Be On Your Guard

Sunday, April 26, 2015
2 John 1:1-13 KJV

1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; 2 For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. 3 Grace be with you, mercy, [and] peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. 5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into [your] house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not [write] with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. 13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Who did the Apostle John write this epistle to? (v.1a)
2) What does the apostle write concerning his love for the reader(s) of this letter and his reason(s) for writing the letter? (v.1b-2)
3) What blessing(s) does the apostle extol to the reader(s) of this epistle? (v.3)
4) Why was the apostle rejoicing? (v.4)
5) What does the apostle urge the reader(s) of this letter to do? (v.5)
6) What does the Apostle John tell the readers that love is and when did the readers receive the commandment to love? (v.6)
7) Why is John reiterating this commandment? (v.7a)
8) Who are the deceivers and anti-Christ)? (v.7b)
9) What does the apostle encourage the reader(s) to do and why? (v.8)
10) What does John tell us concerning those who keep the commandment of love, and those who do not? (v.9)
11) What does the apostle tell his readers to refrain from doing for those who do not follow the commandment of love and why? (v.10-11)
12) What else does the Apostle John tell the readers of this letter? (v.12-13)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
13) How loving are you toward the members of the household of faith? 
14) Who in your local church body are you unable, or unwilling to love with the love of the Lord?

LIFE LESSONS
15) The Lord's command to love one another, as He loved us, is not an option, or a suggestion, for a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.