Review of 2John 1

by Pastor Ayo Sparks

ELECTA KYRIA

The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth. 2 John 1:1 KJV

Without doubt, the elder here is John the Beloved Apostle who has before now written his beloved Gospel about Christ. At the point of this writing, it had not crossed his mind what he would go through 5 years later which heralded the writing of Revelations. The first thing that struck me as I meditated on John and what he went through was simply the fact that what made him go through those ordeals and still remained was his foundation on the love of Christ.

He was well over a 100years old while he wrote all his epistles, he was able to say in his Gospel epistle “the disciple Jesus loves” because it had been a deeply seated truth engrained in him as a teenage boy disciple while walking with Jesus. As we grow in Grace, we would only blossom if we are deeply seated and planted in the soil of the love of Christ. It is in this same vein that he is able to encourage “Electa Kyria”. The nature of love is to build up and encourage and not to tear down, over criticize and manipulate.

By the way, as a lady, check your relationships, are you in a relationship with someone who constantly criticize, lure and manipulate you? It’s a red flag that that person is void of love for you.

Electa Kyria means “Elect Lady” Is Electa Kyria a real person or a figurative person?Scholars throughout history have not been to have a uniformed voice about whether John was referring to the church or to a particular person. MANY believe that he is figuratively referring to the church to avoid persecution, but that doesn’t seat well with me, the Apostles unlike me are people who glory in tribulations so codifying his letter doesn’t make scriptural sense.

However, I wouldn’t want to concern myself with the who or what about this mystery lady, I’d like to actually refer myself and maybe you too as Electa Kyria. Yes! I am male, despite that fact, I am part of the ~orgasm~ organism referred to as “The Bride”. We were chosen…  I think this is a truth we need to let sink deep!

We were not forced on the groom, the groom chose us. It wasn’t an arrangee, under G marriage. Let me personalize this. I was not forced on him, he chose me! That’s the way John puts it… “to the chosen lady”.

Peter knew this truth too. I just don’t know why he didn’t make it personal to himself. He knew that if he did, people will say, he isn’t talking about others than himself. I put it to you, you are a chosen tribe… Royalty… Holy tribe, distinct and Engraced called out of darkness elected into a wonderful light… [1Pet.2:9]

Glory! Glory! Glory! I AM ELECTA KYRIA!

THE TRUTHOMETER

…because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever. If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. 2 John 1:2, 10 NLT

How do you know the truth? How do you know that a pastor is teaching the truth? MANY people have wandered off the path of the gospel in search of the truth. The mindset many have with truth is this “Truth is Bitter” so if it’s not bitter, then it’s not truth. Oh! How sad! This bitter truth has led to bitter hearts. The elder gave a foundational principle to judging truth.

Truth lives in us! and it isn’t a temporal resident… It is A FOREVER RESIDENT! Vs. 2

Well, this doesn’t sound bitter does it? Of course the gospel is not bitter, it is too good to be true…The gospel is too sweet to be bitter! Love is Truth!Let’s see this together.

How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them. Living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded. I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning. John 1:4-6 NLT

To live in truth is to live in love… The way to then judge the truth is to see love. Love begins first with His love towards us which is made manifest in our love for others. A deceiver therefore is that person who sidelines love while Preach efforts. The commandment of God is not law based but love based.

Perfect love casts out all fear!

LIE LIE PREACHER!

I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. 2 John 1:7-8 NLT

A short drama:

Him: “You better watch out for all these pastors always preaching eternal security. They are going to hell and they are looking for people to follow them. Pastors like us have your good in mind that why we are hammering this bitter truth on you, don’t be deceived, sin can make you lose your salvation”

GOGO Member: OK Sir! Can you share with me a verse of the scripture that proves that?

Him: Haha! The one you are looking at here nko…

GOGO Member: So, based on this verse now Sir, I have some questions, only one QUESTION sir! Did you work hard to achieve salvation?

Him: Yes of course… Paul says “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” you see Salvation is hard work

GOGO Member: Chei! Eskis sir, you are a lie lie pastor.

Ephesians 2 vs. 8 says “God saved you by grace, when you believed, you can’t take credit for it; it is a gift FROM God. John understands too much than to say they can lose their salvation. What he was saying was about losing their reward and the reward wasn’t heaven or something so very “heavenly” the things they have worked for refers to pastoral and missionary efforts undertaken by the recipients of the letter in their own COMMUNITY. This work would be lost if the lie lie preachers are allowed unopposed.

The reward wasn’t spelt out in John’s writings until Revelations in chapter 11 vs. 18 and chapter 22 vs. 12. I believe Pastor Dammy as a whole lot of teachings on rewards, he’d deal with that accordingly.

But in the meantime, enjoy the best of God brought to you on a platter OF gold painted on the blood of Christ! Eternal Life is here to enjoy, don’t just live it! Maximize It! Grace, Mercy and Peace be unto you Electa!