“I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children WALKING IN TRUTH, as we received COMMANDMENT FROM THE FATHER.” (2 John 1:4) Jesus said, “If you love Me, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.” (John 14:15)
John repeated this important teaching, “I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just AS YOU WALK IN THE TRUTH.” (3 John 1:3) David prayed this prayer, “Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will WALK IN YOUR TRUTH; Unite my heart to fear Your name.” (Psalms 86:11) Didn’t David have sin problems? Oh yes, he did but he always confessed his sins and asked God for forgiveness!
BELIEVING TRUTH is not the same as WALKING IN TRUTH, when we actually “DO” the truth we demonstrate our love for God’s truth. “And THIS IS LOVE that WE WALK AFTER HIS COMMANDMENTS.” (2 John 1:6) The word translated “after” is the Greek kata, which means “according to the standards of, following after”. If a person says, “I love God” or “I love Jesus”, then look at their lives, listen to their words. Are they FOLLOWING God’s commandments? Are they OBEYING what Jesus has said to do? This is not the first time John has said this. Earlier he wrote: “For this is the LOVE OF GOD, that we KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: and His commandments are not grievous.” (1 John 5:3)
“Let us HOLD FAST (grip tightly) the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us CONSIDER (katanoeō: to understand fully) one another in order to STIR UP LOVE and good works, NOT FORSAKING (egkataleipō: abandon, desert, stay away from) the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but EXHORTING (parakaleō: to call near, invite) one another, and SO MUCH THE MORE as you see the DAY (the coming of the Lord) approaching.” (Hebrews 10:23-25)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham