1 John 1
2 John is one of the short epistles of the New Testament, written by the apostle John to “the chosen lady and her children.” Comprising 13 verses in total, this letter consists of greetings, exhortation, warnings, and blessings. John urges that they love one another in the truth (verses 1–6), warns against “those who deny Christ” who threatened the church of that time (verses 7–11), and concludes with brief greetings and words of blessing (verses 12–13).
1verseThat which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life
2verse(and the life was revealed, and we have seen, and testify, and declare to you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was revealed to us);
3versethat which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
4verseAnd we write these things to you, that our joy may be fulfilled.
5verseThis is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6verseIf we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie and don’t tell the truth.
7verseBut if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.
8verseIf we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9verseIf we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10verseIf we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
A Balance of Truth and Love
In the opening of the letter (verses 1–6), John emphasizes fellowship within “truth” and “love.” Truth is the foundation that binds believers together in their relationships, and love is the way of life that puts truth into practice. Rather than presenting a brand-new command to love one another, he points out that this is already a command Christ has given from the beginning, thereby urging a well-balanced faith in truth and love.
A Warning Against False Teaching
In verses 7–11, John warns against deceivers—those who deny that Christ came in the flesh. These people caused great confusion in the early church, and John urges believers not to be misled by such teaching, to refrain from fellowship with them, and to remain in sound faith.
A Brief Conclusion and Greetings
In verses 12–13, John concludes the letter by saying that he longs to share more stories directly in person. This greeting shows the heart of genuine and warm fellowship. Even beyond those who receive the letter, their children also join in the greetings, helping them feel a sense of unity within the faith community.
Points to Ponder
- Truth and Love: Consider how you achieve a balance of truth and love—love not merely alongside truth, and truth not merely alongside love.
- The Importance of Discernment: In the face of wrong teachings that appear in every era, you can check whether you use truth as the standard for faith and keep hold of it.
Try Applying It to Yourself
- Within the community: As you think about your relationships with people around you, consider how you can put truth and love into practice in a concrete way.
- Developing Discernment: Even amid a flood of diverse information and teachings, examine your attitude toward living by discerning within God’s Word and the community.
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