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 1-2,
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!
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"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..."
Here in John's salutation, truth is on his mind. He says he loves his readers in "the truth" along with all who know the truth. He explains that truth lives in him and his readers and that it will be that way forever.
He also says that the Father and Jesus Christ will be with them "in truth and love." He notes that some of his readers walk in "the truth" as God commands.
In verse 7 he expresses his concern about deceivers that had gone out into the world. He warns his readers not to lose what they had worked for, presumably by abandoning the truth to follow these deceivers. He explains that those not continuing in "the teaching of Christ" do not have the Father - are not saved and are not going to receive any reward from God.
Merriam-Webster defines truth as the "body of real things, events, and facts: actuality." It goes on to explain, "the property of being in accord with fact or reality."
The fight against truth has been the essence of the devil's work, his trade, from the dawn of mankind. We see it in his effort to get Adam and Eve to question what God had told them in the garden.
Paul talks about the "lawless one" that will come before Jesus Christ's return. Notice how truth and the opposite of truth play out in this future setting: "The coming of the lawless one will be in
accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness." 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12.
It certainly feels like there is a whole lot of the opposite of truth that surrounds us today. John's admonition in this short letter could not be more appropriate for our day!
The answer to the question Pilate asked of Jesus, "What is truth?" is very simple. He answered that question in his prayer to the Father, "Sanctify them [his disciples] by the truth; your word is truth." John 17:17.
The word of God: Learn it, know it, live it, love it, be loyal, strong and courageous in it!
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..."
Here in John's salutation, truth is on his mind. He says he loves his readers in "the truth" along with all who know the truth. He explains that truth lives in him and his readers and that it will be that way forever.
He also says that the Father and Jesus Christ will be with them "in truth and love." He notes that some of his readers walk in "the truth" as God commands.
In verse 7 he expresses his concern about deceivers that had gone out into the world. He warns his readers not to lose what they had worked for, presumably by abandoning the truth to follow these deceivers. He explains that those not continuing in "the teaching of Christ" do not have the Father - are not saved and are not going to receive any reward from God.
Merriam-Webster defines truth as the "body of real things, events, and facts: actuality." It goes on to explain, "the property of being in accord with fact or reality."
The fight against truth has been the essence of the devil's work, his trade, from the dawn of mankind. We see it in his effort to get Adam and Eve to question what God had told them in the garden.
Paul talks about the "lawless one" that will come before Jesus Christ's return. Notice how truth and the opposite of truth play out in this future setting: "The coming of the lawless one will be in
accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness." 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12.
It certainly feels like there is a whole lot of the opposite of truth that surrounds us today. John's admonition in this short letter could not be more appropriate for our day!
The answer to the question Pilate asked of Jesus, "What is truth?" is very simple. He answered that question in his prayer to the Father, "Sanctify them [his disciples] by the truth; your word is truth." John 17:17.
The word of God: Learn it, know it, live it, love it, be loyal, strong and courageous in it!
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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