3 John, Overview

Godsway 66, Book 64 - 3 John

3 John is the last of the three letters ascribed to John.  It reveals (again) some of the splits among early Christians over teaching and authority -- this is sometimes an issue in several of Paul's letters too.

Given the brevity of the letter, it is difficult to piece together the exact disagreement between these groups.  However, this letter offers praise to congregations that support the ongoing work and evangelism of the church by welcoming Christian teachers into their midst.

These itinerant teachers were sent out by certain Christian authorities, but otherwise they were personally unknown to the congregations.  These congregations welcomed and supported them, evaluating their teaching and finding it to be true to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This is a key way that Christians live out their faith and help to spread the teachings of Jesus, so that others may come to know the truth about God and Jesus too.

2 John, Day 1 Readings

Beware False Teachers, Only Love    

Today's reading is the entirety of the short second letter of John.  It reiterates a key teaching and warning from 1 John -- the key commandment is the love one another, and there are false teachers who are trying to lead the church away from that teaching.

In this letter, the key issue seems to be that some are teaching that Jesus was never human, but only God.  (This teaching has been rejected historically by the church which believes that Jesus was "fully human, fully divine" -- completely God and human being at the same time.)  The church must avoid such teachers, and focus only on the example and commandment of Jesus to love one another.

Read 2 John 1:1-13  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 2 John 1 today.

2 John, Overview

Godsway 66, Book 63 - 2 John

2 John is the second of three letters ascribed to John.  While much shorter than 1 John, it still includes similar themes and language.  The key commandment of Jesus is to love one another.  The key goal of faith is to abide in the teacher -- the truth -- of Christ.

As noted in other letters, there are teachers that are trying to go beyond this teaching in the church.  In particular for 2 John, there seem to be some that are questioning whether Jesus was actually a human being, or simply God taking the appearance of a man.  While this may seem unimportant, it has implications for how Jesus fulfills prophecy, if at all, and how to understand Jesus' death (if Jesus was only God, he never died).

Leaders of the church are warned to avoid such teachers.  They only offer the wisdom of the world instead of God's truth and love, which makes them the opposite of Jesus.  In this letter, such teachers are described as antichrists, and the are not to be welcomed in the church.

One additional thing is interesting about this letter.  It is written to an unnamed woman and her children.  Historically, this has been interpreted to be a reference to the church at large -- much like ships, the church has been referred to as "she"; however, this seems reading to be greatly influenced by patriarchal assumptions.  The more straightforward reading -- which would be corroborated by Romans 16 and Pliny's letter to Trajan about Christians -- is that some congregations in the early church were led by women, and this letter is to one (or some) of them.

1 John, Day 6

A Day to Catch Up  

If you've had a busy week, today you have a chance to play catch up on any of the selections of 1 John you might have missed.  Click to open the information for any of this week's readings.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday
Friday

Share Your Thoughts

A good way to remember something you've recently read or done is to talk about it or to write it down.  Take a few minutes to think about this week's Bible readings.

• If you like to journal, reflect on the passage that surprised you the most or the one that was the most emotional to read.
• Talk to a family member, friend, or neighbor about something you've read this week.
• Join the discussion of the Godsway 66 Facebook page.

Get Ready for Sunday's Sermon

Rev. Joshua Patty will preach on 1 John on Sunday at Eastgate Christian Church in Independence, MO.  Join us for the sermon or check back here for the recorded sermon.

1 John, Day 5 Readings

Complete Trust in God 

Today's reading provides the conclusion to 1 John.  In some ways, it offers a bookend to the letter.  Having begun by emphasizing the validity of the author's testimony, it offers proof of God's testimony through Jesus.  This should encourage Christians to follow the teaching in this letter, whatever may come.

After this, there is a postscript or epilogue, which offers further encouragement to Christians.  While cautioning that some sins are mortal, which here likely means that they prevent a person from experience true life -- and thus, they will not be able to enjoy eternal life with God, it reminds Christians that God is anxious to offer forgiveness and guidance, if only a Christian will ask.  In fact, God protects those who have come into life and light from the harshness and darkness of the world.

Read 1 John 5:1-21  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 1 John 5 today.

