Enjoying Life Abundantly
We are “commanded” to live “according to the truth” (2 John 1:4). Why? Because God knows what will result in life or death in our lives (Deuteronomy 30:19-20), and He wants us to enjoy ABUNDANT LIFE, FOREVERMORE! Abundant life does not mean a “Cush-Cush” existence, but a victorious existence in an intimate love relationship with the God of the Universe as our Abba, full of courage and completely devoid of fear. True faith is obedient, for faith trusts fully in who God is, His love and power.
2 John 1:6 Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another...
Do you mean love is not a feel-good fleeting emotion that we need to be codependent to maintain? NO. Love is an act, an act of obedience to demonstrate love to one another, even as the Lord demonstrated love to us...giving Himself up for us, literally.
David said, “I will not offer a burnt offering which costs me nothing” (1 Chronicles 21:24). Will it cost us something to love as Jesus loved? Yes. It will cost us our lives (Matthew 18:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 14:33; Matthew 10:39; 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17:33; John 12:25; Philippians 2:17)! Jesus came to deliver us from fear of death (Hebrews 2:15), but it seems what we have today are many imposters who claim to be followers of Christ but have never died, evidenced by following after their own appetites, the things of this world (Phil 3:18-19). I know a man in Malawi who ministers among the Yao Muslims there. He received murder threats by text for some weeks, and then one called him to tell him he was going to kill him. My friend responded, “You can’t kill me. I’M ALREADY DEAD!” (Romans 6:4) Are we dead to this world but alive to God through faith in Jesus (Galatians 6:14-16)? Then let us live like it.
If your “theology” states that you cannot fall into deception, you are already deceived. There would not be so many warnings to beware of deceivers, antichrists if being deceived was not a possibility (2 John 2:7-9).
IT IS LOVE to NOT “invite a person into your home or give any kind of encouragement” who “does not teach the truth about Christ,” BECAUSE love OBEYS GOD’S COMMAND, and GOD HAS COMMANDED IT (2 John 1:6, 10-11).