"The Truth Blesses Believers" (2 John 3)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/20/2025 9:43 PM

 

My Worship Time                                                               Focus:  “The Truth Blesses Believers”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  2 John (verse 3)

 

            Message of the verse:  “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.”

 

            What we see in this verse is Grace, mercy and peace all together, and this also appears in Paul’s letters to Timothy (1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2).  These three great Christian terms are seen in other passages, but not in order as they are very familiar New Testament terms.  They are also often used in the salutations of the epistles.  MacArthur writes “Grace combines with peace in Jude 2.  The three terms summarize the progression of the plan of salvation:  God’s grace caused Him to grant mercy, which results in peace.  Grace views sinners as guilty and undeserving (Rom. 5:20; Eph. 1:7); mercy views them as needy and helpless (Matt. 5:3; Rom. 11:30-32; Eph. 2:4-5; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3); peace is the result of God’s outpouring of both (Acts 10:36; Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:14; Col. 1:20).  These divine blessings, like everything in the Christian life, come only from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father.  For God, ‘the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow’ comes down ‘every good thing given and every perfect gift’ (James 1:17).  And though the Son, all ‘the promises of God…are yes’ (2 Cor. 1:20).  They are present when divine truth dominates the mind and heart, resulting in genuine love.  The twofold repetition of para (from) stresses Jesus’ equality with the Father.  John emphasized Christ’s identity as God’s Son because the false teachers were denying that truth.”

 

4/20/2025 9:58 PM