Jan. 22, 2025

Dear Friends,

I hope you can attend our Bible study tonight. We will study the short but challenging book of 1 John. Notes are attached.

LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE 

WAYNE BARRETT 

HILLTOP LAKES CHAPEL 

JANUARY 29, 2025 

2 John 1 

1 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, 2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever: 

3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, 

in truth and love. 

4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the 

Father. 5 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. 6 And this is love, that we walk 

according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, 

so that you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not 

confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch 

yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone 

who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in 

the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, 

do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his 

wicked works. 

12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to 

you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 

13 The children of your elect sister greet you. 

_______________________ 

v 1 – “The elder …” 

From John, probably in his later years 

“the elect lady and her children” 

Almost certainly meaning the church and her members 

Perhaps phrased in this way due to persecution 

Missionaries today, writing from certain areas, still use coded language 

Much of the following specific language as well as the overall tone of the letter, seem far more 

likely to apply to the church and her members than to a particular woman and her children 

“whom I love in truth …” 

Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.—Ephesians 5:25 

“in truth”—an important, recurring theme with John 

Means more than factually correct 

With John in particular, it would include the meaning: not just with words but in deed 

“and not only I…” 

All who know the truth know Christ and love his church 

“also all who know the truth…” 

More lit. “having known” or “having been knowing “ 

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The action occurred previously but is ongoing 

“because of the truth that abides in us…” 

John loves to link words and ideas, sometimes in a circular way 

Here “truth” becomes the very presence of Christ himself through his Spirit, who abides in us 

forever 

v 3 – “Grace, mercy, and peace…” 

A prophetic blessing—“will be with us” 

Again, “in truth and love” 

v 4 – “I rejoiced greatly…” 

The churches were accountable to the leadership of the apostles 

“walking in the truth,” as previously discussed, not just “agreeing with statements that are true,” 

although that can be important 

Authentic Christian living 

“commanded by the Father”—perhaps here referring to what Jesus identified as the two greatest 

commandments 

v 5 – “And now I ask you…” 

cf. 1 John 2:7, et al. 

“from the beginning”—both of the Gospel and, if properly understood, since God gave any 

teachings whatsoever 

v 6 – “and this is love” 

Such a statement sets up a high expectation for what is to follow 

(Today, and then, there would be many false statements to follow) 

“that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment…” 

“…and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what 

pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus 

Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.”—1 John 3:22-23 

“that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has 

commanded us.” 

Means the same as “place our faith in the name of his Son Jesus Christ” 

From this—from Christ—flows everything in and about our lives that God desires 

As we know, “armchair” faith is not true faith, i.e. only believing facts about God 

intellectually (as does the devil) 

v 7 – “For many deceivers…” 

Gnostics, in particular, who denied that Jesus had an actual body 

In so doing, denies the Incarnation, the Atonement, the Resurrection—the very Person of Christ 

(Some beliefs matter! And beliefs about the Person of Christ matter.) 

“such a one…” 

More lit. “this is the deceiver and the antichrist [Gk: antichristos].” 

Deceiving – Satan’s device, crafty and sneaking 

“antichrist”—anyone who denies that Jesus is not the Christ [Messiah]. 

In the world and church then; in the world and church now. 

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v 8 – “Watch yourselves…” 

Our lives matter, and our lives are guided by what we (really) believe 

Long topic … but rewards are real and are not the same for each person.  

“reward” – misthos, also translated “wages” or “recompense.” Sometimes used for punishment. 

A common NT-era term; what a person has coming, based upon their deeds, in this case 

assessed by a loving and all-knowing God. There are 26 occurrences in the NT. 

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must 

believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.—Hebrews 11:6 

The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the 

one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous 

person's reward.—Matthew 10:41 

We are not saved by works, but God rewards his servants. 

v 9 –“Everyone who goes on ahead…” 

more lit. “Anyone going on ahead and not abiding in the teaching of Christ does not have God. 

The one abiding in the teaching, this one has both the Father and the Son.” 

A typical kind of unqualified summary from John. It boils down to this… 

Jesus Christ is a person, not an idea. We must abide (which means to dwell) in him and in his 

teaching. A person who pursues their own “construction” of Christ—with no real relationship 

with him, does not have God. 

A person who is in Christ has both Father and Son. 

Deceptions of this order—seeking to separate being in Jesus Christ from belonging to God—

 were, and are, common. But that is not an option given. 

“For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 

For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the 

Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the 

Father who sent him.”—John 5:21-23 

v 10 – “If anyone comes to you…” 

The implication here is comes to the church, seeking to influence, but not holding to Christ and 

his teaching 

More lit. “do not receive him into [the] house, and do not welcome [chairó] him” 

chairó - do not rejoice over him, greet him joyfully, give a hearty welcome, etc. 

The “house” meaning more the church than a building 

This was not referencing a seeking unbeliever, but a deceiver and an antichrist, a false 

teacher and influencer 

v 11 – “for whoever…” 

more lit. “For indeed the one welcoming him shares in his evil works.” 

Some teacher and teachings are not to be accepted and welcomed, let alone sponsored 

Christians, at times, must decide whom it is that they serve 

v 12 – “Though I have much to write …” 

Fortunately for us he did choose to write some of it! 

“Would rather not use paper [papyrus]”—probably because of persecution, among other reasons 

“talk face to face” - Figures of speech and metaphor often do not translate literally at all! The 

literal Gk. is “to speak mouth to mouth.” 

“so that our joy”—this was characteristic of the relationship between the apostles and the 

churches 

v 13 – “The children of…” – almost certainly, the members of the church then John was at the time. 

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