1The elder, to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not I only, but also all those who know the truth, 2for the truth’s sake, which remains in us, and it will be with us forever: 3Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
4I rejoice greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, even as we have been commanded by the Father. 5Now I beg you, dear lady, not as though I wrote to you a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6This is love, that we should walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, even as you heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.
7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who don’t confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the Antichrist. 8Watch yourselves, that we don’t lose the things which we have accomplished, but that we receive a full reward. 9Whoever transgresses and doesn’t remain in the teaching of Christ doesn’t have God. He who remains in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10If anyone comes to you and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him, 11for he who welcomes him participates in his evil deeds.
12Having many things to write to you, I don’t want to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come to you and to speak face to face, that our joy may be made full. 13The children of your chosen sister greet you. Amen.
Christ (Gk. Χριστός, christos). Strong's: 5547 (Matt 16:16; 24:5; 27:17; Mark 12:35; Luke 24:46; Jn. 10:24; Rom 5:1).
Christ is one of the most familiar names for Jesus and these two names occur together in the NT almost 500 times. It is the Greek word transliterated from the Hebrew משיח, (mashiach, Messiah in English) and means anointed one, king or messiah. Biblical scholars generally acknowledge that Christ, or Messiah, is not a name per se in the New Testament but the title for Jesus—Jesus the Messiah. He is the promised Messiah of God, the offered King of Israel and, ultimately, the king over all of God’s kingdom. This term harkens back to the anointed kings of Israel, who were all types, foreshadowing Jesus as the Christ, the high king of Israel and the supreme ruler of the universe, who currently sits at the right hand of the Father. As Lord over the church, Jesus is our King (Rom 5:21), the promised Messiah who reigns over the church in the “times of the Gentiles" and over the whole earth, when He reigns as David's Son.