“The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth” (2 John 1:1).
TEXT — 2 John 1:1-4
Message
Some scholars have argued that among the issues that promote errors in today’s church are a lack of intentional discipleship, the influence of humanistic values, and the spread of heresies. There are also challenges like moral relativism, materialism, and pluralism. When these errors are persistently repeated, more people begin to accept them as truth, after all. This false dogma is known as the “illusory truth effect” or the “illusion of truth”. It occurs because our brains are wired to find an information easier to process when it is used repeatedly, leading us to accept it as an accurate account.
The aged apostle, John the Beloved, who at this time was the only living witness out of Christ’s original twelve apostles, warns believers of his day, and by extension, all Christians, who will later benefit from his inspired writings, against falling prey to propaganda and error. Addressing this beloved sister, whom he calls the ‘elect lady’, the aged apostle commended her for walking in the truth. The statement is a paraphrased summary of a central theme in the writings of the Apostle John – truth and love. John emphasised Christian fellowship that originates in God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ and is based on God’s love and truth. The apostle commended the elect lady’s exemplary efforts in reproducing this truth in her children. The first epistle of John is like a treatise that lays the spiritual foundation for Christian fellowship. This second epistle of John shows how the fellowship is practised in the Christian community.
Truth and love are foundations of Christian fellowship. Truth and love always go together and are inseparable. If truth is emphasised without love, it leads to dogmatism, legalism, coldness, and division. And if love is emphasised without truth, people lose discernment, fall into error and easily go astray. Love must be grounded on truth. And truth must be practiced with love. Not surprisingly, Paul the apostle also enjoined, “Speak the truth in love”.
As believers in an age where deception and error are rife, we need to carefully examine every information and data to spot inconsistencies, inaccuracies, or deviations from expected pattern. We should be committed to fostering pure fellowship with the brethren, just like the interaction between the aged apostle and this elect lady was pure and sincere, without deception. We desperately need this kind of fellowship to be strengthened in our faith today and to overcome the world.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
Leave a Reply