Truth & Love Work Together

River Valley Church • Pastor Rob Ketterling •

Summary

Pastor Rob Ketterling delivers a timely message on Second John, a short but powerful book that addresses how Christians should navigate relationships with those who hold different beliefs. In one of the most polarizing moments in recent history, especially regarding politics and religion, this message provides practical guardrails for living out faith authentically. Rob emphasizes that truth without love becomes legalism, while love without truth becomes license (or 'sloppy agape'). The early church demonstrated both—caring for the sick and taking in widows and orphans (love), while also refusing to participate in gladiator games, Caesar's army, abortion, and sexual immorality (truth). The message challenges believers to avoid both isolation (truth without love) and assimilation (love without truth), instead walking in both truth and love as instructed in Ephesians 4:15. Rob provides practical strategies for navigating difficult conversations, setting boundaries, and standing firm in biblical convictions while remaining loving and hospitable to those with different beliefs.

Key Takeaways

  • Truth without love becomes legalism; love without truth becomes license
  • The early church grew by living in both truth and love, not by hiding
  • Don't host what heaven won't host—hospitality should never compromise truth
  • We don't want to be doormats, but we also don't want to be jerks
  • Sloppy agape is niceness over biblical truth—it's not real love
  • Your home can be open, but you don't have to platform false teaching
  • Have responses ready for difficult conversations: respectfully disagree
  • Be aware of cornering language that pressures you to agree with false beliefs
  • It's okay to set boundaries while still showing Christ-like love
  • Love like Jesus, speak truthfully, and discern wisely

Outline

Introduction: Living in Polarizing Times

  • Second John is often overlooked despite its relevance for today
  • We live in one of the most polarizing moments in recent history
  • Political identity has become the greatest dividing marker
  • 50% of Americans seldom or never discuss faith outside their belief system
  • Christians are isolating from non-Christians, reducing meaningful relationships

The Tension We Face

  • How do we respond when people say 'we all believe the same thing'?
  • Stories of students standing up to professors who taught contrary to Scripture
  • We don't want to be doormats, but we also don't want to be jerks
  • Living with people of different beliefs without being disloyal to truth
  • Balancing love for people with commitment to biblical truth

Understanding Second John

  • John writes as 'the elder' from Ephesus, last apostle alive
  • Written to 'the elect lady' which represents the church
  • 'Her children' refers to people in the church
  • John uses encryption for security purposes
  • This is a real case study on living out faith practically

Truth and Love Walk Together

  • Some in the church were walking in faith, others were falling away
  • John emphasizes both love and obedience (truth and love)
  • Ephesians 4:15 says to speak the truth in love
  • Truth and love are inseparable in authentic Christianity
  • We cannot abandon one for the other

Truth Without Love = Legalism

  • Produces an 'us versus them' mentality in Christians
  • Story of missionary who stopped loving people because they didn't respond
  • He told his boss: 'If they don't want to listen, they can go to hell'
  • Leads to isolation and avoiding persecution by hiding from non-Christians
  • The early church didn't grow by hiding—they engaged the marketplace

Love Without Truth = Liberalism

  • 'Sloppy agape' - niceness over biblical truth
  • Produces assimilation where anything goes
  • It's a license that avoids suffering by blending in
  • No standards, no convictions, just acceptance of everything
  • Avoids persecution by conforming to culture

The Early Church Model

  • They were first responders in two devastating plagues
  • They loved by caring for sick, widows, and orphans
  • They stood for truth by refusing gladiator games and Caesar worship
  • They rejected abortion, infanticide, and sexual immorality
  • They lived out four countercultural virtues: charity, chastity, humility, patience

Warning About Deceivers

  • Many deceivers have gone out into the world (2 John 7-9)
  • Deceivers in John's time denied Jesus came in the flesh
  • Today's deceivers ask: 'Did God really say that?'
  • They try to steal away our faith with questions and doubt
  • We need to be grounded through discipleship, small groups, and Bible study

Don't 'Go Ahead' of Jesus

  • False teachers claimed to have 'advanced' beyond Jesus's teachings
  • They promoted 'progressive thoughts' that superseded Scripture
  • John says those who go ahead don't have God
  • There is no 'new and improved' way beyond Jesus
  • We must abide in Christ and his teachings

Understanding Biblical Hospitality

  • Verses 10-11 are not just about being nice to guests
  • Historical context: traveling preachers needed homes to stay
  • Staying at an inn meant you were under suspicion with no friends
  • Hosting someone meant endorsing their message and giving them a platform
  • When Paul stayed with Jason, Jason was arrested for hosting him

Don't Platform What Heaven Won't Host

  • Don't host what heaven won't host
  • Hospitality should never be a backdoor for compromise
  • You can be gracious without giving ground
  • Show love without sharing in lies
  • Not about avoiding unbelievers—Jesus and Paul met with them

Practical Application for Today

  • Be aware of your beliefs and educate yourself about different beliefs
  • Watch out for cornering language that pressures you to agree
  • Know when to speak up in truth and love—consider the issue, platform, and audience
  • Have statements ready: 'Nope,' 'Not even close,' 'I think we have different beliefs'
  • Ask clarifying questions to understand others' perspectives

Setting Boundaries While Showing Love

  • Your home can be open for relationship building
  • Do active parenting when children are present—interrupt false teaching
  • It's okay to set boundaries and correct false statements
  • Social media likes and follows can be forms of endorsement
  • Story of Rob's niece and boyfriend: set boundaries, they converted and married

Conclusion: Love Like Jesus, Speak Truthfully, Discern Wisely

  • We need both love and truth to walk faithfully
  • For those with all truth and no love: repent and ask God for more love
  • For those with all love and no truth: ask God for a backbone to stand firm
  • Walk out truth and love together in a polarized world
  • Don't let false doctrine enter through the backdoor of niceness

Scripture References

2 John 1-3
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 4-6
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.
Ephesians 4:15
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.
2 John 7-9
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.
2 John 10-11
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Acts 13
Reference to Paul and Barnabas traveling and preaching in various cities.
Acts 17
Reference to Paul in Athens speaking about the unknown god at the Areopagus.
Proverbs 3:11-12
My child, don't reject the Lord's discipline, and don't be upset when he corrects you, for the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.