2 John 1-13 - Tethered to the Truth
Welcome to the Journey
Well, welcome to The Well Community Church. I’m so glad you’re hanging out with us here today. If we have not met, my name is Brad, and I get the privilege of spending some time here with you. Welcome to those in person, those joining us at one of our other campuses or gatherings, and of course, those online.
As we get started, I want to begin with a little bit of a “411” for those of you who might be new with us after Easter. As was mentioned, it was a great time here last weekend, but I also know we’re picking up a lot of folks checking things out for the first time. I’m just so glad you’re here. There are a couple of things you might need to know as we begin this journey together.
First, here at The Well, we are deeply committed to the Word of God. If you do not have a Bible, I would highly recommend you grab one. We have some at both campuses at the Welcome Center; you can just grab one there. A lot of people ask what translation they should get because there are a thousand out there. I would highly recommend the New American Standard (NASB). If you want exactly what Mike and I are teaching from, we both use a Ryrie Study Bible. Charles Ryrie was a scholar, and this Bible has notes that help you understand the text.
Second, we teach expositionally here, which is just a fancy way of saying we pick a book and walk through it. Because of that, we don’t put the verses on the side screens. We’ve found that as soon as we do that, people stop bringing their Bibles! We’d much rather you have your own Bible in your hands, digging into it yourself.
Finally, we have a teaching team. The real hero of this journey is the God of the Bible, so we have a group of people who teach. You’ll hear from me most of the time, but you’ll also hear from Mike Sladen, our teaching pastor, and occasionally your campus pastor. We want to help a large church feel small, and we’re going to encourage you to take next steps whenever you’re ready.
The Apostle and the Elder
If you’ve got a Bible, turn to 2 John. We are continuing in a series in these little epistles written by the Apostle John. John wrote five books in your Bible: the Gospel of John, 1, 2, and 3 John, and the book of Revelation. John was one of the twelve disciples—part of the inner circle with Peter and James. He and his brother James were nicknamed the “Sons of Thunder.” John outlived all the other disciples and wrote these letters right at the close of the first century.
What’s interesting about John’s writing, in contrast to someone like the Apostle Paul, is that Paul often had to affirm his apostleship. Paul would start his letters by saying, “Paul, an apostle of Christ by the will of God.”
Ephesians 1:1 (NASB)
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and [who are] faithful in Christ Jesus:
Paul did that because people questioned his credibility. John, however, didn’t need to name-drop. Everybody knew exactly who John was. In 1 John, he doesn’t even name himself; he just says he was there—he saw Him, touched Him, and heard Him. In 2 and 3 John, he simply refers to himself as “the elder.”
2 John 1:1 (NASB)
The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth,
The word for elder is presbuteros, which literally just means “old man.” It’s like a nickname. It’s John saying, “It’s the old guy.” Everyone knew which old guy he meant. It’s not unlike John to avoid the spotlight; in his Gospel, he calls himself “the one whom Jesus loved.” He was comfortable in his own skin and just thankful to be part of redemptive history.
This letter was likely written from Ephesus. We know that when Jesus was on the cross, He told John to behold Mary as his mother and Mary to behold John as her son. Church history records that John took Mary in, and they both eventually died in Ephesus. This letter is only 13 verses long—it’s almost like something snatched out of a diary. It’s written to “the chosen lady and her children.”
Now, some scholars think this was a specific woman, but I believe it’s a personification of a church. The Bible often calls the people of Israel the “daughters of Zion” and refers to the church as the “bride of Christ.” So, John the Elder is writing to a church and its members about the importance of practicing and protecting what he calls “truth.”
The Drift of the Modern World
Before we dive into the text, I want to set up why truth is so important. For us as followers of Jesus, our shared experience of life with God is maintained through a shared influence of the truth of the Word of God. The Scripture is like gravity for a believer. It’s what binds us together and unites our journey. If you remove that tethering to the Scriptures, we begin to drift as if there’s no gravity. We drift into space and end up in oblivion.
This is critical because we live in a postmodern era that doesn’t just drift from truth—it disdains it. This shift came through influencers like Jacques Derrida, a French philosopher who laid the groundwork for deconstruction. Derrida argued four things that you’ll recognize in our culture today, especially in our collegiate systems.
First, he argued that truth is found in the individual. There is no divine revelation; truth is located internally, not externally. Second, he said language is based on the individual, so truth is intensely personal and shaped by experience. This means there is no “inspiration” from God—only “my truth” and “your truth.”
Third, he suggested that ancient texts like the Bible are impossible to truly understand because we weren’t there to know the author’s lived experience. Therefore, there is no “illumination.” Fourth, he argued that we should just pick and choose what feels right to us from these texts.
It’s like going through the line at Chipotle. You say, “I want the bowl, brown rice, no beans, double chicken, and yes, I know guac is extra.” You pick what fits your “truth” and disregard the rest. We have an entire movement today called progressive Christianity that is determining truth through this lens. They ask, “What does culture say?” and “How do I feel?” instead of being tethered to the gravity of the Word of God.
Tethered to the Teaching of Christ
But look at how John opens his letter. He uses the word “truth” over and over again.
2 John 1:1-3 (NASB)
The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy [and] peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
For John, we love in truth, we know in truth, we abide in truth, and we experience Jesus in truth. But what does he mean by “truth”? He gives us a hint later in the letter.
2 John 1:9 (NASB)
Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.
Truth, for John, is keeping with the teaching of Jesus. It’s not about acquiring “new” knowledge; it’s about affirming what Jesus said and what Jesus affirmed. This includes the New Testament, which reveals who Jesus is, and the Old Testament, which Jesus said He came to fulfill, not abolish. Truth is the revealed Word of God found in the 66 books of our Bible.