1 John, Day 4 Readings

Living Out God's Love in the World 

Today's reading explores the nature of God's love in the world.  First, it is inspired by the Spirit of God (what Christians usually call the Holy Spirit), rooted in God's truth and goodness.  Second, it is extravagant and completely overwhelming -- the truest example of God's love was the sacrifice of Jesus to save others.  Third, it binds Christians together, guiding their relationships with one another.  Fourth, it is a source of confidence instead of fear; fear of punishments or consequences is the opposite of love, which ultimately gives life.

Read 1 John 4:1-21  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 1 John 4 today.

1 John, Day 3 Readings

Love in Truth and Action 

Today's reading transitions the main image of 1 John from God is light to God is love.  It identifies Christians as children of God, who follow Jesus, the Son of God.  And then contrasts Christians with children of the devil, who are living in the darkness and evils of the world.  The main difference between them, aside from their recognition of the truth about God and the world, is the way they share God's true love.

The beginning of the transition from death to life, which will be complete when people experience eternal life, is the sharing of God's love with other Christians.  Such love is not best demonstrated by words, but by actions.  Such active love is the best way to be obedient and faithful to God.

Read 1 John 3:1-24  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 1 John 3 today.

1 John, Day 2 Readings

Children of Light and Children of Darkness 

Today's reading continues to explore the stark contrast between light and darkness in 1 John.  Those who seek to follow God aspire to be children of God's light.  Jesus not only offers an example, but an advocate for these children of light.  However, there are also people who seek to be children of this world, who ignore God.  The leaders of these worldly children of darkness are antichrists, who try to deceive people about the nature of God and God's future judgment of the world.  Christians must live as children of the light or they face the punishments that await the children of darkness.  (If this seems a little abstract, it becomes clearer through the rest of the epistle, where the main way people live out God's light is through love.)

Read 1 John 2:1-29  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 1 John 2 today.

1 John, Day 1 Readings

God's Life and Light   

Today's reading is the beginning of the first letter of John, which applies some of the themes explored in the Gospel of John directly to Christians.  At the outset of this letter, there is a brief defense of the nature of the author's testimony about God and Jesus Christ, which is similar to a discussion about testimony that Jesus has in the Gospel of John.

Also, in the opening verses of the Gospel of John, Jesus is described as the light which the darkness cannot overcome.  Here in 1 John is the simple presentation of that thought more fully -- God is perfect light.  The implication that follows is that when a person does or says something that has a dark component, it is the opposite of God and thus sinful.  Faithful Christians, who are awaiting eternal life, strive always to walk in the light of God.

Read 1 John 1:1-10  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 1 John 1 today.

1 John, Overview

Godsway 66, Book 62 - 1 John

1 John is the first of three letters ascribed to John.  They seem closely related to the Gospel of John, exploring similar themes and sharing the same harsh outlook about good vs. evil in the world.

1 John presents several dichotomies throughout: light vs. darkness, truth vs. lies, love vs. hate.  Beneath the friendly tone, it is clear that there is a cosmic struggle between good vs. evil going on in the world and people can either be on God's side or the devil's side.

Those who wish to be on God's side, who wish to be children of God, need to recognize the complete truth of God, who sent Jesus into the world to save people from destruction.  God offers truth, goodness, and light in a world that often has little of any of these.  Those who believe in God and follow God gain new life from God.

The primary way for Christians to experience their new life is to experience and share God's love.  Drawing on the new commandment given by Jesus in the Gospel of John -- that you love one another -- 1 John describes faith as largely living out that commandment to love.  Such love must be life-giving and sacrificial, it must be confident and generous, it must be kind and all-encompassing.  Living out this love will allow Christians to experience God more fully, to join in God's fight to overcome the evil of the world, and to receive eternal life after the coming judgment.

2 Peter, Day 4

A Day to Catch Up  

If you've had a busy week, today you have a chance to play catch up on any of the selections of 2 Peter you might have missed.  Click to open the information for any of this week's readings.

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Share Your Thoughts

A good way to remember something you've recently read or done is to talk about it or to write it down.  Take a few minutes to think about this week's Bible readings.

