Our relationship with God begins the moment we accept that Jesus Christ came in the flesh and gave his life for our sin. From that moment, we begin walking on the earth as the sons and daughters of God. Sadly, there are those that are still under the power of the “evil one” in 1 John 5:19. But happily, it is also true today, as it was written here, in 2 John 4 “I was very glad because I found some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us”. We are not to be put off or offended by those that continue in evil, but the admonition to us is in 3 John 11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.
The One Who Has the Son Has the Life
This is the Confidence That We Have Before Him
1 John 5:13–21
Our relationship with God through Jesus Christ doesn’t begin somewhere off in the distant future. There isn’t a time of punishment that we must go through as some religions have taught. From the time of Jesus Christ’s life and death and resurrection, we have had clear access to God and here John emphasizes two key points.
- First, we who have believed have eternal life in
1 John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.
- Second, we can have confidence, not only that God hears us, but that he grants our requests in
1 John 5:14–15 And this is the confidence that we have before him: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.
The message God was sending through the work done by Jesus Christ is that we are now translated into God’s kingdom. We are no longer under the power of the “evil one” in
1 John 5:19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
I Found Some … Walking in the Truth
2 John 1–4
There is some debate about this greeting that is translated as if written to a specific woman. It is more likely that this was written to the church, that is, the body of believers because “kyria is the feminine form of kyrios (Lord) and that chosen is an adjective frequently applied to the church as the bride of Christ, it seems to make most sense to regard this letter as addressed to a church, whose members are the children of verses 1 and 4”.1 And if we look at any body of believers, any group that we might identify as a church, we will find some “walking in the truth” as in
2 John 4 I was very glad because I found some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.
It is true that not all have understood or accepted or walked in the truth that God has extended but it “will be with us” as it says in
2 John 3 Grace, mercy, peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in truth and love.
Confess Jesus Christ Coming in the Flesh
2 John 5–11
Speak Face to Face
2 John 12–13
Prosper Concerning Everything and Be Healthy
3 John 1–4
They Have Gone Out on Behalf of the Name
The One Who Does Good is of God
3 John 9–15
Sadly, there are those in the church that have their own motives and are not seeking God’s will or plan or purpose. Just as in the world, there are those that “wants to be first among them” in 3 John 9.
The behavior of these people should be easy to spot, they protect their position, they refuse to acknowledge other Christian leaders and of those leaders they are “disparaging us with evil words” in 3 John 10 and refuse to “receive the brothers himself” and even worse, “hinders those wanting to do so and throws them out of the church”. You may have seen this behavior, setting people around themselves so no one can come to them. Creating layers of hurdles that people must jump through to get into their inner circle. Yet, because they speak with authority and intimidate suggesting you aren’t being obedient they often go unchecked.
But hospitality, and exhortation and encouragement, these things that come as extensions of the fruit of the Holy Spirit are the good actions of those that love God and love people. Or, as it says here in
3 John 11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.
Study Verses
- 1 John 5:13–21 This is the Confidence That We Have Before Him
- 2 John 1–4 I Found Some … Walking in the Truth
- 3 John 9–15 The One Who Does Good is of God
Today’s Reading
- 1 John 5:1-21
- 2 John 1-13
- 3 John 1-15
References
- 1. Jackman, D. (1988). The message of John’s letters: living in the love of God (pp. 175–176). Leicester, England; Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.