Dec. 07, 2025

“BALANCING LOVE AND TRUTH”

2 JOHN 1:1-13

The little letter of 2 John shows us how to keep love within safe boundaries by building into our lives two solid riverbanks-truth and discernment.

1.   We Must Know The Truth- 2 John 1:1-3

2 John 1:1 “The Elder, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth.”

The recipients of the letter are "the chosen lady and her children”  (2 Jn 1:1).

John's love for the chosen lady and her children is grounded "in truth." And he's not alone-all who know the truth have a love for them (2 Jn. 1:1). 

John uses the word truth four times in this address, so it is an important word. Basically, it means “reality” as opposed to mere appearance, the ultimate that is the basis for all that we see around us. Jesus Christ is “the truth.”

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

God’s Word is the truth:

John 17:7 “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”

We cannot only know the truth, but we can “love in the truth” and live “for the truth’s sake.” The truth “lives in us, and shall be with us forever.”

2 John 1:2-3 “because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: 3Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.” 

How did the elect lady and her children come to know the truth and become children of God?

Ephesians 2:4,7 “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us. 7that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

We are not saved by God’s love, but by God’s grace, which is “love that paid a price (Ephesians 2:8-9).

When you receive grace and mercy from God, you experience His peace:

Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

2.   We Must Walk In The Truth- 2 John 1:4-6

2 John 1:4 “I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.”

To “walk in truth” means to obey it, to permit it to control every area of our lives.

What does this "walking in truth" look like? 

2 John 1:5-6 “And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. 6This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.”

To define this, John refers to Christ's original command that we "love one another" vs.5

John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

John goes on to say, "This is love, that we walk according to His commandments" (2 Jn. 1:6).

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love…” Galatians 5:22

This point bears repeating: Unconditional love must be balanced by discerning truth.

3.  We Must Abide In The Truth- 2 John 1:7-11

2 John 2:7-11 “For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. 9Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.”

John knew for a fact-both by experience and by word of mouth-that "many deceivers have gone out into the world" (1:7).

John urges his readers-this time both the lady and her children-to "watch [them]selves" (1:8).

Of course, there are those who go "too far" and fail to "abide in the teaching of Christ" (2 Jn. 1:9). That is, they are not guilty simply of being deceived or falling into sin; rather, they have completely abandoned the faith they once professed.

To “abide in the truth” vs.9-means to remain true to the basic doctrines of the Christian faith.

1 John 2:19

"Antichrists" are guilty of outright heresies that deny the core doctrines of the faith and fully embrace a lifestyle of sin contrary to God's commands.

What is the content of this basic Christian "teaching" to which John refers? Though this list is not exhaustive, the following fundamentals of our faith form a good checklist by which we can test the teachers who knock on our doors or come into our homes through TV, radio, print, or the Internet:

• the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16;

2 Pet. 1:21)

• the Triunity of God-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-Creator of all things (Gen. 1-2; Matt. 28:19)
• the fallen condition of humanity and the need for God's grace (Gen. 3; Rom. 3:23)
• the Virgin Birth, the full deity and the full humanity of Christ, and His sinless life (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1, 14; 8:53-58; Col. 1:15-20; Heb. 1:3, 8; 4:15)
• the substitutionary death of Christ for our sins, and his miracu-lous, bodily resurrection (Rom. 5:6-8; 1 Cor. 15:1-11; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 9:22, 26; 1 Jn. 1:7, 9)
• the ascension of Christ and His present ministry to the believer through the Holy Spirit (John 14:12-21; Acts 1:6-9; Rom. 8:34;
  Eph. 4:7-10)
• the literal, future return of Christ to the earth (John 14:1-3;

1 Thes. 4:13-18)

4.  John’s Closing Words- 2 John 1:12-13

2 John 1:12-13 “Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. 13The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.”

Finally, John extends warm greetings from "the children of your chosen sister" (1:13).

APPLICATION:

Principles for Balancing Truth and Love:

First, loving others is a fundamental expression of authentic Christianity.

Second, embracing the truth is equally essential.

Third, when error is discerned, love must be kept within its bounds.