We read in 2 John a more traditional opening as it’s a letter written to a particular individual. However, we can assume this was written to a larger group of people as it probably would have been circulated among a congregation or a localized area of churches. The topic is the same issue that John tacked in his first writing – false teachers.
I was thinking today about how people in our current culture respond to warnings. It’s not very positive. Here in America, in the age of information and technology, there is an attitude of independence and self-reliance. “I don’t need to listen to you because I have ________.” Furthermore, the enemy has convinced this culture that warnings and drawing hard lines of truth are not loving, but hateful.
Love must stand the test of truth. If my first-grader asks to play in the street, and I tell her it’s fine, I’ve lied to her. I’ve led her astray. Though it may hurt her feelings for me to say no, my love is directed with the boundaries of truth. I know, at her age, that playing in the street is not worth the risk of death.
If we believe in love and true unity, then we must believe in truth. Any form of unity that lacks truth is counterfeit. People who miss this have no idea they have traded in the real thing for shallow sentimentalism. Doing whatever you want and forcing others to tolerate it is great for a while… until the consequences hit.
In this letter, John is firm with this woman about the false teachers that exist all around her. He is quick to remind her that others depend on her obedience to discern these false teachings. He stresses truth, obedience, and love. We must remember that true unconditional love that comes from Christ is not the same as tolerance. Tolerance means to tolerate. Not very loving, in my opinion. Real love will draw boundaries that are set upon truth.
I would rather exemplify love through Biblical boundaries than to simply tolerate someone.