Closed Study

As with many of the shorter epistles in the scriptures, the Second Epistle of John carries in its few words both a reminder and a warning. The reminder is directed to all true believers who confess Christ Jesus as the Son of God to continue in that doctrine, and to follow in the truth and commandment given to us by the Lord to walk in the love of God toward one another. The warning, as with Jude and Peter is that many are in the world who do not follow the doctrine and do not confess Christ as the Son of God. As John puts it in verse 7, these are deceivers and anti-christs (2 John 1:7) John also goes on to let us know that anyone who allows such a person into their home or wishes them God speed is a partaker of their evil deeds (2 John 1:11), thus reminding us to remain outside the ways of the world.

I think on its own, this epistle from John is obviously a good reminder of how we are to walk each day, but coupled with the similar messages from Peter and Jude, they lend even more power to these things and remind us of the importance that God puts on them.