“It was written two thousand years ago.”
“I don’t understand the language.”
“Can’t I just go to church and have someone tell me what it means?”
Why should we read the Bible? What benefit does it have for us today, so far removed from the time it was written?
2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that the words of the Bible were “breathed out by God.” By this, we can hold them as reliable, written by a timeless God, and not merely stuck in the time by which their human transmitters were writing. God intended for Scripture to continue teaching us throughout time.
So what does this have to do with our reading of 2 John? Well, some of the same themes we saw in 1 John carry over to this letter, particularly the emphasis on knowledge of the Truth. The Bible is our most reliable resource for this Truth. The best way for us to gain the knowledge of the truth is to read the Bible for ourselves.
John tells us that that once we have the truth, it “abides in us and will be with us forever” (2 Jn 2). When we read the Bible, we discover our most valuable source of Truth that has the power to impact our lives by serving as a guide and a filter. We can then walk in truth as children of God, which we have been commanded by God (2 Jn 4).
The church John was writing to needed the filter and guidance of Truth because “deceivers” were trying to distract the believers and lead them away with false teachings. In order not to be led astray, John tells them they must abide in the teaching (2 Jn 9).
In the early church, they had to rely on the knowledge they already had and on the words of the apostles to determine truth and to help distinguish truth from many who were saying and doing otherwise. They didn’t have the New Testament as we have it, and the Old Testament was not as easily accessible as it is today. Now I can have the Bible on my iPad while I write on my computer, and can look up another passage in my printed Bible or even on my cell phone.
While the early Christians had few resources, we have so many, yet we have the same dilemma they do. We cannot assume that everything written from a “Christian” perspective or everything we hear from a pastor is true. We can certainly use these resources to help increase our knowledge and understanding, but we must first filter them through the Truth we know from Scripture. We have to know the Truth first, and only then can we distinguish whether others speak the Truth or are leading us astray. John says that anyone who comes and “does not bring this teaching” (2 Jn 10) should not be received. We must discern the truth from the noise and not let the teachings that do not line up with Scripture have a hold on us.
When we read the Bible, we discover the Truth God has made known to us. The Holy Spirit can help us apply it so that it serves as the guide and filter for our lives.
You may feel, as many have, that the Bible is difficult to understand. I strongly encourage you to research versions of the Bible and use one that you can understand. The King James Version was written in the common vernacular of its time, but English has changed in the last four hundred years. Today, there are many good versions on a variety of reading levels that remain true to the original text. I use the English Standard Version or the Holman Christians Study Bible, but have also used the New Century Version and I reference other versions when I study. Many people like The Message or the New Living Translation because they are easier to understand. There are many choices but you can find a chart at most Bible bookstores that identify the differences.
I also strongly encourage you to begin your time of Bible-reading with prayer, asking that the Holy Spirit illuminate the Scriptures so that you may abide in the teaching of God. As you pray, thank God for the accessibility of the Scripture. We often take for granted how easy it is for us to reach for a Bible. For thousands of years, this was not the case, and for many around the world, it still is not. Remember in prayer those in remote areas or in restricted countries where the Bible still is not accessible. Pray for the missionaries around the world who are working to bring the Good News to those who cannot read it for themselves.
I hope you are enjoying this journey through the Bible. In case you didn’t hear, Courtney announced that we will be reading the book of Genesis in October and November. I hope you’re excited! I know I am!
Leave a Reply