The Christian must love because he is loved. He cannot accept the love of God without showing love to the men God loves. Because God loves us, we must love others with the same generous and sacrificial love. John states, “I rejoiced greatly that I found thy children walking in truth” (v. 4). It is great joy to a parent when their children are walking with the Lord and in the truth of God’s Word. John goes on to tell how Christian love is shown in obedience to God. Believers who are walking in the truth love one another (vv. 5-6).
Application
Do I have truth and love? One without the other makes me unbalanced. I can show love in many ways: such as not being prejudice or showing discrimination, by accepting people as they are, by listening, helping, giving, serving, and refusing to judge.
2 John 1:1– 6 (NET)
1 From the elder, to an elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth (and not I alone, but also all those who know the truth), 2 because of the truth that resides in us and will be with us forever. 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
4 I rejoiced greatly because I have found some of your children living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded us.
5 But now I ask you, lady (not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but the one we have had from the beginning), that we love one another. 6 (Now this is love: that we walk according to his commandments.) This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning; thus you should walk in it.