Verse 13.— The children of thy elect sister. The children of a sister to whom the letter was addressed resided at the place from whence John wrote, and he, pos­sibly at their request, sends the good wishes, a common salu­tation at that time. The speculation afloat about this elect lady and her elect sister scarcely warrant attention. It is claimed by some that their election was far back— even before time began; God of his own free will foreknew them and elected them to life eternal. If this be true, either John did not know it— although an inspired man— or he was grossly derelict in his duty, in failing to communicate that fact for the benefit of future ages and the millions of people yet unborn. And so of all other inspired writers. None of them have recorded the fact that so important an election had ever occurred. The truth is, they were elected just as were all the saints that have become elect since the day of Pentecost, when the proclamation of a risen Savior was first made known to man. All are required to hear the gos­pel, believe it with the whole heart, turn away from their former course in life, confess with the mouth the faith believed, be baptized in obedience to the command of the Author and Finisher of the faith; and being thus inducted into the body of Christ, which is his church, they are thus elected, and thereafter are entitled to be designated as elect. There happens to be no other way disclosed by God's blessed book by which this election takes place, and with this all God-loving and God-fearing people ought to be content.