Walking in love

And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

(2 John 5-6)

And now I plead with you, lady…

1. The two words “plead” and “lady” in this epistle
   1. Implies that this lady of John’s acquaintance is a person of noble birth as well as of old age
   2. Infers that John has a great respect for this lady
2. John requests his ‘lady’ using the terms of formal respect
   1. That they (the lady (and all other Christians) and John himself] love one another
   2. As they have the commandment from the beginning
3. This commandment they have had from the beginning
   1. Is the old commandment of the Lord Jesus
   2. Is the command (of the Lord Jesus) to love one another (Cf. John 13:34-35)
   3. Is to be obeyed by all disciples of Jesus, regardless of who we are
4. The point of time being implied in “the beginning” in this context
   1. Refers to the beginning of the Lord Jesus’ ministry
   2. Refers to the time when the Lord Jesus first taught His Disciples to love one another

This is love, that we walk according to His commandments…

1. Our love for the Lord is plainly defined as
   1. Walking according to His commandments
   2. Obedience to Him (and His Word)
2. One who truly loves the Lord will surely keeps His commandments
3. How should we practice love toward one another?
   1. We should love
      1. In truth
      2. In response to God’s commandments
   2. Exercising love with no reference to the truths commanded
      1. Is not a Biblical-theological kind of love
      2. Is simply foreign to Christian faith at its best
   3. This commandment of love is from the beginning, meaning
      1. No one just invented it
      2. Jesus has taught it
   4. ‘You should walk in it’

Let us walk in love

1. As Christ loved us (John 13:34)
2. As we are commanded