Verse of the Day 10-8-22

It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. 2 John 1:4-6

John’s joy is great and is based on the Godly lives of his spiritual children who walk in the truth. While he has heard that some are being faithful, he may be uncertain about others because of the influence of false teachers. This concern likely serves as one of the reasons for writing. If the good news of the Gospel has been believed and received, then it will be evident in the believer’s life (1 John 3:23). John desires that all walk in the command of God to love one another by living in obedience. Second John 5 mirrors 1 John 2:3-8 in that the command to love transcends the Old and New Testament and is the command these believers have known since the beginning of their Christian life. Yet Biblical love is not merely a feeling or an idle affection. Here, as elsewhere, loving God is shown by keeping his commandments (John 14:15 and 1 John 5:3). Believers keeping the love commandment (singular) by keeping God’s commandments (plural). John reminds his readers that they were taught this from the outset of their faith. In light of influential false teachers, walking in truth and love is all the more essential.

In order for us to better understand what all that means here is what Dr. Tony Evans wrote about these verses in his study Bible notes.

We walk in truth-that is, live in accordance with God’s Word-by keeping the Father’s commands.

The test of a true church is not whether or not it has problems, but whether or not it addresses those problems with God’s standard of truth. Yet, we can’t be “walking in truth” (v. 4) if we don’t walk in love. We love others when we compassionately, righteously, responsibility seek their wellbeing-that which God desires for them.

Today’s Bible Readings:

Jeremiah 10-11, Colossians 3:18-4:18, Psalm 78:56-72 and Proverbs 24:28-29