“A two-fold calling”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Quiet Time – Friday, May 9, 2025

2 John 1-13 (Forward, p. 11) CEV p. 1290

This letter from the apostle John presupposes a very early stage in the church’s life, yet even here we find two developments that might well seem remarkable so early on:

-that there is a home church, a church that gathered for worship,

fellowship and instruction in a private dwelling, is not at all

surprising. What is surprising is that its leader appears to be a

woman! One commentary suggests that the title given her, ‘elect

lady’ probably means ‘chosen by the Lord’, which is quite a mark

of praise, and certainly one of distinction.

-that there is a need to emphasize doctrine, true belief, as well as

love among the believers. We tend to think that the teaching that

Jesus did not really come ‘in the flesh’, that He did not have a truly

human body, came later, but here it is already rearing its ugly head.

Here, John gives it like it is, namely that such people are deceitful

liars, falsifiers of the truth, and enemies of Christ. He is most

adamant that false doctrine does matter, that it is destructive of our

relationship with Christ.

And so John sounds incredibly up to date, remarkably current, for the need of genuine love for one’s fellow Christians and the need for the truth, for correct doctrine, are still in great need within the church of today. May we, you and I, always hold fast to them and pursue them both. Thanks be to God.

Forward notes: “Although I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink; instead, I hope to come to you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete” (verse 12).

Commemoration: Gregory of Nazianzus

“We are called to be together. We are called to be in community rather than in isolation. In Scripture and through the Holy Spirit, Jesus continually calls us out of ourselves and into communities of faith. These communities are not always easy; we often hurt one another. We betray, grandstand, and belittle. We get caught up in our differences, forgetting that each of us is necessary for the common life we share in Jesus.

“Today the church commemorates Gregory of Nazianzus. He is remembered as a theologian. But he was no stranger to the difficulties of Christian community. His writings are not academic exercises. They are a means of helping us see the fullness of the God that we worship. They are a means of helping us understand the God who chose to be with us face to face and, in Jesus, to join the human community. Gregory invites us into a fuller relationship with Jesus and one another so that our joy might be complete.”

Moving Forward: “Research the writings of Gregory of Nazianzus. What do they say to you about the importance of community?”