John’s Counsel to Christians

II John 4:11; III John 5-12

GOLDEN TEXT: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”—III John 2

WHILE the First Epistle of St. John is captioned a General Epistle and evidently intended for more than one congregation, his Second and Third Epistles, from which this lesson is taken, are obviously quite personal and deal with conditions in certain churches. Three points are especially emphasized in the Second Epistle. In the first four verses the writer uses the word “truth” five times. He evidently addresses the church to which he is writing as “the elect lady and her children.”

He loved these brethren “in the truth”; and was also sure that “all they that have known the truth” shared this love, because of “the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us forever.” His benediction in verse three is “from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.” And in verse four he expresses his great joy that some of them, at least, were “walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.”

How blessed it is to be able to have an understanding of and fellowship in the apostle’s sentiments here expressed. Truth is the most important thing in life; it is the source of all peace, comfort, joy, hope; and the means by which we can bring to others the greatest blessings it is possible to either give or receive.

The Christian has access to the fountain-source of truth, our heavenly Father, through His perfect representative, our Lord Jesus Christ. Of Him we have the witness of John the Baptist, “Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared [revealed] Him.” And Jesus’ revelation of His Father was not merely in His teachings, but also in His conduct and disposition—His Life, as He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh to the Father but by Me.”—John 1:17,18; 14:6

The second point St. John emphasizes in this epistle is his favorite theme, love. Here he evidently recalls familiar words of the Master to His disciples, His new commandment that they love one another as He had given them an example. He also reminds them of His injunction that they keep in mind and carefully observe all Christ’s commandments, and that only thus could they prove their love to Him and gain that unparalleled blessing of His and the Father’s presence with them.—John 13:34; 14:21,23

The third matter the apostle would lay stress upon was the danger of being deceived by false teachers, and even inadvertently giving them aid and comfort in their injurious work. It is just as important that we remain in the truth, that we hold it fast—yes more important than receiving it in the first place—for with truth there comes a responsibility both to obey it and hold it fast.

With this in mind, St. John exhorts, “Look to yourselves that we lose not those things which we have wrought [gained], but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.” Evidently these were very serious errors which the apostle referred to, seemingly a teaching that the Jesus who came in the flesh and suffered and died, was not Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

We can well understand how utterly destructive this would be to faith in God’s whole plan for the salvation of man through the ransom provided by the Man Jesus. It would also destroy faith in His exaltation to the divine nature; and that the one who suffered was identical with the highly exalted Christ Jesus who was to be the Father’s representative in every detail of His plan for the giving of life and opportunity for reconciliation to God to all the members of Adam’s fallen race.

The Third Epistle is addressed to a brother, Gaius, of whom the apostle thought very highly. He speaks of him as his child in the faith, and rejoices to hear that he is “walking in the truth.” What an insight is given to the writer’s singleness of purpose by his remark, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”—Verse 4

This Epistle reminds us of some of the writings and experiences of St. Paul. Evidently a very unsatisfactory condition had developed in the church of which Gaius was a member, through the evil activities of one who was associated with them, Diotrephes by name. This person had discouraged and interfered with the brethren in their cooperation with other brethren engaged in the proclamation of the Gospel message, who had visited the church addressed. These brethren were evidently very earnest, self-sacrificing Christians, who, in verse 7, we are told, went forth in Christ’s name and made their ministry to the Gentiles entirely free, taking nothing from them.

The conclusion of this section of our lesson is the solemn exhortation, “Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good,” followed by a great principle which reminds us of Jesus’ statement to the rich young ruler, “There is none good but God.” All who desire to know and to become good, all who desire perfection of character, must gain it by contact with God and His Word, and full consecration of life to Him. St. John’s similar statement is, “He that doeth good is of God; but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.”—Verse 11

QUESTIONS:

What three points are especially emphasized in the Apostle John’s Second Epistle?

Why would failure to believe that Christ had come in the flesh be destructive of Christian faith?

What is there in the Third Epistle of John to remind us of some of the writings of the Apostle Paul?

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