Text: 2 John 1–3 (NKJV)
2 John 1–3 (NKJV)
The Elder,
To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth,
because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
The theme of this year’s Lent, Grace and Truth (John 1:16–17), finds a beautiful expression in this short but powerful epistle of John. In just a few verses, the Apostle weaves together three inseparable Christian virtues: grace, truth, and love.
Truth without love becomes harsh and legalistic.
Love without truth becomes sentimental and compromising.
But when grace anchors both, we walk in the fullness of Christ.
John writes to the “elect lady and her children” — likely a local church and its members — emphasizing that our Christian walk must be rooted in truth and expressed in love.
1. Truth Must Abide in Us
“…because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever.” (2 John 2 NKJV)
Truth is not merely information. It is not opinion. It is not culture-driven.
Truth is the revealed Word of God and the person of Jesus Christ.
When truth abides in us:
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It shapes our thinking.
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It governs our decisions.
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It influences our relationships.
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It corrects our errors.
In this Lenten season, we must ask:
Is truth merely something we hear on Sundays, or does it dwell richly within us daily?
A believer who walks in truth cannot live in deception, hypocrisy, or compromise.
2. Love Must Flow From Truth
“…whom I love in truth…” (2 John 1 NKJV)
Christian love is not blind emotion. It is love anchored in truth.
We do not love by approving sin.
We do not love by avoiding correction.
We love by standing on truth while extending grace.
Walking in truth and love means:
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Correcting with gentleness.
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Serving with sincerity.
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Forgiving with understanding.
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Speaking honestly without malice.
Truth protects love from corruption.
Love protects truth from cruelty.
3. Grace, Mercy, and Peace Flow in Truth and Love
“Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you… in truth and love.” (2 John 3 NKJV)
Notice that grace and peace are experienced in truth and love.
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Grace empowers us to live right.
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Mercy sustains us when we fall.
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Peace settles our hearts amid conflict.
Where truth is compromised, peace is disturbed.
Where love is absent, grace is resisted.
But where both truth and love operate, heaven’s atmosphere prevails.
4. Walking — Not Just Knowing
The topic says Walk in truth and love. Walking implies:
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Continuity
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Deliberate action
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Daily practice
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Consistency
It is possible to:
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Know truth but not walk in it.
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Speak love but not live it.
Lent calls us beyond confession to transformation.
Grace enables us not only to believe correctly but to live correctly.
Reflection Questions
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Is my life aligned with biblical truth?
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Do I express love without compromising righteousness?
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Are my relationships marked by both honesty and compassion?
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Does grace govern my conduct toward others?
Pastor Ebenezer Adeyinka Daramola
Prayer Points
- Dear Lord, we thank You for the gift of life and for the grace You gave us to love You in truth and in spirit in Jesus’ name. (Romans 6:23; 1 John 4:19).
- Lord Jesus, we thank You for walking with us daily, for Your sacrificial love that redeemed us and for the gift of Your presence and guidance over our lives in Jesus’ name (Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 13:5).
- Almighty Father, we ask that You forgive us of all our iniquity and have mercy on us in Jesus’ name. (Psalm 51:1-2; 1 John 1:9).
- Lord Jesus, we ask in Your mercy that You help us to know and walk daily in Your truth in Jesus’ name. (Ps 86:11, James 1:22).
- Holy Spirit, fill us with genuine love for others that reflects Your nature in Jesus’ name. (John 13:34).
- Almighty Father, we ask that You purify our motives so that our love is sincere and free from hypocrisy in Jesus’ name. (Romans 12:9).
- Lord Jesus, we ask that in Your mercy You teach us how to show love not only in words but through our actions as well, in Jesus’ name. (1 John 3:18).
- Spirit of the living God, we pray that You convict us whenever we stray from the truth in Jesus’ name. (John 16:13).
- Almighty Father, we pray that You strengthen and help us to be an example of truth and love to others around us in Jesus’ name. (1 Timothy 4:12).
- Almighty Father, we pray that You let the truth of Your word renew our minds and transform our hearts in Jesus’ name (Roman 12:2).
- Lord Jesus, we pray and ask that You help us to always stand firm in the truth of Your word in Jesus’ name. (Ephesians 6:14).
- Father, may our love for You be reflected in our obedience to Your word and commandments in Jesus’ name. (John 14:15).
- Almighty Father, we ask that You protect us from every form of deception and false teaching that may want to lead us away from Your truth in Jesus’ name (Matthew 24:4).
- Lord Jesus, we pray that even as we walk in Your truth and love daily, Your grace, mercy and peace shall be multiplied in our lives in Jesus’ name. (2 John 1:3).
- Almighty Father, we thank You for answering all our prayers in Jesus’ name.
