The elder unto the well beloved Gaius,
whom I love in the truth. Beloved,
I wish above all things that thou mayest
prosper and be in health, even as thy soul
prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when
the brethren came and testified of the truth
that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my
children walk in truth.
3John 1-4
As we come to John's third letter we find that the character of John never changes, he is always speaking about love and the truth. When we read the book of John we find the same words, love, truth, and even this within the context and events to show that salvation from our sins comes only by the death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven by Jesus Christ. John ensures us that Jesus is not some angel sent by God to save us, rather that Jesus is God in the flesh, the Second Person of the Trinity. This is the truth and we are to walk in this truth and to walk in this truth we must allow the commandments of God to be our guide as we exercise this life. John finds Gaius to be of that sort that walks in the truth. Question: can others say the same of you, that you walk in the truth? Are you still questioning the doctrine of the Trinity? Are you still questioning the why that God allows all this trouble in this world? Or, have you come to that place in your sanctification that you simply allow God to be God and trust in Him to give to you what He has promised, what He has done to save you and give to you everlasting life? These studies of the various books are designed to give to you facts, information, and to lead you to the place where God has complete control over your life. Yes, we live in this world, and we can enjoy the beauty, the many things that bring joy to us, but this is all according to the commandments of God and our conversion to follow Him at all costs. This then, when you are confronted by trouble, will be your legacy and this will the joy others see in you that you walk in the truth. This too, then, builds them up in their faith and aids them to make it through whatever confronts them, this is brotherly love in action. John writes: Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; which have borne witness of thy charity before the Church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: because that for His name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles" (3John 5-7). The Greek word for "stranger" is not as we speak of a stranger which often means something bad, or wrong, or just someone we do not know. The Greek word means someone that is unexpected, or someone that is surprising because you did not expect them but here they are at your doorstep. We treat them with all the love of God that they deserve, they are just those who are journeying and we give to them all the charity we can give for His name's sake. This then is an example for us that when an unexpected guest arrives at your Church that you take time to greet them, to find out if there is anything you can do for them, so if you do this, you do well. John completes this thought about how we are to treat strangers: "We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow helpers to the truth" (3John 8). Are we to just receive into fellowship and to be fellow helpers to everyone as this culture of diversity, and plurality teaches? No! John tells us this: "I wrote unto the Church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receivth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and no content therewith, neither doht he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the Church. Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of he truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true. I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: but I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name" (3:John 9-15).
We come to the end of those three little letters, letters even thou short pack a huge punch. We are to follow the commands of God and we know that we are doing this if we love the brethren and treat those sojourners even though strangers with charity. This is the life of an Authentic Christian who is exercising Authentic Christian Faith.
He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth:
but he that hath mercy on the poor,
happy is he.
Proverbs 14: 21
Who can you show love to today?
Richard L. Crumb
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