Address—C. Hendricks
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Sure. I don't know if we want to open any of those windows and say go to you folks with the.
It might be you get a little air until the electricity is.
Let's turn to 275.
Our God is light and though we go.
Across a trackless, wild, Under Jesus footsteps? Ever show the path for every child?
275.
Raise their tongue fist. Your God is light and the.
Never made landslide.
Burst God.
Shaking.
Love tries like grass.
Let's turn to two very short epistles in the New Testament, second and third, John.
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Start with second John.
The Elder under 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 for the truth sake which dwelleth in US, and shall be with us forever. Grace be with you, Mercy and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly that I found of Thy children walking in truth.
As we have received a commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to be, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another, And this is love that we walk after His commandments. This is the commandment that, as you have heard from the beginning, he should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.
This is a deceiver and an Antichrist. Look to yourselves that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ? He hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither did him God Speak.
For he that biddeth him Godspeed his partaker of his deeds.
Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink, but I trust to come unto you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
Third job, the algorithms of the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Beloved, I wish above all things, that thou mayest, prosper, and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
For I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, Even as the walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth.
Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers which had borne witness of by charity or love before the Church. Whom of thou bring forward our journey after a godly sword? Thou shalt do well, because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such that we might be fellow helpers to the truth.
I wrote unto the church, but diatrophies who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds, which he doeth, breaking against us with malicious words, and not content therewith, neither does he himself receive the brethren, and forbideth them that would and cast them out of the Church.
Beloved, follow that that which is evil with that which is good. He that doeth good is of God, but he that doeth evil have not seen God.
Demetrius have good report for all men, and of the truth itself. Yeah. And we also bear record. And you know that our record is true. I have many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee. But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face.
Peace be to thee, our friends. Salute the group of friends by name.
And let's turn back to first John chapter one for a verse, First John one verse 5. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. And again in chapter four of first John.
Verse 8.
He did love her, not knoweth not God, for God is love.
Verse 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
And I read those two verses, those 3 verses in one John, so that we could see how that it begins with the wonderful truth that God is light, God is holy, God is righteous. God is absolute purity. He's a puritan to behold evil and cannot look on iniquity. God is light. Nothing so pure as light brings before us those attributes of his being that.
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Sets forth His Holiness.
His righteousness, His truth.
But God has loved as well, and that sets before us the wonderful attributes of His grace and mercy, kindness and passion.
Forgiveness. God is love.
Over second John we could write the words God is light.
And over third John they could write the words that God has loved.
Now we'll see why that soul as we go into the two epistles. There's a lot of similarities between these two epistles.
And then some of the similarities are really contrasts.
Both of them are written from the elder, the first one of Second John the Elder unto the elect lady and her children.
There John the Elder unto the Well, beloved Gaius.
Both eat their souls, speak of the truth over and over and over again. Let's notice it in Second John.
The hour under the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth.
And not only, but also all they that have known the truth.
For the truth sake which dwelleth in US, and shall be with us forever.
Chapter verse 3 The end of the verse and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father in truth.
And love for sport. I rejoice greatly that I founded thy children walking in truth.
So we have the truth emphasized in second job and so in 3rd John.
Verse one the Elder unto the Well, beloved guys, whom I love in the truth.
Verse three, I rejoice greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in the even as thou walkest in the truth.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
And.
Verse 12 Demetrius had good report of all men, and of the truth itself. And verse 8 and this that we therefore ought to receive, such that we might be fellow helpers to the truth.
Second job is negative.
3rd John was positive.
Second, John is a solemn warning to an elected lady and her children to be on guard against those that come to her house, purported to be the.
Servants of Christ, and they fail in the critical fundamental basic test of the truth as to the person Christ.
And so she has warned. The key verse in Second John is found in verse 10, if there come any unto you. And bring not this doctrine, the doctrine of Christ, the doctrine concerning who he is, the truth of this person.
The instruction to her is receive.
