Day #350 Living the Truth Out—Bible Reading Plan - Denise Pass

Living the Truth Out

If we know the truth, our life will be impacted. We will walk in truth. We will obey God’s commandments. And we will love one another. This love is not superficial. It is sacrificial and sincere. Living the truth out makes the gospel visible to others.

Bible Reading: 2 John

We are reading the book of 2 John today, a small one chapter letter that the Apostle John wrote to the “elect lady”, which some commentators believe is a local church, others believe it to be an actual lady, but regardless, the message in this letter is to the bride of Christ.

With practical takeaways for the church, John writes to compel believers to:

• Walk in truth
• Obey the commandments
• Love one another
• Guard the teachings of Christ

Living the Truth Out—The Importance of Doctrine

What we believe matters . . . a lot. Our doctrine needs to be correct or we live in error and teach others lies. We need to be diligent to search for truth in God’s word and to examine both our life and what we believe.

According to Gotquestions.org “The Book of 2 John is largely concerned with an urgent warning concerning deceivers who were not teaching the exact doctrine of Christ and who maintained that Jesus did not actually rise in the flesh but only spiritually. John is very anxious that true believers should be aware of these false teachers and have nothing to do with them.”

This is so applicable today. We have got to be in the word of God so we can discern what is biblical teaching and what is not. Just because something is called “Christian” does not mean that it is. And just because someone claims to be a Christian does not mean that they are. John provides key things that should be in the life of a believer.

Living the Truth Out—Steps to Living the Truth

• Walk in truth

  • 2 John verse 4, “I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received a commandment to do from the Father.”
  • It is the truth that sets us free.
  • How we walk reflects what we believe, otherwise, we are hypocritical.
  • Walking in truth means the Bible is our authority—not man, culture, or self.
  • We need to be aware of philosophies that are influencing us.

• Obey the commandments

  • 2 John verse 6, “And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you are to walk in it.”
  • Obedience defines our relationship with God. If we love Him, we will do what He says.
  • When we obey His commandments, we don’t rationalize and come up with what those commandments are. He has revealed them. Our job is to study and to follow.
  • John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
  • John 14:21, “Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
  • John 14:23, “Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him.”
  • John 15:10, “If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.”
  • 1 John 2:3, “By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments.”
  • 1 John 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”

• Love one another

  • 2 John verse 5, “Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another.”
  • 1 Peter 4:8: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
  • John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
    • It is possible that we can turn people away from Christ by how we treat one another. This ought to make us get over ourselves, and just love everybody, right?
  • 1 John 4:7, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”
  • 1 John 4:11, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
  • 1 John 4:20, “If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
  • Guys, how we treat one another reflects the love of God or not. How we treat the least of these is how we treat Christ (Matthew 5). Even if you don’t like someone, you can still choose to love them. Get over offenses and put on love.

• Guard the teachings of Christ

  • 2 John 8-11 “Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. Anyone who goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God; the one who remains in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.”
  • Titus 1:9, “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”
  • 2 Timothy 4:2-4
  • “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

Scripture of the Day: 2 John:9

“Anyone who goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God; the one who remains in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”

Application

• Remain in God’s word daily so we don’t get deceived.
• Love one another fiercely. Warts and all.

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁 12 𝗽𝗺 𝗘𝗧.

Day #350: 2 John

𝒱𝑒𝓇𝓈𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒟𝒶𝓎: 2 John:9

“Anyone who goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who remains in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”

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