10 key words in 2 John #8: command

Introduction:

These three short letters – 1,2 and 3 John – are traditionally thought to be written by the author of the Gospel of John, known as John the Evangelist. 1 John is written to a group of early believers, some of whom were losing sight of the truth to be found in Jesus Christ. This letter – 2 John – is written to an individual – and this individual is a woman!

This month’s approach is to pick out 10 key words from the letter and unpack those words to see what message they contain for us today. So I suggest that each day, you read the whole letter, then read my thoughts on a particular key word and then take that word with you to reflect on throughout the day.

The whole of 2 John:

1 The elder,

To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth— 2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:

3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.

12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

13 The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings.

The 10 key words: 

• lady
• chosen
• children
• love
• truth
• Jesus
• joy
• command
• deceiver
• teaching

Today’s word: command

command: verb: to direct authoritatively : order

– to exercise a dominating influence over : have command of: such as
– to demand or receive as one’s due
– to overlook or dominate from or as if from a strategic position
– to have military command of as senior officer
– to have or exercise direct authority : govern
– to give orders
– to be commander

command: noun: an order given

– a line of code instructing a computer to send such a signal
– the ability to control
– the authority or right to command
– the power to dominate
– scope of vision
– control
– a position of highest usually military authority

Command is a tricky word for us to accept. The issue is that those in positions of authority in the world with the power to command are human and are often tempted to abuse that position of control. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If you’ve read ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ or watched the breathtaking TV series, you’ll agree that the Commanders have taken control to impose their own agenda on society and these commanders command no respect. They lack compassion and humanity.

Stories are coming to light more and more of leaders who have abused the trust of those they lead. They have taken advantage of obedience to exploit their followers. Certain gurus in the yoga world for example have for too long got away with mistreating their students physically, sexually and emotionally. Wherever there is a position of power and influence and authority, there is the opportunity to exploit in some way.

And so we resist authority. We turn rather towards the freedom to be ourselves, to do what we want, to make up our own rules. And society doesn’t work that way. Society needs leaders. Society needs rules to function properly. We need ‘commanders’ we can trust to lead us in truth and love.

In this growing desire to trust no one and do it our own way, we can find it hard to accept the authority of God also. We don’t like being told what to do. We can feel that ‘commands’ infringe on our liberty. However, God is perfect. God is love. God is the only commander we can fully trust to do the right thing, to know the best for us, to guide us in truth and love. He is not flawed as a human commander is. He created us. He knows how He always intended for us to live. His commands are there for our ultimate good.

God commanded us to walk in truth and love. If we love God, we will obey His command to walk in love. It’s simple really and brings us back to love time and time again. Love God, love yourself, love others. Everything else will follow.

‘Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.’

Trust is hard. Obedience is not popular. But trusting in and obeying the one true God is the only way to be fully aligned with who and what we were created to be as individuals and as a society.

This commander always acts in truth and love.