2 John – Walk in Truth & Love

• I shared with the church last week some thoughts about the war posture that we need to take as ones that have embraced the call to passionately follow after the ways of Christ.
• We should never be surprised and should in fact expect those spiritual enemies to work against our desire to walk in step with the Holy Spirit.
• Ephesians 6 – [14] Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth
• The first piece of armor that Paul tells the church to put on is the “belt of truth.”
• Picking up and standing firm in Truth will protect us against the schemes of the one known as the father of lies.
• He is crafty and does not announce to us that a lie in incoming.
• His lies are much more clever than that.
• He brings things that are almost true, or that sound good.
• Think about Eve in the garden. That sounds good.
• You might hear something someone says and think, “That makes sense.”
• You might have a thought and determine, “That has to be true.”
• Jesus gave credit to Satan when Peter had a thought that sounded good and then rebuked Jesus proclaiming, Matthew 16 – “[22] Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” [23] But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
• Today we get to see another example of how our spiritual enemies tried to infiltrate the early church and do all that we can to be prepared for the days when he tries to disrupt our small church.
• Let’s look today at another letter by the beloved apostle John.

Most Christians don’t realize they’re under attack until the damage is already done. The enemy doesn’t kick down the door—he slips in quietly, sounding almost right, looking almost true, even quoting Scripture. That’s exactly what was happening in the early church when John wrote this short but urgent letter. Deceivers had crept in—twisting truth, redefining love, and leading people off course… people who thought they were still walking with Jesus. And here’s the thing: he’s using the same tactics today. In a world flooded with half-truths and counterfeit love, John gives us a clear and urgent call—walk in Truth, walk in Love… or risk losing everything that truly matters.

• Gospel of John – 25 times, 1 John – 9 times, 2 John – 5 times (only 13 verses total!), 3 John – 6 times (again, only 15 verses), Revelation – 5 times = About 50 times!
• Paul speaks on truth in (13 letters) – Uses truth about 45 times total, (Most frequent in Romans and 2 Corinthians).
• v1 – the elder is no doubt John. The writing style fits all of his others works.
• v1 – the elect lady and her children could be a church and it’s members, or a lady that is a leader and has a church that meets in her home. Either is fine and it doesn’t make a difference when we look at the content.
• v1 – Biblical love is grounded in truth. They cannot be separated. Love without truth can mislead. Truth without love can wound. 1 John 3 – [18] Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
• v3 – Grace, mercy and peace will be with us…in truth and love. God supplies these through truth and love.
• v4 – John rejoices when he hears about those that get it and embrace the life of walking in truth. Reminds me of 3 John 1 – [4] I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

• Greek Meaning of “Alētheia” – ἀλήθεια (alētheia) comes from a- (a negative prefix, meaning “not”) and lēthē, which means “forgetfulness” or “concealment.” So, alētheia literally means “un-hiddenness” or “not concealed.” It implies something that is open, real, genuine, and corresponds to reality—the opposite of illusion, deception, or falsehood. So when the Bible talks about “truth,” it’s not just facts—it’s about what is real, what is reliable, what is faithful, and what is aligned with God’s nature.
• John 8 – [31] So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, [32] and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
• John 17 – [17] Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
• 1 Corinthians 13 – [6] it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
• Ephesians 1 – [13] In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.
• 2 Thessalonians 2 – [10] and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
• Romans 1 – [18] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, [19] because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. [20] For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, [21] because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. [22] Professing to be wise, they became fools, [23] and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. [24] Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, [25] who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
• Ephesians 4 – [15] rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
• John 14 – [6] Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
• John 15 – [26] “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
• John 16 – [13] When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
• There is a major connection to truth in the type of worship God is looking for. John 4 – [24] “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

• What is the difference between only knowing truth and walking in truth.
• ILLUS: I know that I have a job on Monday morning. I must get up and walk into the office and actually walk in the truth that I have a job to do. I could know it, but suppress it.
• Walking in something means to embrace it and keep it as your direction and motivation.
• Ephesians 6 – [14] Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth
• What then is truth? Truth is the unchanging reality of who God is—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and everything He has revealed about Himself. It is the life, words, and teachings of Jesus Christ, faithfully given to His disciples and preserved for us in the Word of God.
• The devil has proven that his desire is to distract us from the truth and keep us from walking in it.

• Usage of love by Paul 109 times, John 71 times
• v5,6 – This is an intentional circular statement: This is love, that we walk in love.
• John 14 – [15] “If you love Me, keep My commandments. [16] “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— [17] “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
• His commandments are wrapped up in the one word “LOVE”.
• It’s like saying, if you love me, love others.
• Someone might be turned off by our focus on love. They might say it sounds like a broken record that keep repeating the same line over and over. But the record isn’t broke. It’s intentional. It’s by design. The writers weren’t broken when they wrote on love over and over again. There is nothing broken when we say it is the most important thing we could focus on.
• God is love, Jesus came to demonstrate love, He calls us to love as He loved, love remains, love never fails.
• ILLUS: I had an encounter just a few days ago where I was having a good conversation with someone about marriage ministry and how needed it is in the church today. All was going well and we were on the same page until I mentioned love as being the greatest thing that needs to be focused on in marriage. That was literally the end of the conversation with this person. I’m not judging him. It made me sad because I now any efforts to help a struggling marriage without focusing on the obedience of God’s command to love is going to produce little to know fruit.

• v7 – Such a one is a deceiver or liar, which is against the ways of Christ.
• v8 – Be careful because you could fall for the lies.
• v9 – You can either walk in step with the truth, or be against it. You can’t be both. This could either be referring to those that never really had the truth or those that once walked in it, but were deceived to no longer walk in step with it. Since this is a warning, I think it could be the later and John is warning them that they could be deceived and be led away.
• 2 Corinthians 11 – [3] But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
• v10,11 – This is not an instruction to avoid unbelievers, but those deceivers that are working against the teachings of Jesus, try to cause believers to fall. It could be that he was wanting these to have no welcome in the church.
• ILLUS: It would be like inviting a known convict into your house because you don’t want to be unloving. This person is going to hurt you and your family. You can’t love the convict and hate your family by allowing him into your home.
• These are not innocent people who are confused. They know exactly what they are doing. They are deceivers and working against the body of Christ with a desire to destroy everyone they can.

• Spending time face to face completes or joy.
• The biggest lesson Covid taught me is that we need to be together.
• John is saying that joy is completed when we see each other and talk about the things of God face to face.
• Remember what he said, “[4] I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.
• Hearing about the work God is doing in others will bring us joy.
• Seeing and talking about the goodness of God face to face will complete that joy.