The first thing that John says about this heretical movement is that its adherents are numerous and that they are actively going out into the world for propaganda purposes. When John says that the deceivers “are entered into the world,” he may mean that they have left the Christian congregation in w
There is much in the life of the local church to give John cause for rejoicing, but this does not mean that there is no more room for growth. These to whom he writes are Christians. Their lives meet the three tests: the moral test (which is righteousness or obedience to God’s commands), the social t
The unique feature of this opening salutation is John's surprising emphasis upon truth and his linking of the truth he thus emphasizes to love. Indeed, the word "truth" occurs four times in the first three verses and one more time in verse four.The unique feature of this opening salutation is John’s
No other books of the New Testament more clearly reflect the current letter writing style of the first century than do 2 and 3 John. There is an opening greeting, in which the author identifies himself and names those to whom he is writing. There is an opening salutation. This is followed by the bod
The messages of 2 and 3 John are not just for an earlier age, despite the unique and particular problems to which the letters are addressed. Like all Scripture they have a message for our own time also. The first message of 2 and 3 John is that we will always have problems in the Christian Church. I
In yesterday’s study, we concluded with John Stott’s insightful question: “Is it possible, that a man of such prominence, who exercised such authority and wrote three Epistles which are included in the New Testament canon, should have left no more trace of himself in history than one dubious referen
At the conclusion of yesterday’s devotional, we mentioned one reason why Eusebius’ reference to Papias may not prove the existence of two Johns. Today, we begin by offering another reason.Second, in his discussion of Papias it may be Eusebius himself who is of limited understanding in discerning wha
One similarity between the two letters is that each begins by the author's introduction of himself as "the elder." In the one case he writes, "The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth" (2 John 1). In the other letter he writes, "The elder unto the well-beloved Gaius,
The letters of 2 and 3 John are the shortest books of the New Testament, shorter even than Jude or Philemon which also each have only one chapter. But this does not mean that either 2 or 3 John is insignificant. To be sure, in some ways each merely repeats the general message of 1 John, which is lon
The proper contrast to the true or genuine God is that which is a false god or idol. Consequently John concluded with the otherwise unexpected warning, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” In the context of this book we are probably not to think of the various carved idols of antiquity, th
This leads to the third of John's affirmations, which is, as Stott says, “the most fundamental of the three.” This strikes at the very root of the heretical Gnostic theology, for it is the affirmation that the Son of God, even Jesus, has come into this world to give us both knowledge of God and salv
The second of John's affirmations is that "we are of God,” joining himself to his readers in this certainty. But where does the certainty come from? In the first instance the certainty that the one born of God does not sin comes from the ability of Jesus (or God) to keep the Christian. In this case
John's first affirmation is that the one who is truly born of God does not sin. At first glance this statement seems to be contradictory to John's repeated declaration in chapter one that anyone who says that he does not sin or has never sinned is either self-deceived or a liar, just as the section
It is entirely appropriate that a book dealing with the subject of Christian assurance should end with three final affirmations, introduced by the repetitive phrase “we know” in verses 18, 19 and 20. In some ways these statements are a summary of much of what John has been teaching. In another sense
4. The fact that none of the other explanations is entirely satisfactory leads one to wonder whether John may not be speaking just of physical death inflicted on a Christian by God as a result of a Christian’s persisting in some deliberate sin. Certainly there are examples of such judgments. Ananias
In yesterday’s study, we concluded by looking at the first view of the “sin unto death.” Today we look at two other approaches.2. A second view, supported in part by the concern of this letter, is that John is thinking of what we would call apostasy, namely a deliberate repudiation of the Christian
The encouragement to pray for others is based on a great promise, namely, the promise that God will hear and “give… life for them that sin not unto death” (v. 16). John has spoken often in this letter of the need to pursue righteousness as one evidence that the individual involved is truly a child o
Certainly these were new and bold teachings that Jesus gave on prayer, and they were remembered as such by John. They are the basis of his extraordinary confidence. But the Christian is not to suppose that God will grant just anything he might happen to pray for, however foolish or sinful it may be,
There are few subjects in the Christian life more puzzling to more of God's people than prayer. On the surface we might think that prayer should be the most natural and uncomplicated part of Christian living, for what should be more natural than to speak out of one's heart to one's heavenly Father?
Seventh, we have a home in heaven prepared for us by Christ. Just before His crucifixion Jesus said to His disciples, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a plac
There is a third reason why the gift of God is indescribable. We have seen that the gift itself is indescribable. We have seen that the grace by which it is given is indescribable. God’s gift is also indescribable for the effects it produces. This is unmeasurable by human beings.The gift of God acco
But the gift of God is also indescribable because of the grace by which it is given. Most of our gifts have nothing to do with grace. We give because the recipients of our gifts have some claim upon us: they are members of our family, people who have helped us in some way or individuals who gave to
Why is the gift of God beyond description? There are several reasons and the first is the nature of the gift itself. The gift is Christ. So, in order fully to describe this gift we must be able fully to describe who Jesus is and what He has done for our salvation, which we cannot do. Think of the di
There are several reasons why you or I might be unable to describe a Christmas gift. We might be overcome with emotion so that "words fail us," as we say. Or we might be unable to identify the gift. We might open it (as my father opened a gift on one occasion) and say, "It's beautiful, just what I a
