Three Essentials For Christian Living

In the earliest formation of acting, method actors were likely to be trained thespians. The original actor, Thespis, performed in Greek amphitheaters. Actors were called hypocrites, a Greek word meaning "one who wears a mask." These hypocrites shielded their identity, wore a mask, to play a role as someone else.

Today, some Christians are actually called hypocrites: mask-wearing fakes. That perception may be unfair and unfounded, but it's still believed by many in our culture.

********A deacon was witnessing to someone in their front yard about knowing Christ and becoming a child of God. The guy was very belligerent and said, "I'm not going to go to that church. It's nothing but a bunch of hypocrites."

The deacons didn't blink an eye and replied, "Well come on and join us. One more ain't gonna hurt and you would certainly be welcomed."

As believers, we commit ourselves to becoming authentic disciples who mirror the character of Christ instead. That way when people see us, they see Jesus, and there's no conflicting message in the word that we deliver. Today we will be using the book of 2 John for our foundational passage. Before we get into the word today, let's bow our heads for prayer. PRAYER

As the title of the message suggests, today I want to point out and talk about three foundational themes that are essential to the Christian Life. We will take these themes one at a time. See if you can find what the first essential is that John speaks of.

2 John 1-4 – “The elder: To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not only I, but also all who know the truth— 2 because of the truth that remains in us and will be with us forever. 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

4 I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, in keeping with a command we have received from the Father.”

Do you see it? John mentions the first theme which is truth. He mentions the word truth five times in these opening four verses. He specifically speaks of loving the truth, knowing the truth, remaining in the truth, being the truth, and walking in truth. So, it's clear that this was an important foundational essential in living the Christian life. In verse 3, John extends God's grace, mercy, and peace into the lives of those who know, believe, love, and honor the truth. And for the most part, the believers there were doing that - but not all of them.

Let's put ourselves in that church group today that John writes this letter to. John is telling us that truth should be a priority for us. But in the way that he writes, it reveals that he is aware that only some of the believers were walking in truth, despite the command that they had received from God that he mentions in verse 4.

When Scripture talks about truth, it means something. Too often we hear the term "truth" and we perceive it as some vague concept (i.e. the truths of the Bible). Yet in reality, truth is never vague. Authentic truth is reality. In other words, truth is fundamentally about things which are knowable, things that should be known, and things that must be believed.

We're living in a time when many deny that truth exists at all. Others will acknowledge that truth exists, but they deny that it's knowable with any certainty. And still there are others that reject any obligation toward truth. But the Bible commands us as believers to walk in truth. The word "walk" is synonymous with “living.” S,o God expects and commands believers to live in harmony with truth. We're to know the truth and believe the truth, especially when it comes from Scripture.

One of the most telling examples is our view of truth. In the 1960s, 65% of Americans said they believed the Bible is true; today that figure has dropped to 32%. Even more dramatically, today 67% of all Americans deny that there's any such thing as truth. Then you have something that we call "subjective truth." A subjective truth is a truth based on a person's perspective, feelings, or opinions. Everything we know is based on our input - our senses, our perception. That's not really a truth as it is meant in the Scripture.

Speaking of subjective truths, listen to this true story that a pastor tells.

This story actually happened in 2005 at a state wide meeting. The pastor says, "We had a wonderful time of fellowship the first night, a time of worship and a great message. My spirit was soaring until breakfast on the second day. As I came into the hotel dining room several of my fellow pastors were at a table and invited me to join them. I got a plate of food and cup of coffee and had a seat. It was then that the statement that would change my soul from soaring to troubled was made.