Chapter 21
2 John 1:4-7
2 John 1:4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.
Christians often hear or use the word, “rejoice” in songs, hymns, and readings from the Bible. I think that some Christians hear it so often they forget why the word is used. The word expresses more than a feeling of joy, it conveys the sense of exuberance, something like seeing a loved one after a long period of absence or when someone offers you a great gift (see also how John uses the word in 3 John 1:3). The apostle John rejoiced greatly when he found some of the “elect lady’s” children walking in the truth. Now before you begin to point out the word, ‘some’ in that passage, John wasn’t making a value judgment regarding her children’s spiritual life, he was simply stating that he knew that some of them accepted and followed Jesus, he undoubtedly used the word ‘some’ to note that he may not be aware of the status of all of her children. John continues by referring to, “walking in the truth” as a commandment from God the Father. There is no reference or verse in the Bible that explicitly says or supports God the Father making that statement. However, as most scholars prefer to think, John is referring to Jesus speaking for His Father (see John 13:31-35; 14:23; 17:1-5). Note the phrase “we were commanded” is actually two Greek words, ‘entolēn’ (the verb form for the word ‘command’) and ‘elabomen’ (our acceptance of that command).
2 John 1:5 And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.
In the second (and final) time John uses of the word, ‘kyria’ (lady), he is calling attention once again to the existing command to love one another (see 1 John 2:7-11, 24; 3:11). The commandment to love has a long history. Jesus responded when asked which commandment was the greatest, He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 (note the importance in following God’s commandments here in chapter six) and Leviticus 18:19, about loving God first and then our neighbors. Just as John previously pointed out in 1 John 4:20-21, all believers are called to love, there are no exceptions.
2 John 1:6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.
Here again, in John’s usual fashion, he defines what he is talking about, “and this is love” (see John 14:15; 1 John 2:5 and 5:3). That we are to ‘walk’ according to His commandments. The word ‘walk’ is a frequently used term in the Bible (see Romans 6:4; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Galatians 5:16, 25-26; Ephesians 2:10; 4:1; 5:2, 8, 15; Colossians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 1 John 2:6 and three times here). The Greek word, ‘peripateō, is a word that conveys action, here it refers to someone moving through life influenced by the truth and following Jesus (see Matthew 7:21; 12:50; Luke 6:46-49; 11:28; John 13:37; Romans 2:13; James 1:22; 1 John 2:3). Our walk is to be evidence of our character and there is no greater proof of a godly character than love. The Bible teaches that love and obedience are inseparable (see Exodus 20:6; Deuteronomy 5:10; 7:9; 11:1; 30:16; Joshua 22:5; Nehemiah 1:5; Daniel 9:4, as well as several New Testament passages). To emphasize this point, John repeats that our love should define our walk.
2 John 1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.
John next gives us another reason to obey God, he says that since many deceivers have gone out into the world that we should watch ourselves (verse eight, more on that in the next lesson). The word translated here as, ‘deceivers’ is the Greek word, ‘planos’ which means wanderer (the term ‘planets’ comes from that word as the ancient world viewed the planets as celestial objects that wandered the sky), the word also refers to someone being misleading or someone being an imposter. Note how John is helping us understand that, “deceivers have gone out,” implying that there are people who are intentionally and actively pursuing ways to convince people to reject the truth, the Word of God. What are we doing to counter their action? We too must be active, as the word ‘walking’ also implies motion. Our daily walk should always glorify God. Just as the Great Commission states, Go!
John says the deceivers refuse to confess (Greek word ‘homologeo’ referring to the action of professing something or declaring openly) the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. John once again calls them deceivers and the antichrist (not referring to an end-time personality but as someone who is against Jesus or wishing to deceive by pointing people to an alternate plan of salvation, see 1 John 2:18, 22 and 4:3).
The Bible contains a substantial amount of material regarding the subject of false teaching. Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15, ESV) Peter wrote, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.” (2 Peter 2:1, ESV, for further warnings and concerns regarding false teaching read the remainder of chapter two). Jude warned the church, “For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:4, ESV, read also Jude 1:11-15). In John’s first letter he also warned, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.” (1 John 4:1-3, ESV) Paul on a number of occasions wrote about false teaching, in his first letter to Timothy, he wrote, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,” (1 Timothy 4:1, ESV, also read 2 Timothy 3:1-9) There are two important things to note from these verses, the first is that there is an active, intentional effort against the truth (just as John is calling our attention to here in 2 John) and that many churches and so-called Christians will accept these perversions. An active enemy requires an active response.
Whether we want to acknowledge or not, there are groups, people and dark forces that are active in trying to undermine the gospel message. They may deny the deity of Jesus or deny the concept of salvation by grace as many organizations today continue to try. Here John is informing us about some who try to deny Jesus’ humanity, as this would mean that He would not be qualified to die for our sins (negating the gospel).
Why would John be concerned? Let’s look at what Paul wrote in his letter to the church at Galatia, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-9, ESV) Note how Paul was baffled as to why they would turn so quickly in pursuit of a different plan of salvation. If this happened shortly after the church was formed, can you imagine what a few thousand years has done? Don’t shrug your shoulders and say, “that won’t happen to me!” Even Jesus warned, “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24, ESV) Jesus, Peter, Jude, Paul, and John were all concerned that potential believers would not spend enough time studying and reading the Bible that they might be fooled into believing something other than the truth.