2 John 1:3 (ESV Strong's)
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.
Grace, Mercy and Peace via Truth and Love
John is writing this little letter to a gathering of believers. They are not formally identified. That might be because of the persecution of either John, them or both. At the end of the letter John tells them he has hopes to come to them and talk face to face to them. This indicates a specific location and a specific group of individuals. Apparently there were false teachers traveling about and attempting to persuade this group of believers to believe something else. John wants to correct two things: First, the doctrine they are teaching is differing from the doctrine of love and obedience to Christ that John taught. Second, the very greeting them and assisting them on their way (perhaps out of love) is in essence joining them in the spread of this false doctrine. To start this letter, John provides a typical greeting, used by most of the New Testament writers. He expresses a desire for them to be showered with God’s grace, mercy and peace. He states that these three (the hallmark of the Gospel message) are provided by God the Father and the son, Jesus Christ. He further states that these three blessings (gifts) are not given to us out of duty, fear, manipulation, and/or enticement. He states that these are given our of LOVE and TRUTH. It would be good to remember that the Scriptures say, God is LOVE and Christ said He was the way, the TRUTH, and the life. So, grace, mercy and peace are given by the Father and the Son and they are LOVE and TRUTH. The very character of the Godhead makes it both possible and necessary for God to provide grace, mercy and peace. Having these three provided through the Father and the Son in TRUTH and LOVE, means, also, that it is pure and right toward us. No other person on the face of the planet can provide these type of blessings in TRUTH and LOVE. Even the most loving person has sin in the life and their love or us cannot be in perfect truth. This is unique to God. He provides to us, grace, mercy and peace, in perfect TRUTH and LOVE.
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