Living in Light, Love, and Truth: Living with Truth and Love

Text: 2 John

Big Idea: Guard against deception by holding on to the truth with love

Have you ever been burned by a fake review?

You plan a little weekend getaway. You find a charming bed-and-breakfast online—dozens of glowing five-star reviews: “Best night’s sleep ever!” “The owner is like family!” “We cried when we had to leave!” The pictures look wonderful, the price is right, so you book it.

Friday evening you pull up, step inside, and immediately smell mildew. The walls are paper-thin, so you listen to the couple next door argue until midnight. The “gourmet breakfast” turns out to be two stale bagels and a half-empty tub of cream cheese. You check the reviews again and realize they’re all fake—posted by friends, relatives, or maybe even AI. With 16–40% of online reviews being fake these days, it’s easy to get duped.

Annoying? Absolutely. But the kind of deception John writes about in his letters is far worse, because the stakes aren’t a disappointing hotel stay—they’re eternal.

A Series About Remaining in What’s True

In this series, Living in Light, Love, and Truth, we’re exploring the deep concern the New Testament—and especially the apostle John—has about truth and false teaching. The early church faced many religious-sounding messages that misused Scripture and subtly lured people away from Jesus. That danger hasn’t disappeared. If we want to be a church that shines the light of Christ, we must be confident in the truth and committed to walking in love.

We are light in the world when we remain in the truth and walk in love.

The Situation Behind 2 John

In 1 John, we saw that false teachers were offering “fake reviews” of Jesus—claiming He was a good teacher but not God, or that He only appeared human, or that “the Christ” left Him before the crucifixion. John calls such teachers deceivers and antichrists.

2 John builds on this. Whether it served as a cover letter to 1 John or as a response to a specific report, the purpose is clear: warn the church (“the chosen lady and her children”) about persuasive traveling teachers denying the incarnation of Jesus.

John answers this threat by reminding believers to cling to two things that must always stay together: truth and love.

Walking Through 2 John

1. The Joy of Walking in the Truth (vv. 1–4)

John begins by expressing genuine affection for this church family—he loves them “in the truth,” and so do all who know the truth. For John, truth is not mere information; it is a way of life grounded in God’s revelation through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This truth abides in us and shapes how we live.

His greatest joy? Hearing that some of this church’s members are “walking in the truth.” They aren’t just claiming to follow Jesus—they truly are.

A healthy church is marked by people who live out what they say they believe.

That is my prayer for Bethlehem.

2. Keep Walking in Love (vv. 5–6)

Just as in 1 John, the apostle reminds them of the old command to love one another. Love, in Scripture, is defined not merely as affection but as obedience—doing what God commands. True love gives life to others.

And truth and love are inseparable.

• Truth without love becomes harsh legalism.
• Love without truth becomes sentimental compromise.

Real Christian community requires both grace and guidance, compassion and conviction.

3. Watch Out for Deceivers (vv. 7–9)

John identifies the central false teaching: denying that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. The incarnation—God becoming fully human in Jesus—is essential to salvation, redemption, and God’s purpose in the world.

To deny this is to step into the spirit of antichrist.

John urges the church to watch themselves so they don’t lose what faithful believers have worked for. Our task is not to invent a new foundation but to remain in the apostolic gospel:

Jesus, the Son of God, took on human flesh to rescue us from sin, Satan, and death.

Stay true to that truth.

4. Do Not Receive False Teachers (vv. 10–11)

John gives a strong instruction: don’t welcome or encourage anyone denying the incarnation. In that culture, hospitality meant support and partnership. To offer lodging or blessing to a false teacher was to participate in their deception.

This wasn’t unloving—it was love.

• Love for God (because false teachers misrepresent His Son).
• Love for people (because false teaching destroys lives).

While our situation today is different, the principle remains:

Be careful who you platform, quote, or trust in spiritual matters.

5. A Warm Conclusion (vv. 12–13)

John hopes to speak face-to-face soon. Truth matters deeply, but so do relationships. Christian faithfulness is always a combination of both.