And not receive him not so. Second John is instruction to this elect lady and her children, whom not to receive, whom she should reject.
And the key verse in 3rd John is verse eight. We therefore ought to receive such that we might be fellow helpers to the truth.
John is commendation to Gaius, who was extending hospitality and receiving into his home those that went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles from the name of Christ to serve him in the truth, and so to receive such would be to be a fellow helper with the truth. That's their job. But both are emphasizing the truth, and we can't really be walking in the truth.
If we fail in either one of these two areas, the danger in Second John is to commend and to have fellowship with those that come according to the servants of Christ that don't bring the truth. We ought to reject them.
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The danger in 3rd John is to refuse those that ought to be received, those who are friends, those who are walking in the truth.
And diatrophies mentioned in 3rd John is one who didn't receive, whereas where the commendation is to Gaius who did receive.
So third John is saying receive them, second John is saying receive them not.
And it's striking that these two epistles are both addressed to individuals.
The second epistle is addressed to an elected lady, a sister and her children.
Those that in the area of responsibility are.
Have the least responsibility, you might say, as to assembly functions.
And Gaius is commended for John for his showing hospitality to those that were really friends.
Their job ends with greet the friends by me. The friends salute thee. So third John is even with friends and second John is dealing with enemies.
Verse 7 for many Second John Verse 7 for many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not.
That Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an Antichrist. So one comes that's a that character. Though they purport to be a servants of Christ and ministers of the gospel, if they don't bring the doctrine of Christ, they ought to be refused.
Now you might think that second John would have been addressed to the brother much easier for a brother. You know the man has a nature that is more austere and stern and and firm, and the sister has a nature which is more outgoing and loving and ready to show hospitality. But it's Third John addressed to the brother that he's commended for showing hospitality. And the official address to the sister is instructing her that if anyone comes to your house.
It doesn't bring the doctrine of Christ. You see him not.
So when her husband comes home at night, she cannot say to him. I had a visitor today, some visitors, and I left them in the house and we had some fellowship and I served me some coffee and Donuts and so on. And then when he finally learned what they were bringing her, he would say you ought not to have received them without bringing the truth. But I'm just a lowly sister and I.
That would have been your responsibility to.
To turn them away. But I couldn't do that. You know, the sister can't plead that because Second John is addressed to her. So what is that telling us? I believe it's telling us that.
Even she and her children even are responsible to remain true to Christ and to refuse what is false, mysterious.
That second verse of Second John that says for the truth sake which dwelleth in US and should be with us forever.
Reminds us, and on this you don't have to turn to it, but in John 14 you want to turn to it. You may in John 14 of the Spirit of God that uses very very similar words to.
14 Verse 17 Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seemed to not, neither knoweth him, but he know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. And verse 16 says this other comforter, that he may abide with you forever, Forever. And so back to second John. Now the second verse, For the truth sake which dwelleth in US, and shall be with us forever, the Spirit of God is called the truth.
In first John 5, let's turn back to first John Chapter 5 where we read that.
First John Chapter 5.
Verse 6 This is he that gained by water and blood. Not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth or the truth. Spirit is the truth and the Lord. We know the verse so well. I don't have to turn to it, but we can quote it in John 14. Six I am the way, the truth.
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And life. The Lord is the truth. He is the truth objectively. And the Spirit is the truth subjectively. The Spirit within us who dwells with us forever dwells in us. He makes the truth good to our souls, the truth of Christ who's outside of us and in the glory. And then we have that other verse in John 17, the Lord praying to the Father. He says, Thy word is true. This book, the word is truth.
So we have.
The Lord Jesus being spoken of is the truth, and the Spirit spoken of is the truth. And the Word contains the truth. It is the truth.
So this truth will be with us forever.
Grace be with you mercy and peace, Second John 3 from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father. In truth and love. I rejoice greatly when I found of thy children. The the out there suggests that not all of her children were going on in the truth. But he rejoiced that he found of her children some of her children that were going on in the truth.
