Key word: Truth
John writes two very short letters that are placed in the New Testament immediately following his longer letter. There are distinctions between these epistles, but there are also significant similarities. Both emphasize truth, which is found five times in 2 John and seven times in 3 John. Both speak of love and identify true and false love. Both are concerned with how we are to receive those who come to us in the name of the Lord, and here is the major distinction between the two letters. While 3 John talks about who we should receive with open arms and become partakers with the truth, 2 John talks about those we should reject, so that we do not partake in their evil deeds (vv. 7-11).
But before John gets to his main subject, we find that he is writing to a chosen lady and her children. While this lady could be an individual, most believe John is speaking metaphorically of a local church. In the first four verses truth is on John’s mind, and he is glad to find some of these children walking in truth (v. 4). But it is possible that this church has so majored on truth that their love had grown cold and their obedience was selective. So, John reminds her the Lord commands us to love (v. 5), and true love is evidenced by obedience (v. 6). Truth, love, and obedience is a package that must not be separated.
John applies this 3-fold message to a group of deceivers who are spreading a false message that Jesus Christ was not the incarnate Son of God (v. 7). If they are taken in by this heresy, they are not truly Christians (v. 9). Therefore, if these deceivers show up do not receive them, because to aid them is to participate with them in the spread of their false teaching and evil deeds (vv. 10-11). Truth and love are compatible with identifying and turning away false teachers. If we love the truth, we cannot be partakers with those who seek to destroy it.
Key verse: 2 John 1:6a – And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments.
