Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Friday after the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: 2 John 1:1-13 (NKJV)

1:1 THE ELDER,

To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth, 2 because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:

3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. 5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. 6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. 9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

12 Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

13 The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.

Devotion

Not all of the congregations had been led astray by the Gnostic followers of Cerinthus, who denied the deity of Jesus. In his second epistle, St. John writes to a faithful congregation and her members—”the elect lady and her children.”

The word “truth” is found five times in four verses. 1. St. John describes his love for these fellow believers as being “in truth.” That is, his love for them is in accordance with the Word, which directs us to “love the children of God” (1 John 5:2)—those who keep the truth of the Word. 2. He describes other believers as “all those who have known the truth.” These other truth-believers also “love one another.” Meanwhile, the deceivers and their followers do not love those who remain in the truth (3 John 9). 3. It is “because of the truth, which abides in us and will be with us forever” that faith brings forth love. The content of the Word of truth is none other than the God-man, Jesus Christ, who forgives sins. When we have the truth of the Word, then the One who is “the Truth” abides in us and will be with us forever. 4. He gives a greeting “in truth and love.” As the deceivers would only confess that Jesus was the son of Joseph, St. John makes it clear that Jesus is “the Son of the Father, in truth and love.” 5. Finally, St. John is delighted to find that some members of the congregation were “walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.” That command was to believe God and love the believer (1 John 3:23).

We pray: Heavenly Father, keep us in Your truth to confess Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as coming in the flesh for our salvation. Amen.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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