The New Testament
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Devotional
Weekly Bible Devotion By Books
March 11-16, 2024
Enter the presence of the Lord-
(All)Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. (Gospel of John 14:5-11, NIV)
Confession
Jesus Christ, though we have not seen you in person, we do know you in your salvation to us. We do know you in the revelation of the Holy Spirit. You are full of truth and grace. You are true light. You are beautiful beyond description. We know we are in true and life-giving love. We adore you and worship you only.
Scripture reading:2 John
7-8 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.
9-11 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.
Thoughts to Share: Christian Discernment: Truth and Love
The second Letter of John is a short letter. It has a sense of urgency on an important situation. We hear a direct imperative instruction of “Do not welcome/receive” … to the house of people of God. “
The urgent situation was in some traveling false teachers who claimed themselves as Christ-followers went around to spread a different version of Jesus. They denied that Jesus Christ had come in the flesh. The implication of this denial is that Jesus had not been a human. So, there was no his teachings and his ministry highlighted on the atoning sacrifice on the cross. This denial would wipe away the foundation of all Christ’ elect and so the full reward eternal life for all elects. They deceived Christ-followers, the elect and caused the schism in Christian communities.
Facing false teachers, the Christ-followers are challenged to think: who is the ultimate authority of truth, or who can claim the truth? Apostle John pointed out, everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Jesus Christ does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching of Jesus Christ has both the Father and the Son. So the authority of truth is in Jesus’ teachings. Jesus said that He is the truth. Jesus and his teachings are the revelation from God. It is not invented by men. Human can have all opinions and inventions on God. But they are not the authority of truth and they are not truth.
Does “Do not welcome or receive the false teachers into the hours of people of God” sound unloving and unkind? Is it contrast to the Christian command “love one another”? Apostle John gave a firm order: truth first and then love. He exampled himself “whom I love in truth”. The elect is called out in truth, the Son of God Jesus Christ who is the love of God for us. Their “love one another” is a way to testify truth and guard truth. The love in truth is a love not rejoicing in a reduced or twisted Jesus but rejoicing in a Jesus as God the Father revealed to us and as Jesus Christ taught to us.
We live in a time that we define the words’ truth’ or ‘love’ in our own ways. We profanely used the name of ‘Jesus’ as a frustrating expression. We identify ourselves as ‘Christians’ without knowing Jesus and his teachings. Apostle John in this letter reminds us: Being Christ-followers, we must be clear about the only one who has authority and claim the truth for us. According to Jesus’ own teaching, truth is Jesus, Son of God who redeemed us from sin on the cross. Christians are bound by that truth and Christian love flows out of that truth.
Prayer Suggestions
Jesus, the Son of God, you are the Christ. Thank you for your atoning sacrifice so that my sin is forgiven, and I become able to say that I am the child of God. Thank you for the promise of eternal life in you. Let me abide in you and your teachings. Let me abide in your community and practice of your command: love one another. Lead me through all days of my life. Thank you, Amen.
Benediction
Grace, Mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Sin in truth and in love.
Prayer Request
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