John is delighted to have heard that the members of this church are living faithfully. He uses the word “walk” which is commonly used to refer to one’s lifestyle. These Christians are “walking in truth,” living in line with God’s revealed truth just as God has commanded us to do.

Living in obedience to God’s word is not an optional choice for really committed Christians. It is a basic command of God for all of his people. Notice also that a believer should find great joy in the faithfulness of other believers, as John does here. If we love truth and love people, we will be delighted when people live faithfully according to God’s word.

What causes you to rejoice is a significant indicator of your heart. As they remain faithful, John stresses a central aspect of this faithfulness, loving one another. In language similar to 1 John, he mentions that the love command is not novel but is something they have known from the beginning. Loving one another is basic to Christianity. John goes on to define love as living (“walking”) according to God’s commands.

We are commanded to love, and to love is to obey God’s commands. Though this might sound like a riddle, the point John is making is crucial. To love God is to obey him (John 14:15). To love others is to encourage and help them to obey God.

Too often today people think that to love someone is to indulge them, to let them do what they want, but indulgence is not true love. We do not demonstrate love if we do something to or with another person that God forbids. If we encourage or aid someone to do something God forbids, this is not genuine love. Rather we demonstrate love by seeking to prevent someone from disobeying God and urging them to obey God.

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Questions:

In the context of 2 John, what does it mean to walk in truth? How does the balance of love and truth play out in your life?

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your truth, grace, mercy, and love that you have freely given to me.  I pray that you will help me to love others in the way that you love others. I want to be obedient to the commands that you have given to me in your word.