(REFLECTIONS ON 2 John 1)

One of the main themes in 1 John is that Jesus is the Christ, Son of God, but yet also flesh and blood. Jesus was not one or the other, but both. This is a theology that many at the time could not understand, accept, and perhaps continues to be difficult for us to wrap our heads around even today.

John continues with his warning in 2 John, to watch out for those that do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, as if He were just a spirit, but not truly a man. This warning was for all, and in today’s Scripture it is a warning to the lady chosen by God and to her children, or the believers under her care, that is the church.

Another theme from 1 John is that we are to love one another. Interestingly, John connects loving one another with acknowledging Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh here in 2 John. This is something for us to consider and mediate on.

For us to love one another,
we need to acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh.

Why is that? It is because we must first acknowledge the authority of Jesus Christ as our Lord, and Savior, for us to accept His command for us to love one another. The only way for Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Savior is if He came in the flesh, or else He could not take our sins upon Himself.

If we don’t believe Jesus is the Christ, and all that means, then why would we listen to Him to love one another? Yes, those that do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, do not believe in Him, and thus have no compulsion to listen to His command to love one another.

9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

Another profound statement. “Anyone who runs ahead.” This is a good reminder that it is Christ who should be ahead, and we are to follow Him. When we run ahead, we leave Christ behind, and our life of faith becomes ours, rather than Christ’s.

For us to continue in Christ, we have to let Christ lead us,
and not run ahead of Him.

May we continue to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, becoming flesh as one of us, and may He continue to be ahead of us, preparing the way, being the lamp unto our feet, and the light unto our path.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: 2 John 1