• If you like to journal, reflect on the passage that surprised you the most or the one that was the most emotional to read.
• Talk to a family member, friend, or neighbor about something you've read this week.
• Join the discussion of the Godsway 66 Facebook page.

Get Ready for Sunday's Sermon

Rev. Joshua Patty will preach on 2 Peter on Sunday at Eastgate Christian Church in Independence, MO.  Join us for the sermon or check back here for the recorded sermon.

2 Peter, Day 3 Readings

Waiting for the End   

Today's reading concludes the second letter of Peter by encouraging Christians to remember and celebrate the promise of a new heaven and new earth after the coming Day of the Lord.  Some may easily wonder why Jesus hasn't returned yet; however, they must be patient and remember that God's time is not experienced as human time.  Rather than being led astray by false teachers, Christians should simply focus on living good and faithful lives, holding on to the promises of Jesus for the coming age.

Read 2 Peter 3:1-18  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 2 Peter 3 today.

2 Peter, Day 2 Readings

God's Punishment for False Teachers   

Today's reading continues the exploration of 2 Peter about good teaching by focusing on the opposite of good teaching -- false teaching.  Just as there are people devoting themselves to spreading the gospel of Christ, there are others who are misrepresenting that gospel, mostly seeking their own fame and fortune.

Rather than simply identify such teaching, Peter says that these false prophets and teachers will be punished -- some even before the judgment at the Day of the Lord.  The letter compares this punishment with other divine punishments known through the Bible and Jewish tradition, including the expulsion of angels from heaven, the death of most living beings through the great flood, and the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Christians must avoid these teachers; how sad it would be for someone to become excited by the promise of righteousness and salvation through Jesus and then turn away from that promise.

Read 2 Peter 2:1-22  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 2 Peter 2 today.

2 Peter, Day 1 Readings

Recognizing Spirit-Filled, Christian Teaching   

Today's reading is the beginning of the second letter of Peter, which seeks to prevent those who have become Christians from being deceived and mislead by false teaching about the faith.  Rather than fancy knowledge, Christians simply need to trust that God has provided everyone what they need to know through the Holy Spirit.  It is testified by the prophets and by those who knew Jesus personally (like Peter).  Rather than always looking for new teaching, Christians should instead build up their own lives of faith, of which prophetic knowledge is only a part, alongside things like self-control, endurance, and love.

Read 2 Peter 1:1-21  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 2 Peter 1 today.

2 Peter, Overview

Godsway 66, Book 61 - 2 Peter

2 Peter is the second of two letters in the New Testament ascribed to the apostle Peter.  This letter focuses on what constitutes good and faithful teaching in contrast to bad Christian teaching that leads people away from following Jesus.

The heart of the letter excoriates such bad teachers as being guided merely by their own vanity and greed, rather than by faith.  These false teachers and false prophets will be punished by God for their actions, just as God harshly punished others centuries ago.

The main hope of the letter, though, is for Christians to understand that good teaching isn't about unraveling mysteries.  The Holy Spirit has provided the church with plenty of knowledge through prophecy and the life and example of Jesus.  Instead, people need to simply live out this knowledge in faithful and ultimately loving ways, persevering in their faith.

1 Peter, Day 6

A Day to Catch Up  

If you've had a busy week, today you have a chance to play catch up on any of the selections of 1 Peter you might have missed.  Click to open the information for any of this week's readings.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday
Friday

Share Your Thoughts

A good way to remember something you've recently read or done is to talk about it or to write it down.  Take a few minutes to think about this week's Bible readings.

• If you like to journal, reflect on the passage that surprised you the most or the one that was the most emotional to read.
• Talk to a family member, friend, or neighbor about something you've read this week.
• Join the discussion of the Godsway 66 Facebook page.

Get Ready for Sunday's Sermon

Rev. Joshua Patty will preach on 1 Peter on Sunday at Eastgate Christian Church in Independence, MO.  Join us for the sermon or check back here for the recorded sermon.

1 Peter, Day 5 Readings

Christian Suffering and the Duties of the Elders   

Today's first reading offers the summary of the lengthy section of 1 Peter about Christian suffering.  Some people believe that punishment and suffering is a reason to stop certain types of behavior -- this is true if you are committing crimes or causing trouble.  However, if you are being punished because you are a Christian, it is a good thing -- because you likely are being persecuted by society for similar reasons as those for which Christ suffered.

