Life That Follows The Truth (3 John 1-4)
1
If you can live by the truth or by the principles that you think right, it will make you a strong and consistent, and faithful Christian.
Jonathan Edwards (1703-58), who was a very well-known theologian and pastor in the 18th century in the United States, made 5 rules of life for himself and lived by those rules.
First, as long as I live, I will do my best to live by the will of God;
Second, I will never look down upon others and hurt others in speech and deeds.
Third, I will never avenge or revenge myself on others in speech and deeds.
Fourth, I will never do shameful things throughout my life.
Fifth, I will make the most of the time creatively and constructively without wasting any time.
You may be able to keep these rules for a while, but it is very difficult to keep these rules throughout the whole life.
There was a famous British athlete named Jonathan Edwards. He was a world record holder and kept renewing his record in three-step long jump in 1990s.
He participated in 1992 Barcelona Olympics in Spain, but could not earn the gold medal. It was not because he fell short of others but because the final was held on Sunday. His rule of life as a Christian athlete was that he would not participate in any events on Sunday. According to his rule of life, he gave up participating in the final that decided the medals.
There was another famous Scotch athlete who also had the same rule of life with that of Jonathan Edwards. His name was Eric Lidell who participated in 1924 Paris Olympics. He was a world record holder in 400 hundred meter dash. But, as the final was held on Sunday, he declined to participate in the event. The prime minister of Scotland called him to urge him to participate in the race for the glory of his country Scotland. But, his decision was not changed.
The dream of amateur athletes is to earn a gold medal in an Olympic final. However, Eric Lidell as well as Jonathan Edwards gave up their dreams of gold medal to live by their rule of life.
Eric Lidell thought that "spreading the gospel is every believer's mission." Thus, he as a believer wanted and decided to spread the gospel. He became a missionary and went to China to live by his rule of life as a Christian. His life as a missionary was sometimes painful and poor, but he was very happy and glad as he lived according to his rule of life which was truthful to God.
His biography was published as a book and its title was "The Flying Scotchman."
Later, it was made into a movie and its title was "Chariots of Fire." Elijah in the Bible rode the chariots of fire to go up to heaven alive. Eric Lidell like the great prophet Elijah tried to live by the Word of God.
2
V. 1: The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
John the Apostle wrote a letter a person named Gaius, whom he loved in the truth. He does not describe in detail who Gaius was. And, it may not be important who he was. But, the important thing is that Gaius was a man who well-treated travelling evangelists who were sent by John for the gospel-spreading purpose.
V. 2: Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in health; I know that it is well with your soul.
John prays for Gaius three things continually.
First of all, John prays for the well-being of Gaius' soul. That is, John prays for his salvation, eternal life and peaceful mind in all difficulties.
Above all things, our spiritual well-being is a most important thing.
Jesus asks in Mark 8:36 for us: "For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his (eternal) life?"
So, we must pray for our spiritual health.
Secondly, John prays for Gaius' well-being in this world.
It is not for his wealth but for his fear-free, worry-free, and risk-free life.
Back then, living as a Christian was a very risky life.
If you were caught by soldiers, you would be surely killed.
So, any Christian's everyday life was not an easy going life.
Thus, John wants to pray for Gaius' well-being in his daily life--that is, for his safety and peaceful life even in the persecution by the Roman government.
Thirdly, John prays for Gaius' physical well-being, his health.
Our health is very important when we want to praise God joyfully and loudly. If we are losing our health, our Christian worship and praise may not be joyful any more. So, if possible, we must maintain our good health.
And we should pray for our good health.
Vs. 3-4: For I greatly rejoiced when some of the brethren arrived and testified to the truth of your life, as indeed you do follow the truth. No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth.
John rejoiced greatly when he heard from some brothers that Gaius kept following the truth,
What would God's joy be if John rejoiced greatly when he heard that Gaius followed the truth?
God would be well pleased with Gaius' following the truth.
What does it mean by "Gaius continues to walk in the truth"?
What is the truth?
Jesus tells us in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the truth except through me."
Thus, "walk in the truth" means "walk in Jesus" or "abide in Jesus."
Jesus also says in John 17:17, "Father. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth."
Thus, "walk in the truth" means "live according to the Word of God."
And, the truth, that is Jesus or the Word of God, makes us free from all the worries, fears, and risks, as Jesus tells us in John 8:32, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
3
Do you not want to walk in the truth that sets you free and that bestows God's blessings upon you?
When you continue to walk in the truth, that is in Jesus, continue to live by the Word of God, your prayer topics will be answered for sure.
Your soul and spirit getting along well, all things in this world may go well with you, and you will enjoy good health.
