Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
BELIEVING IN “CHRIST THE TRUTH”
2 John 7-11
 
Jenny Mathews

St. Andrews MTC, NY
9. Everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God;
Apostle John was an elder in the church in Ephesus.  He was a leader of many churches in this region.  He wrote this letter to speak of the “truth”.  This truth is that Jesus Christ had come to earth as a man.  He was God then and is always God.  But, most importantly, He also became a man.  He died as a man so that we could come to God through Him.  He died hanging on a cross with nails drilled into His hands and feet.  This kind of suffering is something unimaginable for us!  We must believe in this truth and give our lives to Him.  The truth is to obey God.  You can think of the truth as a beautiful path full of nature’s wonders.  We would be most awed by such a path and not wander away.  In the same way, we must be in awe of God’s truth and not neglect His commands.
John asked his people to live in the truth.  Living in the truth means to love each other.  If we love God, we must love his people.  Love is the test of the truth.  One of the most important commands that  Jesus believed in is “love the Lord your God.  And you must love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Mark 12:30-31).  
John says that “many false teachers have gone into the world” (2John, verse 7).  During John’s times, men preached about Jesus as they travelled from one place to another.  Among these were some false teachers.  They acted as if they were true Christians. But they taught against the truth.  They taught that Jesus was never a real man.  Few taught that Jesus did not die for us.  Others taught that He was merely a man and refused to believe that Jesus is God.  The false teachers tried to lead people away from Christ with their knowledge and by changing the truth.  John , in these verses, warns us against false teachings.
We see false teachings all around us.  These messages may sound convincing.  If we were to believe this, we would suffer loss.  We would not be able to grow in the truth if we believe in these lies. We must believe in the truth that Jesus has given to us.  By abiding in this truth, we can live in love with each other and spread God’s word.  Each and every day of our lives, we must stay within this truth so as not to be led astray by falseness.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, watch over us each and every minute that we may be strong bearers of Your truth and spread the peace and joy that You have given us. Give us the courage to abide by Your truth that we may be a light unto Your path. Amen
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Live each minute of your life in God’s truth and your life’s journey will be filled with awe and wonder.

Popular posts from this blog

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
  Constant, patient and welcoming love of God   St. Luke 15: 11-32  V.21: And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ The parable of the ‘Prodigal son’ is one of the most frequently quoted parables that Jesus told His disciples. The parable contains the rich mine of human virtues and emotions. This parable is lived and re-lived in progressing civilizations from time immemorial and continuing. It brings out in vivid detail the pathetic depth of human sinfulness and the glorious heights of God’s forgiveness.      As a story of human nature, fathers are generally merciful to their children in any circumstance. They are very protective and are eager to provide for and secure the lives of their offspring. Jesus is telling this parable to underscore the superlative love of God to His children. The nature of such love is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 7:11. Humankind wh...
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
Revelation for Liberation Acts 27:18-26 Sherine Thomas Long Island MTC, NY 20  When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. “After winter comes the summer.  After night comes the dawn.  And after every storm, there comes clear open skies” so said a Scottish clergyman from the 1600s. It’s been said, that hope can sometimes be the most dangerous weapon.  However, it’s sometimes the hardest weapon to carry when you’re living with the loss of a loved one, something that almost feels like a terrible nightmare that’ll never go away.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry when day in and day out no one seems to hear or see those tears that are shed or silent cries that are made during a heartfelt prayer. It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you see your loved one lying on that hospital bed.  It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you search and seek out answers to tel...
Read more

Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

-
PRIESTHOOD: THE ANOINTED MINISTRY Exodus 40:12-16 Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting... wash them with water. Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest (Exodus 40: 12-13). Priesthood among the people of God was a divine command and initiation. God wanted some people to be separated for the special ministry among his people. God appointed Aaron and his descendants to take up this kind of ministry among the people of God. Priests are always separated and appointed as channels that connect God with his people. All throughout the history of Israel, priests played an important role in connecting people with God and to lead and guide them in the statutes of God. But there are incidents in the Bible where the priests failed in their duties and that led the people to go away from God. So the priests have a special and significant ministry to perform in this world among his people. Two important things...
Read more