Read 1 Peter 4:12-4:19  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading provides explicit teaching to the elders of the congregations, who bear the responsibility for spiritual teaching and, if necessary, discipline.  They should not let this power go to their heads, but instead carry out their responsibilities with humility.  Christians should keep the faith until the time when Jesus returns to offer salvation and eternal peace.

Read 1 Peter 5:1-14  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 1 Peter 4:12-5:14 today.

1 Peter, Day 4 Readings

Suffering and Grace   

Today's reading provides the punchline of 1 Peter's understanding of Christian suffering -- it is better to suffer than to do wrong.  So Christians must consistently strive to do the right things, regardless of the consequences.  They must keep themselves from making the mistakes of the world and follow Jesus' example.

Even so, Christians will sometimes fall short of perfect obedience to God.  So they should focus on certain things that God values most of all: love, acceptance, service to others.  These behaviors and attitudes can keep Christians from letting a few sins allowing them to slip back into their forward way of life.

Read 1 Peter 3:13-4:11  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 1 Peter 3:13-4:11 today.

1 Peter, Day 3 Readings

Accepting the Authority of Others   

Today's reading provides teaching on Christian obedience.  Having reminded Christians of the need to obey God, it then encourages Christians to obey others in authority as well.  All people must respect the authority of the government; slaves must obey their masters; wives must obey their husbands.  If someone in authority gives an undeserved punishment, they Christian should accept it just as Jesus suffered (on behalf of the Christians who will be saved through him).

This can be a challenging teaching -- and, truth be told, most Christians have modified it through the centuries, arguing that faith should not encourage people to accept abusive relationships and situations.  With such limits, though, the teaching reminds Christians that their first impulse should always be to repay evil with charity and compassion, which both provides a testimony of God's grace and leaves judgment to God alone.

Read 1 Peter 2:13-3:12  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 1 Peter 2:13-3:12 today.

1 Peter, Day 2 Readings

Holy Living in the World   

Today's reading offers more details about how Christians are supposed to live in holy ways.  They are to turn away from their dishonest, human ways, and instead hunger and seek out God's truth exemplified by Jesus.  In doing so, they will allow Christ to mold them into a new kind of people -- God's new, chosen nation.

While they should still live in the wider world, Christians in some ways become outsiders.  They must still maintain good and honorable relationships with their neighbors.  However, they must turn away from the misguided values of society and instead focus on God's values.

Read 1 Peter 2:1-12  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 1 Peter 2:1-12 today.

1 Peter, Day 1 Readings

Hope, Despite Suffering   

Today's reading is the beginning of the first letter of Peter, which offers encouragement and direction to Christians facing trials and persecution.  While it acknowledges the reality of this suffering, it reminds Christians that they should not fear pain and loss because God is protecting their true inheritance in heaven.

Instead of worry or fear, Christians should live in ways marked by holiness.  They should set aside the perishable activities of earth and focus on the imperishable activities made possible by faith in Jesus, including obedience to God and love for each other.

Read 1 Peter 1:1-25  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)

[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 1 Peter 1 today.

1 Peter, Overview

Godsway 66, Book 60 - 1 Peter

1 Peter is the first of two letters in the New Testament ascribed to the apostle Peter, the rock on whom Christ said he would build the church.  It is written to a number of congregations, geographically spread through parts of the Roman empire.

Repeatedly, it encourages Christians to endure suffering and persecution, but not to lose faith.  After all, suffering is not an unChristian thing, but the most Christian thing because Jesus himself suffered on earth because of his teaching and his example.

If people are to claim a new identity through Jesus, if they are to become Christians, which is to become a part of God's now chosen nation, they must follow the teaching and example of Jesus in their lives.  Only through such obedience and perseverance can they live up to God's expectations for them and for their lives.

Such faith requires them to endure suffering and punishment with patience and grace.  They must accept the authority of others -- not just in the church, but those who have authority in the wider culture too.  They must turn away from the mistakes and sins of humanity and focus on the principles of faith taught by Jesus -- love, service to others, and obedience to God.  The reward for such faith is salvation and eternal peace.