2 John 4-6 --- I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.
Well, I'm completely under the weather and feeling crumby. So, I appreciate your continued prayers.
Today we didn't travel much in the Word, we really just reviewed some of where we've been. The Lord really highlighted over the last three verses the word "COMMANDMENT".
The word Commandment in the Greek is entolē and means: an order, command, charge, precept; prescribed rule in accordance with which a thing is done.
This Greek word is used sixty-seven times in sixty-one verses of the New Testament. Just here in 2 John verses 4-6 it is used four times.
I know I touched on being commanded to love just a few days ago, but it seems to me to be the most overlooked, most twisted, or most selectively heard commandment for professing Christians today. John found it necessary in 1 John and 2 John to use this word repeatedly. In 1 John he uses the word fourteen times. In 2 John, he uses it four times.
Being commanded to love is clearly important to God. So why is it us Christians are so quick to point out and yell/post about all the sins of everyone and everything around us, but fail to follow the most important two commandments given us from the beginning and confirmed by Jesus Himself?
Matthew 22:36-39 --- “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
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.”
Before you go after all the sins of the world and your brothers and sisters, heed the words of Jesus again here in Matthew 7:3-5.
Matthew 7:3-5 --- Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
It's not to say we aren't to help our brothers and sisters struggling with sin, but we had better make certain we check ourselves, repent of what needs repenting, get to abiding in Him and He is abiding in us, so that we can be empowered and even desire to obey His commandments, the top of which is loving God with all we are and have and loving others as we love ourselves and it's all done with a love that can only be found in Jesus, so we better abide, remain with, be sewn together with, Him every day.
To be clear loving others doesn't mean we have to agree or embrace every single thing, it simply means we choose to love others with the agape love that only comes from above, that we should be so full of His love we just can't help but pour out to others. We choose to be Salt and Light so others may see good works and give glory to God. We choose to do good to others, we pray for others even when persecuted by them. We choose to go two miles when told to go one, we turn the other cheek when insulted and slapped by others.
Why?
Because we're commanded to love. Because it's what Jesus said to do and it's what Jesus did. His Words and actions lined up.
If you profess to be a Christian, say or post Christian things and Bible verses, you have told the world you are a Christian. From that point forward you have put yourself, Jesus, and all other Christians on the hook for what your actions and posts are from that point forward. For what you do and say once you shout to the world, you're a Christian, will be judged by the world to be one of two things:
1) A hypocrite like they've always known Christians to be.
OR
2) You're someone who doesn't make sense in the eyes of the world because you genuinely love, care and your words and actions line up with the word of God. Even though you don't agree with or embrace all the ideas and stances of the world, you still genuinely love in word and deeds.
As John begged the Dear Lady in verse 4, I beg you professing Christian love one another and know that love is obeying God's commandments. It's a circle of loving and obeying God, which leads us to loving others, which to do that we need the love of God, so we go back to loving and obeying God, rinse, repeat.
Okay I said enough today, plus my headache and icky blah tiredness stuff is kicking in, so time to close. Be the Berean, get into your Bible and see what God has to show you.
If you need prayer today, please send me a message, I know I need your prayers.
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