Bible in 90 Days - Day 86 (James 3:13-3 John)

Gracious God,

we do not live by bread alone,

but by every word that comes from your mouth.

Make us hungry for this your Word,

that it may nourish us today

in the ways of eternal life.

Through Jesus Christ, the bread of heaven. Amen.

I find James 5:13-18 intriguing and challenging (like most of the Bible, I guess). Elijah was a man just like us. Really? Wow! And why is it that I don’t pray more? Do I waste too much time working on solving things when I should be praying?

Peter is writing to Christians in areas that pretty much cover modern day Turkey. The church has been scattered due to persecution, but the effect is like blowing on a dandelion – seeds everywhere. Now Peter is encouraging them to remain strong and true in the threat of persecution. The hope that they have in Christ is deeper than anything this life could possibly offer. Hear the tones of assurance, certainty, resilience and joy. The instructions for godly living take on a different tone when we understand the dangers involved with godly living in that day.

2 Peter 3 gives the reason for writing these two letters. They are to stimulate the Christians to wholesome thinking and to remind them of the unchanging nature of the holy Scriptures. When we read these purposes in the context of the letters, they are then meant to lead to godly living.

1-3 John are interesting books. They have some similarities to letters, but many differences. The apostle John is the most likely author, and that is where I start. These are likely among the last books (chronologically) written in the Bible. Different teachings are coming up concerning Christ that draw away from his humanity and his centrality in the faith. Hear John coming back to what he knows – the savior he loved and lived with for those years of Jesus’ ministry. John writes against any way to know Jesus other than love, devotion, and confession. These will bear appropriate fruit in our lives. John’s statements about Christians not sinning can seem unrealistic, but it is true that Christians cannot resign themselves to patterns of sinful living as if it does not matter. We are called to holiness, and it is God’s power working in us that truly transforms us. We strive for this all our lives.

I read a description of the structure of these letters that I love. Rather than being linear in structure, they are “symphonic.” Themes come up, then fade away, then they are woven back in. That is a beautiful way to see these letters that for some seem to leap from one great topic to the next.

I used to read the beginning of 2 John and wonder who the lady was. Then someone introduced me to the common belief that the lady is the church, or at least one congregation. That helped me see the letter in a new light.