LIKELY written in 98 C.E. from Ephesus, the three letters of the apostle John are among the last of the books making up the inspired Scriptures. The first two letters encourage Christians to keep walking in the light and to fight against the encroachment of apostasy.

KEEP “WALKING IN THE TRUTH”

(2 John 1-13)

John opens his second letter by saying: “The older man to the chosen lady and to her children.” He expresses joy at finding “certain ones of [her] children walking in the truth.”​—2 John 1, 4.

After giving encouragement to cultivate love, John writes: “This is what love means, that we go on walking according to his commandments.” John also warns about “the deceiver and the antichrist.”​—2 John 5-7.

Scriptural Questions Answered:

1, 13​—Who is “the chosen lady”? John could be referring to an individual woman addressed as Kyria, which is Greek for “lady.” Or he may be using a figure of speech to address a particular congregation in order to confuse persecutors. If the latter was the case, her children would be the members of that congregation and “the children of [her] sister” would refer to the members of another congregation.

7​—What “coming” of Jesus does John speak of here, and how are deceivers “not confessing” it? The “coming” is not Jesus’ future, invisible coming. Rather, it is his coming in the flesh and his being anointed as the Christ. (1 John 4:2) Deceivers do not confess this coming in the flesh. Perhaps they deny that Jesus ever lived or they reject that he was anointed with holy spirit.

Lessons for Us:

2, 4. Our coming to know “the truth”​—the entire body of Christian teachings that has become part of the Bible—​and adhering to it are essential for our salvation.​—3 John 3, 4.

8-11. If we do not want to lose “undeserved kindness, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ,” as well as the loving association of fellow believers, we should “look out” for ourselves spiritually and reject those who do “not remain in the teaching of the Christ.”​—2 John 3.