John has mentioned this before. He assumes that a follower of Jesus is a person of the Book. In his Gospel, he recorded Jesus saying that those who love Him will keep His word.
John 14:23-24 (NASB)
Jesus answered and said to him, ’If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. ’He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.
He also said that if we continue in His word, we are truly His disciples, and the truth will make us free. The Scriptures serve as our anchor. If we start tinkering with them—saying, “I know it says that, but culture has moved on”—we undo our tethering and begin to drift.
Walking in Truth and Love
Truth isn’t just something to be known; it’s something to be practiced.
2 John 1:4 (NASB)
I was very glad to find [some] of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment [to do] from the Father.
John says he “rejoiced exceedingly” to see the children walking in truth. Why? Because it’s all about the next generation. If we don’t help them understand what it means to be tethered to truth, they are one TikTok or one college philosophy course away from drifting.
Then he makes a vital connection between love and truth.
2 John 1:5-6 (NASB)
Now I ask you, lady, not as though [I were] writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.
In our culture, “love” usually means unconditional acceptance. But that isn’t the highest expression of love. If we are on the phone and I see you driving toward a cliff, the most loving thing I can do isn’t to “accept” your choice to drive that way. The loving thing is to plead with you: “Friend, you’re being misled! I care about you, and I don’t want you to destroy your life!”
That is what the Bible invites us to do. We are called to speak the truth in love. We are called to restore those caught in a trespass with a spirit of gentleness. We are called to take the log out of our own eye so we can help our brother with the speck in theirs.
Psalms 141:5 (NASB)
Let the righteous smite me in kindness and reprove me; It is oil upon the head; Do not let my head refuse it, For still my prayer is against their wicked deeds.
Love is holding one another to the truth because God’s way is better. His commandments are not burdensome; they are how we were designed to live. Think about it: if we actually lived by the Bible—if we didn’t steal, murder, or lie; if we honored our parents and treated our spouses with honor; if we worked diligently and cared for the vulnerable—would that be so bad? Even if the Bible were nonsense, that’s a beautiful way to live!
Yet, the irony is that the world will call you “arrogant” for holding to these truths. But what’s more arrogant? Holding to a moral view that has been held by millions of people over thousands of years, or deciding five minutes ago that you have a “new” way of interpreting things because of a podcast you heard? We stand on the shoulders of giants. We aren’t creating new things; we are teaching the revealed Word of God.
Protecting the Truth
Finally, the Bible isn’t just to be practiced; it must be protected.
2 John 1:7-8 (NASB)
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ [as] coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.
John was dealing with a specific heresy called Docetism, which denied the humanity of Christ. Deception is usually subtle; it’s rarely a huge leap. It’s an incremental lead into chaos. John warns us to “watch yourselves.”
What is the deception of our day? It’s narcissism. It’s the exaltation of self—personal preference, feelings, and needs over the Word of God. When we start piecemealing a theology based on what fits our lifestyle, we are in danger. John says that if someone comes to you and doesn’t bring the true teaching of Christ, do not even welcome them into your home.
2 John 1:10-11 (NASB)
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into [your] house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.
Now, we have to be careful here. Jesus asks a lot of those who follow Him, but He asks very little of those who don’t. We cannot hold a non-believer to a biblical standard. If they are living outside of God’s Word, the issue isn’t their morality; it’s the Gospel. They need Jesus first. But to a believer who is twisting the Word of God, there is a strong call to separate and not affirm their deception.
Defend, Disagree, or Discuss?
So, how do you know the difference between issues you should fight for and issues that don’t matter? You have to ask one question: Is the Bible clear?
If the Bible is clear, we DEFEND. There are things in the Bible I don’t “prefer” or “like,” but it doesn’t matter how I feel. I am a follower of Jesus, so I submit to the truth. Is Jesus God? Yes. Is salvation by grace alone? Yes. Is God’s design for marriage one man and one woman for life? Yes. Where the Bible is clear, we hold the line.
If the Bible is “maybe” clear—meaning there’s room for interpretation—we DISAGREE AGREEABLY. These are open-handed issues. What’s the correct mode of baptism? When is the rapture? Can people speak in tongues today? We can still be “homies” and disagree on these things. You can make fun of me in heaven if I’m wrong, but we don’t need to unfollow each other on social media.
If the Bible is not clear, these are just issues of opinion that we DISCUSS. What’s the best worship style? Can you wear jeans to church? Can you bring coffee into the sanctuary? These are not worth fighting about. You have an opinion, but your opinion isn’t the Bible. We can celebrate our diversity in these areas.
A Final Word
John closes his letter with a personal touch.
2 John 1:12-13 (NASB)
Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to [do so] with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full. The children of your chosen sister greet you.
John was still pastoring these people. He wanted to see them face-to-face, break some bread together, and talk about life and truth. He finishes this short letter with a reminder that we are all tethered to the same truth.
Historically, we have always needed to be a people of the Book. That hasn’t changed. If you do not spend time in your Bible, would you consider starting? It doesn’t have to be complicated. Just wake up, open it, and read a little bit. Keep a journal. You’ll have questions—like why anyone would name their kid some of those names in the Old Testament! Write those down.
Repetition breeds familiarity. As you spend time in the Word, ask God to be with you. It’s not just about a book; it’s about the living God that the book reveals. Let’s be a people tethered to the truth.
Father, thank You for the privilege of being people of truth. Thank You for tethering us to Your Word and to Yourself. Bless us as we strive to walk in Your ways and remain anchored to the gravity of Your truth. In Jesus’ name, amen.