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2 JOHN BIBLE STUDY

Here you will find a bible study on 2 John. It’s a very short book of the bible with only 1 chapters in it. We have divided this short of book of the bible into 2 bible study lessons.

LESSON 1

II JOHN 1-3

There are two views of who the intended audience of John’s second letter is.
View 1: Literal: A specific lady in the church and her children.
View 2: Figurative: The church, because God refers to the church as His bride.
Begin this lesson in prayer. Read II John.

QUESTIONS

1. After reading II John, who do you think the intended audience is? Is it important that we know with certainty who it is?

2. How does John and the others feel about the elect lady and her children? 

3. When he says in his greeting “whom I love in truth” what does this mean? Can you say that you love other believers in this same way? 

4. Is it ok to walk in the truth and not love? 

5. Why do you think John is willing to proclaim that grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ WILL be with her? 

>Author’s Answers

1. Depending on what I am going through when I read it determines how I see it. Sometimes I read it as addressed to a specific lady, and other times as a church. There is a lot of scripture applied to specific individuals, which all ultimately applies to everyone. So, no it’s not important to me that I know exactly who the intended audience is, because God will show me what HE wants me to see and learn.
2. John is saying that he and the others that believe in Christ will always have a love for each other because they have a common love.
3. They have a common love that is Christ, to “love in truth”, and that love resides in all of them. They love each other because of that common love, and it’s a powerful common bond. It’s exciting to be with others that love Jesus. When other believers are walking in the truth, I do have a love for them that does feel different and more powerful. Unfortunately, because I don’t always feel that love in return, I shy away from expressing it. This is something that I need to work on so I can truly walk in truth.
4.  No, it’s not. We need to do both because that is the example that Christ has set for us, which is why in my answer from question 3 says that I have to work on it.
5. He is confident in this because she is a fellow believer! If you believe that God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for your sins, admitting that you are a sinner, and you have repented from your sins, then you are saved and the truth (Holy Spirit) is in you. If that is you, then God’s grace, mercy, and peace will be with you!

LESSON 2

II JOHN 4-13

Two main topics. Firstly, he rejoices that some of the children are walking in truth. Secondly, love one another, as God has commanded.

QUESTIONS

Verses 4-6

1. Verse 4: John rejoices to know the children are walking in the truth!  Do you have any response when you see a person that really stands out as walking in the truth or is it really no big deal for you?

2. He is pleading with her about loving one another because he wants her to learn something. What have you learned about love, that you can apply to your life?

Verses 7-11

3. We know that we are a child of God if we are walking in truth, and John rejoices for those children that are doing just that. What does John warn us about when it comes to those NOT walking in the truth?

4. Verse 7: Is it hard to think of unsaved friends and family as deceivers?

5. Verse 8-11:  What is the only doctrine that should be shared? Why shouldn’t any other doctrine be received?

6. Give examples of verse 10 happening in the world today.

Verse 12-13
This letter might not exist if John was able to speak face to face when he wanted to.

7. What was the benefit of John not being able to meet face to face with his intended audience at this particular time? 

>Author’s Answers

1. In this day and age, I think it really does stand out. I am amazed and encourage when I see someone walking in the truth. It’s exciting to see that they don’t have to be entertained with sin or put the world first.
2. I need to love everyone, not just believers, but at the same time to be cautious of false teachers. Loving everyone means to love those that trigger those unloving feelings.
3. They are a deceiver and an antichrist because they do not confess Jesus Christ coming in the flesh. Also, he warns us not to let them talk to you about their wrong doctrine.
4. It is very hard to think of them that way when they are not trying to persuade me against my faith. This insight does make me want to witness to them a little more, but it is so hard to witness to family.
5. Jesus coming in the flesh is the only true doctrine that leads to salvation, which is when we start walking in the truth. We shouldn’t receive any other doctrine because it’s not true. In the old testament, when they received false doctrine they were led astray and they went further and further away from God. Essentially, they were taking part in evil by doing this.
6. Jehovah Witnesses coming to your door or your car in parking lots. Taking their pamphlets, letting them into your house, engaging in conversation about their false doctrine is a modern-day example. Another example is entertaining the idea of evolution…man evolved from apes, dinosaurs lived millions of years ago…
7. The benefit was that this letter was written. If he met face to face when he was hoping to, we would not have the benefit of this letter.