2 and 3 John and Jude: The Believer's Expression of Love

The book of 2 John is one of the most neglected books in the Bible. In it, John warned of the danger of compromising truth in the name of love, which the church had done by being hospitable to itinerant false teachers. He instead instructed that love and hospitality must be regulated by the truth.

While 2 John says don't show hospitality to false teachers, the tiny book of 3 John says do show hospitality to true, faithful teachers. In other words, if you really love the truth, then you'll love and accept anyone who stands up for it.

The book of Jude is essentially a warning to the church to fight the right war: against false teachers but for the truth, building up the faith.

To sum it up, these three little letters tell you how to express your love: 2 John warns you to be careful showing love and hospitality to false teachers, 3 John instructs you to show love and hospitality to faithful teachers, and Jude says you should lovingly warn everyone when it comes to the truths of the gospel.

Think It Through

How can you tell a false teacher from a faithful one, according to 2 John 1:7, 9-11?

What example of love, truth, and hospitality did the believer Gaius set in 3 John 1:3-8?

Read Jude 1:3. How can you contend for the faith without being contentious (see Ephesians 4:15; 1 Peter 3:15)?

List the characteristics of true love from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Which one(s) have to do with truth? How can you balance love and truth in your life?

A Word of Encouragement

Christian love has been greatly misunderstood. Unbelievers tend to think it means tolerating anyone and anything. But if your love has no boundaries based in truth, then it isn't really love. True love requires that you love the truth.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for 2 John, 3 John, and Jude. Since You said that Your Word will not return void but will accomplish the purpose that You've sent it for, I pray that having been exposed to it I indeed would be changed by it. Help me to balance love and truth in my interactions with other people, whether believers or unbelievers.

Land and Explore

Want to learn what it means to contend for the faith and confront false teaching? Download this teaching series from Pastor Skip called Jude: Acts of the Apostates.