Conclusion: Truth and Love Keep Us Steady

John gives the church two positive commands and one strong warning:

1. Hold tightly to the truth about Jesus—fully God, fully man.

2. Love God by loving each other well.

3. Do not give your support or attention to those who deny the truth about Christ.

Our world overflows with spiritual counterfeits—ideas that almost sound Christian, but subtly pull us away from Jesus. The best defense is not suspicion, but devotion. Truth steadies us. Love strengthens us. Together they form a life—and a community—that shines with the light of King Jesus.

A Challenge for Reflection

Ask yourself:

• Am I walking in truth? (Does my daily life match what I believe?) 
• Am I walking in love? (Do I show patience, kindness, and forgiveness?) 
• Am I careful about the voices I listen to and share?

Self-evaluation is a key part of discipleship. It shows us where we need to grow and how we can pray.

May we be a people who hold tightly to truth, walk boldly in love, and shine with the light of King Jesus.If you want, I can also create a Facebook post, a pull-quote graphic, or a shorter “reflection” version for readers who skim.

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

Sunday Prayer: Fill Me With Hope

Romans 15:13 (CSB)

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Father, You are the God of hope, and I come to You longing for the love and life that only You can give.

Fill my heart today with Your joy—joy that is not stolen by circumstances because I am confident that we are held in Your hands.

Pour Your peace into my heart and mind, calming every anxious thought and steadying me as I trust in You.

As I believe Your promises, let hope rise within me—hope that doesn’t run dry, hope that strengthens others, hope that points people to Jesus.

Holy Spirit, empower me to overflow with hope in every conversation, every decision, and every challenge we face.

Make my life a testimony that true hope comes from You alone.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

Let the Difference Be Jesus

The Call to Be Different

In her devotional You’re the Voice: 40 More Days with God, Christian artist Rebecca St. James poses a question that cuts to the heart: “Do people know we’re Christians by our actions and lifestyles?” She challenges us to consider whether our lives radiate the love, joy, purpose, and hope that come only from knowing Jesus. More importantly, she asks, “What does God see when He peers into our hearts?” Her prayer is that He finds a bold declaration: God reigns here.

The idea of being different can feel daunting. It means standing out in a world that often demands conformity. It means swimming against the cultural current, risking discomfort, and sometimes even rejection. Most of us naturally crave acceptance, blending in to avoid the awkwardness of being noticed for our faith. Yet, Jesus calls us to a life that is unmistakably distinct—not for the sake of being odd, but for the sake of reflecting Him.

The Temptation to Blend In

If we’re honest, many of us live lives that don’t look much different from the world around us. We engage with the same social media, consume the same entertainment, and pursue the same ambitions as everyone else. Our faith can become a private, compartmentalized part of life—reserved for Sunday services or personal devotions but absent from our daily habits and decisions.

Too often, we’re willing to follow Jesus as long as it doesn’t cost us too much. As long as it doesn’t make things awkward. As long as we don’t stand out. But God doesn’t call us to blend in. He calls us to be transformed, to live in a way that others can’t help but notice something different—a peace, a joy, a love that points to Jesus.

This isn’t about superficial differences or being intentionally provocative. It’s about a heart surrendered to Christ, allowing His lordship to shape every area of our lives—our words, choices, relationships, and priorities. It’s about living as citizens of another Kingdom.

The Danger of Compromise

We often talk about “finding God’s will,” but the harder task is living it. Too many of us ask, “How close can I get to the world’s edge without crossing the line?” This mindset leads us to flirt with compromise, rationalizing behaviors that dull our witness. Instead of pursuing holiness, we settle for a faith that’s comfortable but indistinct.

The apostle Peter offers a countercultural vision in 1 Peter 2:11–12 (NIV):

“Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”

Peter reminds us that being different isn’t just about personal holiness—it’s about God’s mission in the world. When we live too close to the culture’s edge, we risk being pulled in by sinful desires that quietly erode our souls and our testimony. But when we choose to live distinctly, our lives become a living testimony of God’s grace, planting seeds that may one day lead others to glorify Him.

