Not much will be with us forever. Our houses won’t. The things that fill them won’t. Not our cars or computers or phones. Not our jobs. Not our positions. Not our money. Not our privileges, opportunities, abilities, or responsibilities. My health won’t be with me forever. How sobering and perspective-impacting to realize that even my own body won’t be with me forever.
Not much will be with us forever.
But in the little second letter of John, towards the end of the Bible, notice what will be with us forever.
The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love. (2 John 1-3)
Truth and love are major themes running throughout John’s letters, including his second.
I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. (1:4-9)
What an incredible thought, to “have” both God the Father and the Father’s Son–the Source of grace, mercy, and peace. Did you hear it in verse 3?
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.
Our responsibility? Walk in the truth, just as we’ve been commanded by the Father. Love one another as God’s own Son loved us. Abide in the teaching of Christ. And if we will? We have both the Father and the Son. The truth will abide in us. Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us in truth and love. And the truth? It will be with us forever.
Not much will be with us forever, including this world. As John wrote in his first letter…
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (2:15-17)
So here’s a question worth meditating upon throughout the day: why should I ever chase any thing, hold on to any thing, give my heart to any one or any thing that is passing away if it comes at the expense of truth? This world, the desires of it, and the stuff that fills it will not be with us forever. But listen to what the Holy Spirit led the aged apostle to write 2,000 years ago. Whether we listen to it, heed it, abide in it or not, the truth will be with us forever. “The word that I have spoken will judge,” Jesus declared, as he spoke of “the last day” in John 12:48.
You can know the truth. I can walk in the truth, just as I was commanded by the Father. The truth can abide in us. Grace, mercy, and peace can be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.
And the truth will be with us. Forever.