1. A Christian’s Response to the Truth
Study based on Mike Winkler’s book on 1 John, 2 John, 3 John & Jude in the Life Changing Studies with an Open Bible Series
Lesson 12:
A Christian’s Response to the Truth

2. A Christian’s Response to the Truth
Know the truth (1 John 2:21; 2 John 1)
How does one come to “know the truth”?
“Be diligent [Study] to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).
“For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10).

3. A Christian’s Response to the Truth
Know the truth (1 John 2:21; 2 John 1)
Confess the truth (1 Jn 2:22-23; 4:2-3, 15; 2 Jn 7)
Confess = “to speak the same thing, agree”
To agree with God and to make an open and free declaration of one’s deep conviction
The “truth” John calls his readers to confess:
Exactly what the “antichrists” had denied (2:22-23)
The incarnation (4:2-3) and deity of Jesus Christ (4:15; 5:5)

4. A Christian’s Response to the Truth
Know the truth (1 John 2:21; 2 John 1)
Confess the truth (1 Jn 2:22-23; 4:2-3, 15; 2 Jn 7)
Obey the truth (1 John 2:3-6; 3:22-24; 5:1-4)
Obedience is a choice.
We choose whether to keep His commandments or not keep His commandments.
“Keep” is in the present tense=continuous action

5. A Christian’s Response to the Truth
Know the truth (1 John 2:21; 2 John 1)
Confess the truth (1 Jn 2:22-23; 4:2-3, 15; 2 Jn 7)
Obey the truth (1 John 2:3-6; 3:22-24; 5:1-4)
Practice the truth (1 John 1:5-10; 2:29; 3:7)
“Practice” describes the habit of doing something
For the Christian, truth & practice are inseparable
Truth is not a simple intellectual exercise, but it dictates the actions of our entire being
Truth, when properly held, will exhibit itself through its actions (cf. John 8:32)

6. A Christian’s Response to the Truth
Know the truth (1 John 2:21; 2 John 1)
Confess the truth (1 Jn 2:22-23; 4:2-3, 15; 2 Jn 7)
Obey the truth (1 John 2:3-6; 3:22-24; 5:1-4)
Practice the truth (1 John 1:5-10; 2:29; 3:7)
Walk in the truth (1 Jn 1:6-7; 2 Jn 4-6; 3 Jn 3-4)
Our walk is our life style, our way of living
We should walk as Jesus walked (2:6)
We should encourage & rejoice when others walk in the truth

7. A Christian’s Response to the Truth
Know the truth (1 John 2:21; 2 John 1)
Confess the truth (1 Jn 2:22-23; 4:2-3, 15; 2 Jn 7)
Obey the truth (1 John 2:3-6; 3:22-24; 5:1-4)
Practice the truth (1 John 1:5-10; 2:29; 3:7)
Walk in the truth (1 Jn 1:6-7; 2 Jn 4-6; 3 Jn 3-4)
Abide in the truth (1 Jn 2:13-14, 24; 2 Jn 9-11)
Direct correlation between Christians abiding in truth and the truth abiding in Christians (Abide = “dwell or settle”)
Abiding in the truth provides spiritual strength (2:14; 3:9), victory over the devil (2:13-14) & a relationship with God & Jesus (2:24; 2 John 9).

8. A Christian’s Response to the Truth
Know the truth (1 John 2:21; 2 John 1)
Confess the truth (1 Jn 2:22-23; 4:2-3, 15; 2 Jn 7)
Obey the truth (1 John 2:3-6; 3:22-24; 5:1-4)
Practice the truth (1 John 1:5-10; 2:29; 3:7)
Walk in the truth (1 Jn 1:6-7; 2 Jn 4-6; 3 Jn 3-4)
Abide in the truth (1 Jn 2:13-14, 24; 2 Jn 9-11)
Work for the truth (3 John 5-8)
Some work on the “front lines” (3 John 7)
Some work “behind the scenes” (3 John 5-6)
All are “fellow workers for the truth” (3 John 8)

9. A Christian’s Response to the Truth
Know the truth (1 John 2:21; 2 John 1)
Confess the truth (1 Jn 2:22-23; 4:2-3, 15; 2 Jn 7)
Obey the truth (1 John 2:3-6; 3:22-24; 5:1-4)
Practice the truth (1 John 1:5-10; 2:29; 3:7)
Walk in the truth (1 Jn 1:6-7; 2 Jn 4-6; 3 Jn 3-4)
Abide in the truth (1 Jn 2:13-14, 24; 2 Jn 9-11)
Work for the truth (3 John 5-8)
Contend for the truth (2 Jn 9-11; 3 Jn 4; cf. Jude 3)
We do it by living acc. to His teachings (3 John 4)
We do it by not approving of error (2 John 9-11)

10. A Christian’s Response to the Truth
Overcome enemies of the truth
We must abide in God & Jesus
Practice righteousness (2:28-29; 3:7)
Listen to God through His Word (4:4-6)
Maintain & nurture our faith in God & Jesus (5:4-5)
Remain faithful to the teachings of Jesus (2 John 9)
Keep ourselves in the love of God

11. A Christian’s Response to the Truth
Overcome enemies of the truth
We must abide in God & Jesus
We must persistently & honestly evaluate ‘selves
“Look to yourselves” (2 John 8)
“Look” = “to observe, discern, perceive”
Implies doing so with fervency
So that “we may receive our full reward” (2 John 8)

12. A Christian’s Response to the Truth
Overcome enemies of the truth
We must abide in God & Jesus
We must persistently & honestly evaluate ‘selves
We must “test” every teacher & their teachings
1 John 4:1-2 – “test” = prove, determine genuineness
Objective = determine “whether they are of God” (4:1)
As Christians, we must never leave the impression that we endorse or in any other way encourage false teaching (2 John 9-11).
Must never receive, fellowship, endorse or encourage a false teacher (2 John 9-11)
Never imitate them (3 John 9-11)
Always be ready to confront them (3 John 10)

13. A Christian’s Response to the Truth
Overcome enemies of the truth
We must abide in God & Jesus
We must persistently & honestly evaluate ‘selves
We must “test” every teacher & their teachings
We must consistently walk in the truth ourselves
“I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father” (2 John 4).
“For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (3 John 3-4).

14. A Christian’s Response to the Truth
Overcome enemies of the truth
We must abide in God & Jesus
We must persistently & honestly evaluate ‘selves
We must “test” every teacher & their teachings
We must consistently walk in the truth ourselves
We can conquer enemies of the truth if we will:
Identify them (1 John 4:1-2)
Test them (1 John 4:1)
Refute them (Jude 3)
Isolate them (2 John 9-11; 3 John 9-10)