TAKING A BRIEF LOOK AT 2 JOHN

“I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. Love means doing what God commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.”- 2 John 1:5-6 New Living Translation

            From the proceeding verse _{(2 John 1:4)} it would appear that the recipient of this correspondence is a woman friend of John’s and her family. John is offering the same scriptural advice to her as to the previous letter’s recipients. He emphasized the basics of following Christ in truth and love and warned against false teachers who were becoming prevalent in some of the area churches. John was pleased that they were living according to the truth, and prayed that they continued to do so.

            John emphasized loving one another. They and we as well must realize that it is easy to love those who love us back, but the ones who are unlovely, what of them? We are to love our brethren with no exclusions or exceptions. This is no easy task, as we can tend to be selfish in our thoughts, words and doings. We also tend to steer clear of those who look or act differently that we do. It’s a learned trait that we pick up from what we are taught at home, among our peers and/or at school or work. We must unlearn it, otherwise, how are we any different that those outside the faith?

            This teaching regarding loving one another isn’t a new teaching for it was being taught from the very beginning. It is continuously taught I believe because some things are difficult to abide by. It can be very difficult to love when we don’t have it as a normal character trait. Like most things in the believer’s world, it must be cultivated like a garden. It’s begins in part by seeing others as they are seen by the Lord. It involves being selfless, which is easier said than done. We are a work in progress and the learning should never stop. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.