Living as Foreigners in 2025

So, what does it look like to live as “foreigners and exiles” in 2025? It’s not about grand gestures but about faithful, everyday choices that reflect Christ. It might mean curating your social media to share hope and truth rather than fear or division. It could mean choosing kindness in heated conversations or prioritizing face-to-face relationships over endless scrolling. It might look like standing firm in your convictions when you feel alone or serving others when it’s inconvenient.

These small acts carry eternal weight. They declare, God reigns here.

The Challenge: Let the Difference Be Jesus

Here’s the challenge: Live as a foreigner. Live as someone who belongs to God’s Kingdom. Let your life be a bold, unmistakable reflection of Jesus.

Take a moment to reflect:

• Does my daily life reveal that I follow Christ?
• Am I seeking God’s will, or am I settling for what’s comfortable?
• Is there something noticeably different about me that draws others to Him?

Being different isn’t easy, but it’s what we’re called to. It’s not about perfection but about progress—a daily surrender to Christ’s transforming work in us. When we live this way, the world notices. And when they see the difference, they see Jesus.

Let’s commit to living distinctly. Let the difference in us be Jesus.

Perception Affects Our Gratitude

Have you ever noticed how two people can experience the exact same situation and walk away with completely different attitudes? One is frustrated and discouraged, while the other feels blessed and hopeful. What makes the difference?

More often than not, it’s perception.

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

— Colossians 2:6–7 (NLT)

Years ago I read a line from Erwin McManus in Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul that has stayed with me:

“Perspective is not shaped in a vacuum; it is formed in the context of gratitude. An ungrateful person sees the glass as half-empty and wonders who is holding out on him. The grateful see the glass as half-full knowing that someone has shared with them more than they deserve.” (p. 124)

That truth is crucial on a day like Thanksgiving.

Gratitude shapes how we see the world. A grateful heart interprets life through the lens of God’s generosity. It breeds contentment, peace, and hope. The ungrateful heart, on the other hand, constantly believes it is missing out—always comparing, always wanting, always questioning God’s goodness.

If I’m honest, gratitude has not always come naturally to me.

There were many seasons when I looked at my life and wished it were different—different opportunities, different circumstances, different abilities. I wondered why things seemed to come so easily for others while I had to struggle. Underneath those thoughts was a quiet but poisonous question:

“Why is God holding out on me?”

That mindset robbed me of joy. It kept me from seeing the blessings right in front of me. And more importantly, it distracted me from becoming the person God created me to be.

The truth is, comparison and discontentment don’t just make us miserable—they blind us. They cause us to overlook the ways God has been faithfully working in our lives, providing what we need, shaping our character, and giving us opportunities to grow.

Even now, that temptation still pops up from time to time. Gratitude isn’t a one-time decision; it’s a daily practice. But over the years I’ve learned something crucial:

Gratitude opens my eyes to what God has already done.

Discontentment blinds me to it.

When I begin to thank God for the blessings, experiences, relationships, and abilities He has given me, I find peace replacing frustration, and trust replacing fear. I remember that God has not abandoned me—He is shaping me.

The apostle Paul understood this connection between gratitude and peace:

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

— Philippians 4:6–7 (NLT)

Notice the connection: prayer with thanksgiving leads to God’s peace.

We often want the peace without the gratitude. We want God to calm our fears and quiet our worries while we continue to focus on what we don’t have. But Paul says peace comes as we turn our attention toward God’s goodness and faithfulness.

Worry, fear, and loneliness grow in the soil of ingratitude.

Peace grows in the soil of thanksgiving.

On this Thanksgiving Day, many of us will sit around tables filled with food, family, and tradition. But if our hearts remain focused on what we lack, we will miss the joy right in front of us.

God has given each of us far more than we deserve—His presence, His grace, His salvation, His people, and countless daily mercies.

It’s time for us to stop asking, “Why isn’t my life like theirs?” and start thanking God for the life He has given us.

Because it’s only when we practice gratitude that we experience the peace He promises His children.

Point to Ponder:

Gratitude transforms the way we see life—contentment and hope grow when we recognize God’s generosity.

Passage to Remember:

Philippians 4:6–7

Question to Consider:

What are three specific things you can thank God for today?

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.