As we have walking in the truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we have from the beginning, that we love one another. And the way this love is shown amongst God's people, especially in the setting of Second John. See the danger of Second John in Second John is for this sister to to to show love to this one that comes to her house, and doesn't bring the doctrine of Christ when the Word says.
Refuse them. Reject them.
Do not receive them. And so the next verse helps us to explain how that that's really the way of love, verse six says, And this is love that we walk after his commandments, and this is the commandment that as he had heard from the beginning, you should walk in him.
So the best way, the true way, the sure way of showing love and to one that comes as a Christian teacher and doesn't bring the doctrine of Christ, is not to welcome them in and be hospitable to them, but to not receive them.
That's love. Sometimes we don't think of that as love. You see there's a pseudo love that is that is spoken a lot about in Christian circles today and that is to forget the truth and just love your breath. And that's not love. And the truth is that's not the love that John speaks up. Love in the truth.
And if we show love and the expensive truth, that's not divine love and it's not God's way, and there has been, never will be.
And then he warns this dear sister, He tells her in verse 7. For many deceivers are entered into the world. We confess not now. I'm going to change this a little, because the point of the verse is not quite the way it reads in our King James. It's not confessed, not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. It's not the denial that he came, but it's really the confession of the person who came. I read it that way.
Who confess not Jesus Christ coming in flesh.
Now, all of us to be it would be foolish for any anyone to speak of any of us as coming in the flesh, because that's the only way we can come, because we're just men and women. The only way that we can enter into the world is in the flesh. But here was a person who was being confessed, who existed before he came in the flesh, and he's being confessed as having come in the flesh. So it involves his deity, his Godhead, and his manhood. That's really the confession.
That is being denied by this one that comes to this Christian lady, this elect lady and her children. He doesn't confess the truth of the Lord's person, but he is God and man and one person. God come in flesh he who came in flesh. And to deny that is to disqualify 1 to be fellowshipped by this elect lady and her children.
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And then John says, look to yourselves.
Well, he says at the end of verse seven. I should miss that this is a deceiver and an Antichrist and we're not the fellowship deceivers an Antichrist. We're to reject them.
Look to yourselves, he says to this dear sister. Not that we lose, not those things which we have wrought. She was evidently the fruit of his laborers, and her children too, So, he says, if she did not remain faithful in this regard. But there's if there's one thing that God does not allow any unfaithfulness on our part with regards to its being true to the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, you're not true to him.
We can fellowship those that are his enemies, that are deceivers and Antichrist. Then that's a strong indication that there is something likely wrong in your relationship with the Lord Jesus, because if we are to be true to any, it is to Him who has given his all for us.
So John says, look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have brought. They were his fruit in the Lord. This elect Lady and her children, and should they not go on, well, then he would lose his reward. But that we received a full reward. How important it is for the Saints of God to go on well, And if they don't, it reflects upon the one who led them to the Lord, just as if our children don't go on well, and reflects upon us as parents.
Then verse 9 is a very important verse. Whosoever transgress it, Mr. Darby renders that whosoever goes forward, it's the thought of development going beyond what God has been pleased to reveal to us as the truth. And the truth is centered in a person, the Lord of Jesus Christ. He is the truth. And to go beyond that, remember what's passing out tracks in an elevated platform in Chicago. It's where the trains change from the subway to the elevated. And there was a.
Theological Seminary right there, and I got engaged in the conversation in the car with a man who was evidently a professor in that school used to be fairly sound, but it had turned very much modernistic at the time. And he asked me what I believed, and I confessed to him my my belief in the deity of Christ and his virgin birth, and his bodily resurrection, and the infallibility and inerrancy of Scripture, and so on.
The fundamentals of the faith. And he smiled at me and said, that's nice, but now you have to go on to the deeper things. And that's what John is talking about here in verse 9. Whosoever goes forward literally and divide, is not in the doctrine of Christ. This man thought there was something beyond Christ, something that was deeper and fuller and richer than he. But in him dwelleth all the firmness of the Godhead bodily, and we are complete. In him was the head of all principality and power. There is nothing beyond Christ but deadly error.
