Bible Study (5) - April 13, 2023 - Set Apart in the Way We Live - 2 John 1-9 - ,April 13 , 2023

 

Set Apart (5) – April 13. 2023 – Set Apart in the Way We Live

This is the fifth lesson in our series entitled. “Set Apart: A Life Lived for GOD.”

Our focus scripture is 2 John:1-9.

We grow in Christlikeness as we walk in truth and love.

Let’s read 2 John 1-4:

Greeting

¹ From the elder (The Apostle John).

To the chosen gentlewoman (pastor of the church) and her children (Church members), whom I truly love (and I am not the only one, but also all who know the truth), ² because of the truth that remains with us and will be with us forever.

Who is the truth? JESUS is not only the truth but HE is the reality of the truth WHO abides in all who are Spirit-born.

Let’s read John 15:1-16: for insight: (Remain means to abide or live in a Spirit-born person.) Once a person is Spirit-born he/she NEVER becomes Spiritually unborn but as GOD’S Child, GOD will discipline us, as we read in verse 2.

John 15:1:8 “I am the true vine, and my Father (GOD) is the gardener. ² Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain (abide) in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be^[a] my disciples.

This is what has been always true but will intensify as we walk more intently toward the second coming of JESUS.

The word “shalom” means completeness or wholeness. When our relationship with GOD is broken, we do not have “shalom.” When we do not have “shalom” we do not have peace because we are at war with GOD, others and ourselves. Our relationship with GOD is broken. We never lose our salvation but we can be out of fellowship. When we are out of fellowship with GOD and lack peace, we need to ask GOD to reveal why our fellowship is broken. As GOD’S Children, HE gives us grace, GOD’S unmerited favor and mercy. Unconfessed sin or not extending grace and mercy to others can break our fellowship. Spirit-born Christians are to walk in fellowship with GOD.

Christlike Love

⁹ “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

¹¹ “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

¹² “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master^[b] is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.

¹⁷ “This is what I command you: Love one another.”

The truth abides in every Spirit-born person!!!

Spirit-born people have the Holy Spirit and we must listen for HIS still voice within and obey!

Let’s continue with 2 John 3 and 4:

³ Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, will be ours who live in truth and love.

Love each other

⁴ I was overjoyed to find some of your children living in the truth, just as we had been commanded by the Father. 

The way that John wrote these words, it appears that he was writing to obscure the fact that he was writing to a church and its members. He was being cautious.

Let’s read 2 John 5-6:

⁵ Now, dear friends, I am requesting that we love each other. It’s not as though I’m writing a new command to you, but it’s one we have had from the beginning. ⁶ This is love: that we live according to his commands. This is the command that you heard from the beginning: live in love.

Loving one another is the foundation of being a Spirit-born person in JESUS. A church builds, spreads the Gospel of JESUS and grows based upon their love of JESUS, each other and those with whom they come into contact on a routine basis.

GOD chose to place HIS message of salvation into us, earthen vessels, jars of clay.

Earthen vessels are strong but also fragile. As Spirit-born people we must know GOD’S Word, The Bible, because it is GOD’S Word that is the foundation of truth and exposes false teachers. This why all Christians must read and study the Bible to discern truth because as we get closer to the second coming of JESUS, there will be an increase in false teachers who can fool even the elect as stated in Matthew 24:24: ²⁴ For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

Let’s read 2 John 7-12:

Reject false teachers

⁷ Many deceivers have gone into the world who do not confess that JESUS CHRIST came as a human being. This kind of person is the deceiver and the antichrist. ⁸ Watch yourselves so that you don’t lose what we’ve worked for but instead receive a full reward. ⁹ Anyone who goes too far and does not continue in the teaching about Christ does not have God. Whoever continues in this teaching has both the Father and the Son.

When a person has both the Father and the Son, he/she has the Holy Spirit, WHO confirms a person’s salvation and teaches him/her.

The disciple John gives us another test:

 ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home, and do not greet him; ¹¹ for the one who greets him shares in his evil works.

[This is also true for our houses of worship. If we have allowed false teaching or teachers into our places of worship, we must confess it, rebuke it and cleanse it by reading truth from the Bible and anointing the church or meeting place with oil, as you rebuke and ask GOD to cleanse in the precious name of JESUS. Christians, walk in and through your home and anoint every room and rebuke any unclean thing from that room and every area of your home. Open your front door.]

¹² I have a lot to tell you. I don’t want to use paper and ink, but I hope to visit you and talk with you face-to-face, so that our joy can be complete.

Final greeting

¹³ Your chosen sister’s children greet you.

Again, it is thought that the disciple John was saying, “the members of John’s congregation greet you.”

As we approach the second coming of JESUS, false teachers and teaching will raise its head. We, who know the truth, must stand up when false doctrine is taught or presented in a body of believers.

Do you know the scripture well enough to stand firm when you detect false teaching or teachers? We have turned the corner as we look forward to the return of JESUS. We, who know the truth, must discern and confirm the truth and denounce that which is error.

Blessings!!!