A LIFE IN TRUTH AND LOVE
Friday – August 1, 2025
Video link: https://youtu.be/4_Sq__ktlNU
Welcome to Awake, Arise, and Triumph Ministries and this ongoing study of 2nd John. What a book so rich with Truth from Heaven through this Apostle of love. Without further ado let’s plunge into our golden text.
2 John 1:3-5 (KJV)
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.
Last Friday I left off talking about grace, mercy, and peace found in verse three of our text. From context we can conclude that the Apostle John is talking about a person and various aspects of that person. That person is the Holy Spirit, third person of the Trinity of God. Not third in importance, not a lesser God, but third by convention when being mentioned with the Father and the Son. These aspects, grace, mercy, and peace are not just expressions of God, God the Holy Spirit but are inseparable from God. Think of it much like our physical arms do not fully define us but are inseparable from us as a whole. Just as Scripture says that God is love and God is light, so God is grace, mercy, and peace. In like kind we also are to be and bring grace, mercy, and peace to others.
As we are meditating on this passage let’s take a look at verse three in the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB).
2 John 1:3 (NJB)
3 In our life of truth and love, we shall have grace, faithful love and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father.
I don’t know about you, but this brings a little more clarity for me. First let me ask, what is the qualifier for this grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and God the Son? We must be living a life of Truth and love. So, as we examine, judge, ourselves, how are we doing with that? The Truth is Jesus, it is the Word of God, it is the Holy Spirit. Are we living our life ever aware of our dependence upon Jesus, upon the Word of God, upon the help and leadership of the Holy Spirit? What does the Word say? Seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s way of doing. Love, Godly Divine love, is obedience to the Scripture with unselfish motives, on the foundation of Blood Covenant with God. When grace, mercy and peace are not manifesting in our lives the first place to look is our love walk. Love is the power of faith, and we are unable, it is impossible to please God without faith.
As we end today, I want to make brief comments about grace, mercy, and peace. In the context of our text, we will have manifest grace, mercy, and peace in our lives as we walk in obedience to the Word of God with selfless motives grounded on the firm foundation of the Blood Covenant. Grace is a person, the Holy Spirit, and grace is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. This function or manifestation of the Holy Spirit is much more than an unmerited favor although it includes that. By the same token God’s mercy is unmerited as is His peace but in Him, Christ Jesus we are gifted these being in Him. Grace is also a power that can cause our willing heart to be changed to be more like Jesus. Grace is also a force that causes others to see and treat us with favor. With regard to mercy, we need mercy 24/7. The reality is that we are wicked on our best day as compared to Jesus. The key here is, are we walking in the light we have and not violating light that we know? I have taught about peace, Bible peace many times which is far more than a quiet tranquil sense in our spirit. Let’s again talk about peace next Friday.
TAKE HOME:
- The Holy Spirit, third person of the Trinity of God. Not third in importance, not a lesser God, but third by convention when being mentioned with the Father and the Son.
- Just as Scripture says that God is love and God is light, so God is grace, mercy, and peace. In like kind we also are to be and bring grace, mercy, and peace to others.
- The qualifier for this grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and God the Son is a life of Truth and love. So, as we examine, judge, ourselves, how are we doing with that?
Lord willing, I will resume right here next Friday. Remember, we love you, the Lord loves you, and there is nothing you can do about either one.
By: Dr. David R. Wood, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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