Remain Loyal
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Key Verse: “Follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.” Lesson Scriptures: |
IN THE APOSTLE JOHN’S third epistle, from which this lesson’s Key Verse has been taken, he warns the Lord’s people to seriously evaluate the course of their Christian walk, because we are living in an evil world, and the forces of Truth and error must be clearly distinguished. He had addressed the importance of this admonition previously also, where he said, “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. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, 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.” (II John 7-9) He stressed that it is essential that we remain loyal to Truth and righteousness.
False teachers were openly plaguing the Early Church; one of their main heresies being the denial that our Lord Jesus had come into the world and had been made flesh. This was a very serious error to which John replied, “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”—II John 10,11
The apostle has used the word ‘truth’ on several occasions in the opening passage of his second epistle. He writes that he, and other Truth people, love the elect lady to which the letter is addressed, and her children, because they are also in the Truth, and that the Truth was a special bond that would unite them forever. (II John 1,2) He further writes, “Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.” (vs. 3) Continuing, he emphasizes further the special joy he has for the lady’s children who are also “walking” in the ways of Truth.—vs. 4
John reveals the extent of Christian love that had existed between the elect lady and himself since the beginning of their walk together in the Truth. “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. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.” (vss. 5,6) The bonds of love and Truth are manifested.
His third letter was also addressed to one he especially loved in the bonds of Truth, whose name was Gaius. (III John 1) He said to him, “I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.”—vss. 2,3
In his last epistle the Apostle John concludes by saying, “I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.” (vss. 13,14) He ends his letter with the exhortation that the Lord’s people remain loyal to Truth in the bonds of Christian love.