And so to go beyond him, to go forward, to develop into deeper truth, as he would say, is to go from truth to error. And this is where he was. I don't believe he was really the Lords.
And so I encountered one just like this is whoever goes forward and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God for what they do do That is a proof that he never knew God.
He that divided in the doctrine of Christ, He of both the Father and the Son, So to make to remain true to him who is the truth, is to remain in the truth ourselves. And then he says to this elect lady, if there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive them not into your house, neither did in Godspeed. Or that simply means to greet him, But give him the common reading, Just close the door for he that bideth him. Godspeed is a partaker of his.
Evil.
Deeds.
Now both of these epistles end with John saying having many things to write into you. I would not with paper and ink, but I trust to see you shortening the song that would speak face to face. And that said in the 3rd Epistle 2.
And then he speaks of the his this the children of Thy elect sister Greek, thee. Amen. So there was this elected sister elect lady and her children, and then her elect sister as well. So they are very responsible to maintain the glory of Christ. Now just a few words on 3rd John and then we're close. Third John is written to a brother. The well beloved guys. There's a word that used four times in 3rd John that's not used once in second John because the tone of second John is very, very severe.
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Austere, he's dealing with enemies. He's dealing with those who are deceivers and Antichrist, and he's enjoining upon this elect lady and her children to be faithful and to and to refuse them. But John, the the the whole flavor of the atmosphere. Third, John is entirely different. He's commending Gaius, his beloved brother, for his showing hospitality, and taking in the brethren that came, and housing them, and feeding them and giving them lodging, and then sending them on their journey.
Rejoicing and he commands all this. Notice verse one, the well beloved Gaius. He's mighty out those that are truly friends, because the epistle ends with greet the friends by name. So third John is dealing with friends and second John is dealing with enemies and our attitude towards them. If we're going to be in the truth, our attitude towards them ought to be consistent with faithfulness to Christ.
Light. Second John. God is love. Third John. That is the going out of the divine affections to those who are in the truth and going out in the truth to refuse to do that. The danger of third John is sectarianism of just showing the fellowship with just the few that we know, and there may be others that we.
Haven't met before. In fact, Gaius is commended for taking these brethren that were strangers to him before.
And receiving them because he was certain that they were in the truth, and so he didn't refuse them. We should refuse those who are untrue to Christ. We should be in fellowship with those that are true to him, And seeking to please him, he says. Verse two of third John, Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest, prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospered. He recognized that Gaia's soul was prospering, and evidently he wasn't in very good health, so he.
Desired that.
Dias might experience better health in his body, even as he did in his soul. For I rejoiced greatly when the Brethren came and testified of the truth that is indie, even as thou walkest in the truth.
Wonderful to have that testimony of one by brethren, and to be walking in the truth himself. And then John says, I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Evidently Gaius was one of his children as the elect lady, and her children were as well, and he rejoiced in that. John rejoiced in that.
Beloved, Daddo is faithfully, whatsoever thou doest, to the brethren, and that strange to strangers. These brethren were strangers to him. They hadn't seen him before.
And he hadn't seen them, and yet he took them in, and showed fellowship with them, which had borne witness of my charity. And I loved before the Church, whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou should do well.
Because if for his namesake they went forth taking nothing of the Gentiles, we therefore ought to receive such that we might be fellow helpers to the truth.
The danger in second John is to receive those who are false. The danger in 3rd John is to reject those who are true.
So we don't want to be loose.
And flout a serious kind of love which throws your arms around everyone even though they're enemies of Christ. That's wrong. Nor do we want to be sectarian and refuse those that.
Don't just fit in with our way of thinking, but who are really the Lords? And walking in the truth? So there's a safeguard in these two epistles. You're going to have to take them together in order to understand them.
