No compromise - 2 John - by Jeff Byerley

Bible Study - 2 John - No Compromise

Verses 1-3 The Joy of walking in the Truth.
John's greeting to the "elect lady" (or "lady chosen by God").
This could be taken as addressing a specific lady.
The content shows that it was actually to a church.
Possibly he chose this style in case the letter fell into the wrong hands.

Verses 4-6 Walk in the Truth
The key message we agreed was in verses 5-6.
5 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.
6 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.
The key verse is 6a "And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands".

"Command" and "commands" ?
Cf Mark 12:28-31 where Jesus quotes the chief command upon which all the others rest.

Verses 7-11 No Compromise
Throughout this letter John inseparably combines love and truth.
We must love but it must be governed by the truth, a topical subject presently.
John warns not to give any hospitality to or even greet the false teachers.
It seems they were the gnostics John warned about in 1 John.
As enemies of love and truth, they tried to cut people off from life in the Father and the Son.
Tradition has it that even John ran out ofa public bath house when he encountered the gnostic Cerinthus.

Verses 12-13 Face to Face is better than Email.
Letters have their place but can still lead to misunderstandings.
Better to discuss serious matters face to face.