Keys of Truth: 2 John

In this brief letter John emphasizes the importance of love, and links love to obedience. The letter contains a greeting (vv. 1-3), advice and warning (vv. 4-11), and a conclusion (vv. 12-13).

Chapter summary:
John's greeting links truth and love, for those who know and live the truth in Jesus are bound together in a community of love (vv. 1-3). John is delighted to hear that "some" in the Christian community have been living in accord with God's truth, but urges even greater love and obedience (vv. 4-6). But his exhortation is accompanied by a warning. Deceivers, marked by their denial that Jesus is God in the flesh, abound. Any who come to the church without a clear affirmation of the deity of Jesus are to be refused access to the church (vv. 7-11). In closing, John expresses his desire to visit in person and sends greetings (vv. 12-13).

The believer’s personal application: The central issue in Christianity is who people say Jesus is.

TEXTUAL INSIGHT

“A promise” (v. 3):
Most 1st-century letters customarily offer a prayer or wish as the last element of its greeting. Here John departs from custom and makes a promise. How sure we can be that the Lord truly "will be with us in truth and love."

“God's command” (vv. 4-6):
The word "command" is used four times in these verses. John is clearly showing how we can fulfill the will of God. God’s will is for us to love and obey Him and to love others. These three are linked in Scripture and in our experience. Love for God stimulates obedience. Obedience indicates love. Love for others is both an overflow of our love for God, and the obedient response to His command to love one another.

“A deceiver and antichrist” (v. 7):
All of the New Testament epistles which speak of false teaching and teachers indicate a single doctrine is the key test of heresy; the doctrine of the full deity and humanity of Jesus: the conviction that Jesus was God with us in the flesh. This is still a vital test to apply to any who claim to be a teacher of religion. Anyone who comes to the church without this teaching is not to be welcomed or permitted to minister.

Why this particular doctrine? Because, all of the central teachings of our faith hinge on the deity of Jesus. The Incarnation and Virgin Birth, the vicarious sacrifice, the physical Resurrection, the Ascension, the Second Coming—all presuppose that the Jesus we know and worship is both God and man. If Jesus were not God, His death could hardly have made a universal atonement. If Jesus were not man, His resurrection could hardly be the "firstfruits" which guarantees our own. (1 Corinthians 15:20)

There is only one way to God, only one truth, and only one source of eternal life. Never permit anyone who denies the deity and humanity of Jesus to pass as a teacher of Christian truth.

Keys of Truth: 1 John (Chapter 5)

Chapter summary:
John now sums up his message. Those who believe Jesus is the Christ are born of God. We know we are among the “reborn” when we love God's children, love God, and keep His commands. Only a “new birth” can provide this kind of victory over the world (5:1-5). John speaks of three witnesses—Spirit, water, and blood—which give authentic inner testimony to Christ as the Son of God (vv. 6-10). That testimony confirms the fact that we have eternal life as a present possession (vv. 11-12). And so John writes that we may know we have eternal life and can approach God with assurance, knowing He hears us (vv. 13-15). John's letter ends with an appeal to help sinning brothers (vv. 16-17), a reminder that we who are children of God will not keep on sinning, and a promise that God will surely keep us safe (vv. 18-21).

The believer’s personal application: It's not presumptuous for a person who believes in Jesus to say "I know I'm saved." Rather, it would be audacious to doubt God's Word.

TEXTUAL INSIGHT

“How we know” (5:2):
John is not talking about how we know others have a vital relationship with God. He is discussing how a real faith in Jesus expresses itself in our lives. As we experience love for others and for God, and find ourselves choosing to obey His commandments, we realize that we truly have been born again.

"Victory" (5:4):
The believer’s victory over the world has been won; and this is the proof: our faith in Jesus works in us the transformation that John writes about.

“The three witnesses” (5:6-7):
There is great uncertainty about the identity of the three witnesses: The Spirit is the Holy Spirit. The water is Jesus' baptism, in which He affirmed His identity with us as a true human being. And the blood that was shed on the cross, by which He accomplished our salvation. Faith rests on the reality of a historical Jesus, who was both man and God, who died and rose again for us.

“The inner witness” (5:10):
The three witnesses above are objective. The Spirit performed miracles through Jesus. The Father confirmed His identity at His baptism. And the Son died an actual death on the cross, witnessed by dozens. When a person believes the external witness to Jesus, God the Father gives us a witness—"in the heart." Faith serves as its own witness. In believing, we somehow know the story of Jesus is true, and our certainty is confirmed by what God does in our lives.

"Son of God" (5:13):
Jesus' sonship was affirmed at His baptism (Matthew 3:17) and "declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:4). In John 1:1-14 we are shown that this name attests to Jesus' unique position in the universe based on His coexistence with and as God from eternity. Many passages use this phrase in such a way that Jesus' nature as God is made unmistakably clear (John 5:19-27; Hebrews 1; 1 John 4:9-15).

“Assurance” (5:14):
God doesn't want us to go through life fearful and uncertain about our relationship with Him. So He tells us plainly, if you believe in the Son of God you have eternal life. So we need not fear or doubt. We have God's word for it. We are His.

“A prayer ministry” (5:16-17):
John has described the confidence with which we can pray (vv. 14-15). Now he urges us to pray for any brother who falls into sin. Our prayers will be answered, for "the one born of God does not continue to sin" (v. 18).