“The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth”

 

“…all who know the truth.”

 

Who is this referring to?

 

It’s referring to believers. Brothers and sisters in Christ. Only those who have come to know Christ have come to know the truth. 

 

John includes the church in this. And he does so on the basis of their union in truth

 

Truth unites us. 

 

Another evidence of the truth that we see here is – Unity

 

Truth is where our unity comes from.  It’s the commonality that draws us together in fellowship. The same truth that abided in John, abided in this lady and abides in all God’s children. And as such, it binds us. Regardless of our different backgrounds, ethnicities, social standings – the truth makes us one. 

 

There is only one Truth.  Only one Truth that saves, therefore having all been saved by the same truth, we have been given an inherent link to one another.  It’s often said that the same blood runs in family, it’s what makes us biologically related – Truth is the life blood of believers.  It is that which flows through us, that which makes us spiritually related. It runs thicker than blood, because it endures.  Truth is eternal.  Families die out…names can fade over time, but truth stands forever.  

 

“for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever”

 

“for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. – 1 Peter 1:23

 

We are united forever.  

 

Our place in the family of God stands permanent. 

 

People in this world can unite themselves under a cause.  Sometimes even under causes that are good, though most of the time they are not.  But that unity only lasts as long as the cause itself or the conviction of the cause. Which is to say it doesn’t.  people become disillusioned, find out that that which they were fighting for wasn’t what they thought it was or was inherently corrupt. Or maybe they never really believed in it that much, they just jumped on an emotional band wagon or sought it out for their own selfish reasons. 

 

The TRUTH is a cause that will never die.  All other causes are inherently flawed because they come from man, and man is inherently flawed – But the truth is of a different origin altogether. 

It is not founded in humanity but in deity. The truth is divine, and so too us our unity.

 

It comes from God.

   

“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” John 17:22-23

 

This union has been granted in Christ.  We have been supernaturally enabled to dwell in unity.  The world cannot understand in because it exists on a different plane, a spiritual plane.  And as such, this union we share as God’s people transcends the things of this life. Regardless of circumstances. Regardless of differences.  We are one. It’s really an amazing thing to think about.

 

“…and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.” – Col 3:10-11

 

We no longer act independently

 

Do we realize that we are not our own?  We have been united in Christ.  We are to be one as God the Father and the Son.  We no longer act as individuals.  The decisions we make no longer just affect ourselves. What you do affects me and what I do affects you.  We are mutually affected by one another. 

 

The choices I make are not done so independently.  Like it…or not.  What does Christ say? – “I can do nothing on My own initiative…”.  This was the bond that Christ had with the Father. He could not act independently and neither can we. This may seem stifling …but it’s not.  God has designed the body in this way. And one of the reasons for it is to hold us accountable.

 

When we are walking down a path that does not coincide with the truth we will start to feel uncomfortable around God’s people.  Because the truth is that which binds us, and when compromised, affects that bond.  This not something we can hide. It will become evident in our lives. We will start to distance ourselves, maybe subtly at first, but gradually it will become undeniable.  

 

When we start to feel a distance from God’s people you can bet it has less to do with our relationship to them and everything to do with our relationship to the LORD.

 

Our relationship to God’s people is the spiritual “thermometer” for our relationship to the LORD. It reveals where we are at.  It exposes the spiritual temperature of our heart.  Has it grown cold? 

 

How I treat my brothers and sisters in Christ says a lot about how I view God.  And it says a lot about how I view the truth. 

 

When John says to this lady that he loves her in truth, he adds – this isn’t just me.  I am not alone in this.  I am not the only one who is to hold you accountable – but ALL who know the truth.  He is admonishing the whole church as much as he is this woman.  They had a responsibility to her to come along side and to point out the error in what she was doing.  

 

This unity makes us responsible for one another. 

 

It took John, writing this letter for them to see that.  We all need reminders.  We tend to let things go, make excuses for them and shove them off to the side until they just don’t seem like that big of a deal and it takes someone from the outside to stop and say, hey…. This is not right.  This is not truth.  This is not love, and this is not unity.  Do you see how closely all these things are related?

 

Not walking in truth compromises our unity.  Whether I be the one in sin, or the one who fails to confront the one who is in sin.  Both have failed in regards to walking in truth, and in regards to love, and in regards to unity.  We need one another.  We all struggle at times, we all need encouragement and admonishment.  We all need to be reminded as this lady did. Let us never shirk our duty to one another. But be diligent to “preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”.  

 

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is

For brothers to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious oil upon the head,

Coming down upon the beard,

Even Aaron’s beard,

Coming down upon the edge of his robes.

It is like the dew of Hermon

Coming down upon the mountains of Zion;

For there the LORD commanded the blessing—life forever.” – Ps 133

 

This unity provides protection

 

If the church had been fulfilling its role in regards to unity mightn’t this letter never have had to be written? – I am however so very grateful it was – that we might benefit from these truths as well.  

 

When we stand against the forces of evil we stand together.  God has so designed it that way.  

 

We are to be looking out for one another.  Ready to jump in to battle alongside when needed.

 

It reminds me of the “Shield of Faith” we are instructed to take up.  

 

The shield in view is not a small round shield but a full body shield.  One that was used in tandem with other soldiers to form an impenetrable barrier. They were able to be assembled in different formations to ward off attacks. 

 

We are strongest when we are together – when we are united.  

 

 

-Augusta