2 John 1:5
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.
2 JOHN 1:5
John calls for a return to “the beginning” of Christian teaching: that believers love one another. This isn’t a novel command but a reaffirmation of primary Christian ethics rooted in Jesus’ commands and the Father’s will. The breach in love would undermine the gospel’s integrity and the church’s witness.
Love and truth are tightly bound. To love without truth becomes sentimentality; to hold truth without love becomes harsh legalism. The command to love one another is a practical expression of living within God’s truth.
Practical steps:
- Practice practical acts of love: check in on a neighbor, share resources, or volunteer.
- Address relational fractures with humility, aiming for reconciliation rather than victory.
- Build a culture of hospitality where people feel known and valued in truth and love.
Cross-References: John 13:34–35; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 John 3:11; Romans 12:9–10