The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 2 John 1-3,
"The elder, To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth— because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love."
I count 4 times in John's (the "elder" as he introduces himself) salutation to "the lady chosen by God and to her children" where he mentions "truth."
There is some discussion as to whether the "lady chosen by God" was a reference of John to a fellowship, or, on the other hand, a specific believing mother with her children. Nevertheless, that has little bearing on what John has to say in this short letter. The lady is chosen, whether referring to a fellowship or a specific sister in the Lord, because of her embrace of the Lord.
John says he loves the lady and her children in truth, or "the truth". He also points out that all who know the truth love her and her children as well. This love, he says, springs from "the truth", that is, because of the truth.
John says the truth lives in us and will be with us forever. He goes on to say in his benediction for her at the end of his salutation that the grace, mercy and peace he invokes for her and her children from the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, "will be with us in truth and love."
We can see clearly that the apostle John was mindful of and had a great appreciation for truth, or "the truth." We live in a day where a vicious and violent pretense against the very existence of truth is promoted. "There is no truth" we hear, or "That is your truth, not mine", or "truth is whatever you make it to be", etc. I'm sure you have heard much the same. In a bit of humor, I always like to ask a denier of truth whether what he says is truthful or not.
As a believer for many years now, it is hard for me to envision what it was like before I came to know Jesus Christ from the standpoint of not knowing truth. In embracing Jesus Christ through the gospel message, I, as all believers do, became immersed in truth. The gospel message itself is a truthful invitation founded in truth. It introduced me to One who claimed to be truth itself. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life." John 14:6a.
Becoming a child of God, I now had at my disposal a revelation of God himself in the prophetic writings of Scripture, my Bible, 2 Peter 1:20-21. Sixty-six books of unadulterated truth!
In John's first letter he points out that the unsaved are lost in a darkness, they stumble about and have no clue as to where they are going because the darkness has blinded them - they do not have the truth!
Today I worship my God who has brought truth that shines brightly in the darkness! "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." Isaiah 9:2. Truth has come and exists amongst us!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"The elder, To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth— because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love."
I count 4 times in John's (the "elder" as he introduces himself) salutation to "the lady chosen by God and to her children" where he mentions "truth."
There is some discussion as to whether the "lady chosen by God" was a reference of John to a fellowship, or, on the other hand, a specific believing mother with her children. Nevertheless, that has little bearing on what John has to say in this short letter. The lady is chosen, whether referring to a fellowship or a specific sister in the Lord, because of her embrace of the Lord.
John says he loves the lady and her children in truth, or "the truth". He also points out that all who know the truth love her and her children as well. This love, he says, springs from "the truth", that is, because of the truth.
John says the truth lives in us and will be with us forever. He goes on to say in his benediction for her at the end of his salutation that the grace, mercy and peace he invokes for her and her children from the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, "will be with us in truth and love."
We can see clearly that the apostle John was mindful of and had a great appreciation for truth, or "the truth." We live in a day where a vicious and violent pretense against the very existence of truth is promoted. "There is no truth" we hear, or "That is your truth, not mine", or "truth is whatever you make it to be", etc. I'm sure you have heard much the same. In a bit of humor, I always like to ask a denier of truth whether what he says is truthful or not.
As a believer for many years now, it is hard for me to envision what it was like before I came to know Jesus Christ from the standpoint of not knowing truth. In embracing Jesus Christ through the gospel message, I, as all believers do, became immersed in truth. The gospel message itself is a truthful invitation founded in truth. It introduced me to One who claimed to be truth itself. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life." John 14:6a.
Becoming a child of God, I now had at my disposal a revelation of God himself in the prophetic writings of Scripture, my Bible, 2 Peter 1:20-21. Sixty-six books of unadulterated truth!
In John's first letter he points out that the unsaved are lost in a darkness, they stumble about and have no clue as to where they are going because the darkness has blinded them - they do not have the truth!
Today I worship my God who has brought truth that shines brightly in the darkness! "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." Isaiah 9:2. Truth has come and exists amongst us!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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