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Walk In Love
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5; 2 John 4-11 (KJV)
specific areas: the word of the Lord, meaning the preaching of the gospel; and he wants his evangelistic efforts to have free course, as they had with the Thessalonians themselves.
Paul ends this section with a return to one of the main topics in the Thessalonian letters: the return of Christ. Paul did not have time to teach the new Christians in Thessalonica everything they needed because of his brief tenure there. One thing that seems to have been distorted was his preaching that Christ would soon return. Some of the church members took this so literally that it caused problems within the congre- gation.
Walk In Truth 2 John 4-6
To “walk in truth” means to live a certain way based on the acceptance of a specific set of facts. One fact that serves as the foundation of Christian faith is the teaching that Jesus is God.
The commandment to love one another is second only to the commandment to love God. It is not a new teaching. This command- ment was repeated by Jesus to John and the other disci- ples at the last supper.
Jesus taught His disciples that keeping His command- ments is an expression of love for Him.
Reject The Deceivers 2 John 7-11
These false teachers have entered into the world, meaning they have their ori- gin in the church,
Instead of embracing the truth, these false teachers deny that Jesus has come in the flesh. False teaching does not arise spontaneously; it comes from false teachers who have something to gain by their deception.
Johns ends his discussion on false teachers with a strong command, one that al- most seems a contradiction with his expectation that the readers “walk in love” and “love one another.”
Both Paul and John were consistent in their defense that Jesus is the Son of God. Both were concerned about the influence those opposed to this teaching could have on those who had put their faith in Jesus.
Doctrine and Love
There will always be those
in the church who are look- ing for innovations and mod- ifications to Bible doctrines that make them uncomfort- able. Church leaders cannot neglect their responsibilities. We must walk a tightrope be- tween loving tolerance for such people and rigid intoler- ance of their false teaching.
Walk in love, obedience, and truth. Finally, love one another.
The Scriptures Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with
you: 2Andthatwemaybede-
livered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we com- mand you.
5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
2 John 4-11
4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walk- ing in truth, as we have re- ceived a commandment from the Father.
5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
6 And this is love, that we walk after his command- ments. This is the command- ment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
9 Whosoever transgres- seth, and abideth not in the
doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doc- trine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
False teaching in the church is a multimillion dol- lar enterprise. Many organi- zations offer research and opinions on various Christ- claiming groups that are seen to be on the edge of ortho- doxy or that have strayed into heresy. Such heresy hunting is supported by do- nations, publishing, confer- ences, etc. The problem is that what 0ne church consid- ers heresy might be normal and central to another church’s doctrine.
Pray For Us
2 Thesalonian 3:1-5
The authors of this week’s passages, Paul and John, both needed to deal with false teachers who denied the teaching of the apostles and threatened the church’s exis- tence.
Paul ends the final section of 2 Thessalonians by asking for prayer, a request he also made in the first letter. Paul saw prayer as a shared re- sponsibility. He prayed for his friends and he does not hesitate to ask them to pray for him and his companions.
He desires prayer in two
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