Let us continue to walk in the truth, in Christ, according to the Word of God.
Jonathan Edwards (1703-58), who was a very well-known theologian and pastor in the 18th century in the United States, made 5 rules of life for himself and lived by those rules.
First, as long as I live, I will do my best to live by the will of God;
Second, I will never look down upon others and hurt others in speech and deeds.
Third, I will never avenge or revenge myself on others in speech and deeds.
Fourth, I will never do shameful things throughout my life.
Fifth, I will make the most of the time creatively and constructively without wasting any time.
You may be able to keep these rules for a while, but it is very difficult to keep these rules throughout the whole life.
There was a famous British athlete named Jonathan Edwards. He was a world record holder and kept renewing his record in three-step long jump in 1990s.
He participated in 1992 Barcelona Olympics in Spain, but could not earn the gold medal. It was not because he fell short of others but because the final was held on Sunday. His rule of life as a Christian athlete was that he would not participate in any events on Sunday. According to his rule of life, he gave up participating in the final that decided the medals.
There was another famous Scotch athlete who also had the same rule of life with that of Jonathan Edwards. His name was Eric Lidell who participated in 1924 Paris Olympics. He was a world record holder in 400 hundred meter dash. But, as the final was held on Sunday, he declined to participate in the event. The prime minister of Scotland called him to urge him to participate in the race for the glory of his country Scotland. But, his decision was not changed.
The dream of amateur athletes is to earn a gold medal in an Olympic final. However, Eric Lidell as well as Jonathan Edwards gave up their dreams of gold medal to live by their rule of life.
Eric Lidell thought that "spreading the gospel is every believer's mission." Thus, he as a believer wanted and decided to spread the gospel. He became a missionary and went to China to live by his rule of life as a Christian. His life as a missionary was sometimes painful and poor, but he was very happy and glad as he lived according to his rule of life which was truthful to God.
His biography was published as a book and its title was "The Flying Scotchman."
Later, it was made into a movie and its title was "Chariots of Fire." Elijah in the Bible rode the chariots of fire to go up to heaven alive. Eric Lidell like the great prophet Elijah tried to live by the Word of God.
2
V. 1: The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
John the Apostle wrote a letter a person named Gaius, whom he loved in the truth. He does not describe in detail who Gaius was. And, it may not be important who he was. But, the important thing is that Gaius was a man who well-treated travelling evangelists who were sent by John for the gospel-spreading purpose.
V. 2: Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in health; I know that it is well with your soul.
John prays for Gaius three things continually.
First of all, John prays for the well-being of Gaius' soul. That is, John prays for his salvation, eternal life and peaceful mind in all difficulties.
Above all things, our spiritual well-being is a most important thing.
Jesus asks in Mark 8:36 for us: "For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his (eternal) life?"
So, we must pray for our spiritual health.
Secondly, John prays for Gaius' well-being in this world.
It is not for his wealth but for his fear-free, worry-free, and risk-free life.
Back then, living as a Christian was a very risky life.
If you were caught by soldiers, you would be surely killed.
So, any Christian's everyday life was not an easy going life.
Thus, John wants to pray for Gaius' well-being in his daily life--that is, for his safety and peaceful life even in the persecution by the Roman government.
Thirdly, John prays for Gaius' physical well-being, his health.
Our health is very important when we want to praise God joyfully and loudly. If we are losing our health, our Christian worship and praise may not be joyful any more. So, if possible, we must maintain our good health.
And we should pray for our good health.
Vs. 3-4: For I greatly rejoiced when some of the brethren arrived and testified to the truth of your life, as indeed you do follow the truth. No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth.
John rejoiced greatly when he heard from some brothers that Gaius kept following the truth,
What would God's joy be if John rejoiced greatly when he heard that Gaius followed the truth?
God would be well pleased with Gaius' following the truth.
What does it mean by "Gaius continues to walk in the truth"?
What is the truth?
Jesus tells us in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the truth except through me."
Thus, "walk in the truth" means "walk in Jesus" or "abide in Jesus."
Jesus also says in John 17:17, "Father. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth."
Thus, "walk in the truth" means "live according to the Word of God."
And, the truth, that is Jesus or the Word of God, makes us free from all the worries, fears, and risks, as Jesus tells us in John 8:32, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
3
Do you not want to walk in the truth that sets you free and that bestows God's blessings upon you?
When you continue to walk in the truth, that is in Jesus, continue to live by the Word of God, your prayer topics will be answered for sure.
Your soul and spirit getting along well, all things in this world may go well with you, and you will enjoy good health.
Let us continue to walk in the truth, in Christ, according to the Word of God.
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