Faith

That's what reading Second John was like. Flew by in almost no time. But the words from John were almost the same as in First John.

Interesting that he writes to the "chosen lady." Could have been a lady, or the church at large – who knows (another question when I get to heaven). The amazing part is that his message is consistent. You have to know the truth to follow it. You have to live the truth ("love one another") if you say you are a believer. You have to slam the door on those who teach a lie.

Once again, without saying it, John's emphasis is on what we "know" or need to know. How can we know someone is a false teacher if we don't know the truth? How can we know the truth if we never take time to study it? At this stage in my life, I could not refute a false teacher of algebra, because that's not my specialty. But, if I had kept up with algebra and worked out several resolutions (answers) every day, I could probably point out a few bad algebra teachers.

So it is that John says again that the "church" (that's the body of believers or followers) need to beware of false teachers. To the point that we shouldn't even let them in our "house"!

There's more…stay tuned.

Finally finished this book…took me a little while. Not because it was long or hard, simply got distracted from daily Bible reading/study. Other things got in the way.

Will only say that at the end of First John is a theological mind-bender. You could spend hours in debate and discussion on some of the verses in chapter 5. However, that is what the enemy (the people who don't want you to follow) wants you to do. That way you don't spend your time on what is more easily understood.

When I get to heaven, I'll ask God about all the difficult passages in the Bible. In the meantime, there is enough work for me in doing the things He clearly said to do, and not doing the things He clearly said not to do.

I wonder how many people who were offered a place in the lifeboats on the Titantic wanted a full understanding of where they would go, who would pluck them from the sea, and how they would survive in that puny little boat before they stepped in faith into the boat?