Walking in the Truth

Video Talk

2 John 1:1-5 ESV

“The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:

“Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.

“I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.”

An elder (overseer) can be merely a mature man having seasoned judgment (experience), but biblically he is to be a godly man, a man who is living a holy and morally pure and upright life which is above reproach. He is not to be a drunkard nor violent, but he is to be sober-minded, self-controlled, and respectable, etc. And he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered. And he is to lead those under his authority by example, not with an “iron fist”. Thus, he must meet the biblical qualifications for him to be an elder.

[Titus 1:5-9; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 1 Peter 5:1-4]

The elect lady is in question, for some believe her to have been a literal godly woman in the church, and her children to have been her biological offspring, while others feel as though John was speaking of a sister church congregation, and that her children were her spiritual offspring. But I don’t believe we have to come to a specific conclusion on that matter to get something from this passage of Scripture which we can apply to our lives.

Now, if we are the elect of God, we are chosen out by God for the rendering of special service to him. All of us who believe in Jesus Christ with genuine God-given faith in him (Ephesians 2:8-10) are God’s elect, his called out ones, his people who are called to be his holy people, his people set apart from the world to be separate (unlike, different) from the world, because we are being conformed by God to the likeness of Jesus Christ, if we are indeed.

But God calls us individually to specific areas of ministry, as well, like he called me to this specific ministry nearly nineteen years ago. And the Scriptures speak of that as our particular body parts and giftings within the body of Christ, as a whole. And I believe the Scriptures also teach that we are selected by God for his service even before the creation of the world. So even before the world began God had a design and a purpose for us collectively as well as individually, which he wants us to live out in him.

[Rom 12:1-8; Rom 15:14; 1 Co 12:1-31; Eph 4:1-16; Eph 5:17-27; Php 2:1-8; Col 3:16; Heb 3:13; Heb 10:23-25; Psalms 139:13-16; Rom 8:29; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Eph 1:3-4; 1 Pet 1:14-16] 

Now this elder (the apostle John) wrote this letter to this elect lady (or church congregation) and her offspring (physical or spiritual) to encourage her in the Lord. And that is awesome! But that has not been my usual experience, sad to say. But God allowed me to go through what I went through in this life for his purposes, and so I thank him and praise him for my experiences, for through them I grew closer to him in this walk of faith and he prepared me for this ministry to which he was calling me.

But it is wonderful when we can receive encouragement, and it warms our hearts. And I am so thankful for my Lord who encourages me on a regular basis. And he has been encouraging me much this morning through the study of his word in 1 John and in 2 John. So, I praise him! And the encouragement in this passage and that the Lord has been providing for me today is to know that I am loved because I follow the Lord in truth, and because I speak the truth in love to other people, too, in the power of God.

Now I absolutely love this next part! This touches my heart every time I read it. For John rejoiced greatly that some of this woman’s children were walking in the truth. And what truth is that? Well, Jesus said that if anyone would come after him that he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow him in obedience. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if we die with Christ to sin and live to his righteousness, we have eternal life (see Luke 9:23-26; cf. Romans 6:1-23; Ephesians 4:17-24; 1 Peter 2:24).

And since I am a mother of four children (and 3 children-in-law), and the grandmother of fourteen grandchildren, I can tell you from experience that there is no greater joy than to learn that your children or your grandchildren are walking in the truth, that their lives are committed to Jesus Christ, that they are following him in obedience, that they are doing his will, and that they are living godly, holy, upright, morally pure, and righteous lives. And there is no greater sadness than to know that they are not living that way!

And then lastly we have the encouragement to love one another, which John did with this godly woman (or church) chosen by God, with a spiritual and godly love in which he encouraged her. And to love with this kind of love is to prefer what God prefers, for God is love. And what he prefers is obedience to him, and righteous and holy and godly living, and honesty and moral purity and faithfulness and uprightness and integrity, etc. 

And, for the believer in Jesus, it means “preferring to live through Christ, embracing God’s will (choosing his choices), and obeying them through his power” (source: biblehub.com).

[Lu 9:23-26; Jn 8:51; Jn 14:15-24; Jn 15:10; Matt 7:21-23; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10,24; 1 Jn 5:2-3; 2 Jn 1:6; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 5:9; 1 Pet 1:1-2; Jas 1:21-25; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Php 2:12-13; Jn 10:27-30; Acts 5:32]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ljmjyzh5tU

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My Sheep  

An Original Work / June 24, 2012  

Based off John 10:1-18 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full… 

They know my voice, so they follow me.

https://vimeo.com/114938263