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Morning Thoughts |
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Morning Thoughts |
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II John 1-2,
"The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and
not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; For the truth's sake,
which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever." This morning, our mind is centered on the subject of opening focus. Many times, a writer's hardest task to accomplish is the first sentence of his work as that really sets the tone for what follows after. After the first sentence and opening focus is established, his hardest task is having the fortitude to see the work to its end as the end of the thing is harder to accomplish sometimes than the beginning. Some people quit reading after the first few sentences if they have not found something that "grabs them." One of the reasons that I believe the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to pen the opening of Hebrews the way he did (so much differently than his other epistles) was because an opening focus of, "Hi, this is Paul" would have caused immediate dismissal of its pages by the Hebrew people that had become embittered to Paul's persistent travels among the filthy Gentile dogs. Therefore, the opening focus of that book is a stark contrast to Paul's other works, but let us focus for a moment on John's opening focus to his second book and see who John intended the book for and what he valued very strongly. The apostle John has been dubbed the "apostle of love" due to the reference made in the gospel account as "the disciple whom Christ loved." He had the distinct privilege of leaning on Christ's breast at supper, and his influence in the days of the early church were filled with acts and statements of love. History records that John, being the only apostle still alive, would be carried to the service in his bed (unable to move by his own power) by the brethren. Oftentimes, he would lift himself from his bed with just enough energy to say, "Children love one another." Asked by the brethren after service why he so often spoke those words would reply, "When you keep that, you have kept the rest." Therefore, the moniker the "apostle of love" is quite fitting for him, but John's writings reference something he esteemed and valued very highly besides love. The thing that John opens with in this epistle and many of his writings is that of "truth." John writes this epistle to the church as he is the elder speaking to the elect lady (church), and closes by saying that the children of "thy elect sister" (sister church) greet thee. (Verse 13) Noting that John is speaking to the church, he makes it plain why they are so precious to him. He loves them for the truth's sake, and that statement carries with it connotations over and above the way we normally reference people in daily activities. When I meet people that are genuinely hard-working, loyal, honest, devout, and not self-seeking, I can quite comfortably say that I love them for Christ's sake as I deem them to be my kindred according to the elect family of God. They show evidences and good fruit that speaks of a gracious work done in their heart to show forth the praises of the One that has called them out of nature's darkness to a life in Christ. However, to say that I love someone for the truth's sake carries a more complete relationship. When we see people we have a kinship to by the work of Christ, they are our brethren according to the election of God. However, when we see people we have a kinship to according to the truth of Scripture and the faith once delivered to the saints, they are our brethren according to the election of God and the gospel of Christ. They bear more things in common with us. The former are beloved for the fathers' sake, but enemies for the gospel's sake. (Romans 11:28) The latter are beloved on both counts, and therefore, the relationship declared is a more perfect and complete one. John references a church that he loves as he believes that he shares a kinship in Christ and a common ground of faith according to truth. While we are to try to live a peaceable life with all men and do good unto all men, there is something special about the household of faith that shares the bond of truth as it is in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 6:10) John loved these people, and their earnest display of showing forth the truth as a light on a hilltop was precious to him. John speaks of not only this kinship for him to them, but also to all them that love the truth. This common bond is not simply to the pastor and that flock. It is not simply to that church body among her membership in particular. This love and affection spreads across different lands and regions to all those that have this commonality with one another. As a young boy, I heard my father speak many times saying, "I know that there are people across this land that will help me if I need it. They will give me a bed to sleep in if I am passing through, and they will feed me the finest they have in their houses. They do this because they love me for Christ and the truth's sake. I may not know them by name, may have never met them before, but we have something that the world does not understand and we cannot explain to them." My own existence has seen the same, for this is to all them that love the truth. The last phrase of this opening focus is extremely special to me, for it speaks of something very close to my heart. John declares that this truth will be with us for ever. While we understand that Jesus Christ will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), John is not speaking about that. Rather, he is declaring that this manifest truth will be with us for ever. While our custodianship of it may suffer to the point of the light being withdrawn or the candlestick being removed for disobedience, the truth will be with us (in the earth) for ever. Until the Lord sees fit to fold this whole thing up as a vestment, the truth will be proclaimed somewhere with us until that blessed event. One of the things that tires me whenever I hear it is the sad song and dance of the "Church's Funeral Song." Since our Lord declared her perpetuity (Matthew 16:18), makes me wonder where they learned the words. As a sage old minister once declared, "I have been asked to preach a lot of funerals in my day. Many families have asked me to say words over their loved ones' remains while they placed them in the ground. But, I have never done that to someone that has not yet died." Saying words fitting for the church's funeral would only be fitting if she was already dead. John declares that she will be with us for ever. That truth will be in the earth for ever. John's focus to the church is not only the love he has for them, but the thanks for their standing for the truth, coupled with the blessed knowledge that this haven of refuge will be here for ever. While I know not what the future may hold, I know at least two things about it. Those two things are that the Lord and His church will be here tomorrow, even if I am not. If the world is not, then she will be with Him (with all of her members in triumphant fashion) in the glory world. Whatever tomorrow may hold, truth in His church will be with us. As John continues his opening focus in the next few verses, we see that these words of comfort continue. After the heralding of love for the truth's sake, grace, mercy, and peace are declared. (Verse 3) Sometimes, our minds can become so focused on the problems that we see in life, in ourselves, in our families, and even in our church bodies that we forget the words of comfort: grace, mercy, and peace. Where do these things come from? John says that they come from God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ "in truth and love." Having love (spirit) is not enough for this kind of peace and union as the truth must be fastened with it in a harmonious fashion. Then it is that we find that sweet rest in the labor of love with the knowledge of resting from our own labors and seeking to engage in the blessed service of our Lord in the knowledge of the truth. Before the New Testament writers began exercise of exhortation and rebuke for wrongdoing, they always opened with a focus of grace and peace with the blessed love and truth of our Lord Jesus Christ. John's opening focus is no exception, and may our opening focus begin likewise, for with this thought in mind, we can better sense our shortcomings in other areas to better apply ourselves with renewed spirit in those endeavors going forward. In Hope,  Bro Philip |