2 JOHN
2 JOHN 1:1-3
1 The Elder, to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth,
2 because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:
3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
The "elect lady" to whom John is writing is unknown to us, but apparently well-known to John's target audience. The fact that he apparently knows her well, but does not mention her by name persuades me to believe that the "lady" he referring to is possibly someone with a church in her house.
Many of the churches in the early New Testament days were based out of a believer's house. Paul referred to a number of these;
ROMANS 16:3-5
3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house.
COLOSSIANS 4:15
15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church that is in his house.
PHILEMON 1:1-2
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer,
2 to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
If this was indeed a lady with a church in her house, John may have refrained from naming her to keep her and the people with her safe from the persecutions raging against the Christians at the time.
2 JOHN 1:4-6
4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.
5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.
6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.
John speaks to this "lady" as if she was a person, rejoicing that some of her children were walking in truth. Again it seems probable that she has children of her own, yet is hosting a church in her house. Some of her children are believers, which makes John happy.
He also reminds her of the importance of love, especially when being persecuted, loving them even as God loves us and that we continue to follow His commandments.
2 JOHN 1-7-11
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.
10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him;
11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
Again John warns of deceivers trying to corrupt the churches, just as he did in his letter of 1 John, Peter in his letters, Paul in his letters to Timothy, Jude in his letter, and John again in Revelation.
Satan has had at least 10,000 years to perfect his deceptions, and is far too successful in his endeavors. And too many churches today are not diligent enough to keep watch for deceivers entering the churches.
God is truth and there is no truth outside of His teachings. Yet Satan has convinced the world that there are many ways to Heaven, so people are drawn to religions which claim to be "Christian", but are far from the truth of God's Word. And even now, Islamists are shouting that we worship the same God as they do and people are believing it.
However, Jesus and Allah are NOT the same, neither is Allah God or equal to God!!!
2 JOHN 1:12-13
12 Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.
13 The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.
It seems that John might have been staying with the sister of the recipient of his letter, although this is just speculation as there is no clear identity as to whom he is writing. But what IS important is the warning he gave to the churches.
Looking at the state of the churches today, many are asleep or dead. Persecution of Christians is on the rise as Satan becomes bolder, no longer fearing the power of the churches. Sooner than we want, God will bring the Great Tribulation on us in order to clean out the "dead wood" out of His Church and provide Himself a spotless Bride.
Is your church ready? ARE YOU?
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