Verse 1: The note in the ESV Study Bible reads: “Beloved! Conveys the truth that Christians are linked by the love God has shown them in Christ (cf. I John 4:9-10). Love in truth: could simply mean ‘True love’ as a Christian brother, or it could refer to the ‘truth’ of the gospel, in the […]
3rd John: A Candid Look at Congregational Life Introduction to 3rd John The postcard of Third John pictures a N.T. congregation, warts and all. Sometimes I am convinced that we imagine life in the first-century church as postcard perfect. For sure, there are some passages that might lead us to that conclusion (Acts 2:44-46; 4:32-37). […]
Beware of Antichrist Deceivers (2nd John 7-11) The Perversion of Truth –– John Phillips observed that the term deceiver identifies the false teacher as the enemy of man and the term antichrist identifies the false teacher as the enemy of God. The word “deceiver” refers to a wanderer. John had in mind those who went […]