For his namesake, they went forth taking nothing of the Gentiles. That's almost forgotten nowadays in Christian circles, where you have Christian men pleading with the world to support them in the work of the Lord. Instead of looking to the Saints of God to do it. Saints of God should feel that solemn responsibility to support those that go forth taking nothing of the Gentiles. This is the way they went forth in those early days.
For his namesake.
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We therefore ought to receive such that we might be fellow helpers to the truth.
Now there was a man there that was totally out of tune that the mind of God. I believe he was an evil man. His name is diatrophies. I wrote under the church, but John says but diatrophies. Who loveth to have the preeminence?
Receive it among them, receive it us not.
Now I don't know how he did not receive John the Apostle. It could be that he refused his epistle. He says I wrote unto the church, but the atrophies Receiveth us not somehow. Maybe he did not receive the the epistle that John wrote or.
Discredited it? I don't know. As though John had ever been there before. He might have. Rather reads as though he hadn't been.
But it does say of diacraphies he receiveth us not. Gaius is commended for receiving and diatrophies is condemned for not receiving. He did more than that, John says, Wherefore if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, praying against us with malicious words, and not content therewith praying against the Apostle John. Think of it with malicious words.
Not receiving John and then speaking against him.
Malicious words, and then he says, And not content or with neither does he himself receive the brethren.
And forbidden them that would.
And casteth them out of the church. It's hard to imagine that one man could have this kind of power in an assembly, a man who was so, so evil in what he was doing.
And then he says beloved again writing to Gaius. Beloved he was one of the beloved. Why wasn't the Gaius cast out? Probably because he wasn't a threat to the octopus diatrophies. Would get rid of anyone that had that was a threat to him.
There he he he loved to have the 1St place, the preeminence. He wanted to be the the leader there and he didn't want any rivalry in his doing that. And so whenever there was anyone that would challenge his position and be a rival to him, he threw him out of the church.
Evidently guys didn't have that kind of disposition. It seems as though Gaius was a very quiet, loving, hospitable man that received the Brethren, but he didn't pose any threat to the Atrophy, so he was not, evidently was not cast up.
It's a little difficult to get the picture exactly how it was in this in this place, but he says in verse 11 beloved, follow not that which is evil, that's what diatrophies was doing, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God like Gaius, but he that doeth evil hath not seen God like that atrophies.
And then he commends in verse 12 Demetrius. Evidently this was a letter of commendation to Demetrius or Demetrius. Evidently Demetrius brought it to Gaius when he went there. Notice what he says of Demetrius. Demetrius had good report of all men, #1, all men good report wonderful, and that the truth itself. Demetrius had a good report of the truth itself. And three.
And yeah, and we also bear record, he says John. So John adds his commendations to this, and you know that our record is true.
And now again he says, like he did in the second epistle. I have many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write into the But I trust I shall shortly see thee, And we shall speak face to face. Please speak to thee. I think it ought to read the friends, salute the Greek, the friends by name. So here's an Episcopal It deals with Friends. There was one man that was totally out of communion with the Lord, probably not the Lords at all. And that was due to diapto fees.
But Demetrius was commended and approved, so we have some beautiful principles in these two of the epistles. Second, John Goddess light.
I'm clear. John Thomas laws.
But not to receive your second job. Whom to receive the third job? Second job is written to the elect lady and her children, not on the level of nature, but on the on the spiritual level, giving their the sister and her children responsibility of remaining true to Christ, no matter who came to adore. And 3rd John commending him the brother that would not have the nature so much of hospitality, but he's extending it here, and he's commended for this activity of the divine nature going out to those who are true to the Lord Jesus. May we may we be faithful in rejecting all that as opposed to him.
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And also in receiving all those who are truly his friends.
Just got out of life.
#21 in the appendix.
Oh, what a savior is Jesus the Lord. Well, might his name by his Saints be adored. He has redeemed them from hell by his blood. Save them forever, brought them to God #21.
I say.
Word where I listened right and strangely.