December 29, 2020

And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment just as you have heard it from the beginning—you must walk in it. – 2 John 6

The second epistle of John is an interesting and short little thing. It is written to “the elect lady” whom many believed to be the sister or sister-in-law of the apostle John. Unlike so many of the letters or epistles we find in scripture that are shared among the churches, this letter (while it most certainly was shared) is personal in nature.

John expresses the love that he has for this family (the elect and her children). He writes to them with great encouragement of the faith she has imparted to her children. Word has come to John letting him know of the great grace, mercy, and truth that has been seen in them. With this, John sends a reminder to her and to all of us of what is truly expected.

“and this is love, that we walk according to his commandment”

We might ask, and which commandment is John referring? However, we should realize it is the one given by Jesus, to love the Lord our God, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Or more concisely, love one another as He first loved us.

John’s gentle encouragement is to remind the elect, and us, that as we make our way in this world, the greatest joy and grace we can show is to love one another, for in doing so, we are abiding in the teachings of Christ.

Grace & Peace,
Sam