7/12/09 - John {Love & Truth} - 3 John 2-8

WALKING IN THE TRUTH

The apostle John was probably a fairly old man by the time he wrote his final letter of Scripture, what we call “3rd John.” It is guessed that John wrote this letter sometime between 85 and 95 AD. That would be 50 to 60 years after Jesus ascended into heaven. And so by the time of this letter, John was most likely the last of the original disciples to still be alive. And as the last disciple, you can imagine how much respect and honor he would have received from the early Christian church. He was “the one whom Jesus loved,” after all. He was the one who was with the Lord himself for three straight years learning under the Master. He was there at the Transfiguration, the Garden of Eden, the courtyard of the high priest, the foot of the cross, the empty tomb, the ascension at Bethany, and the Spirit-filled room of Pentecost. He had been a hand-picked eye witness of the Lord in the flesh. And so it’s very likely that by the time John wrote his last letter, he was the doctrinal leader of the church. Everyone probably wanted to talk to him and get his advice on current issues and ask him questions about what Jesus really was like. John must have been a very busy man.
And that’s why the book of 3rd John is so interesting. From the doctrinal leader of the Christian church, from a man who was looked up to by all believers as the last disciple on earth, comes a very unique letter. It’s a short letter - it’s only 14 verses long. And it is not written to the church at large, or to sizeable group of Christians, or even to a congregation. The letter of 3rd John is written to only one individual - a man named Gaius. It’s a personal letter. It’s a quick note from one Christian brother to another. And I’m sure Gaius was honored to receive this kind of letter from such a famous and busy leader of the church. And Gaius was undoubtedly flattered by the complimentary words that John wrote to him. Because in the letter of 3rd John, the apostle commends Gaius for walking in the Truth. “2Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 5Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. 6They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 8We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth.”
Gaius, although we don’t know anything more about him than what is said in this letter, was apparently a very faithful Christian. And when some brothers in the faith had told John about Gaius and what he was doing and the Truth to which he was still clinging, John was overjoyed! In fact, he couldn’t have been happier! “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth,” he wrote. And John’s enthusiasm for Gaius’ commitment to Truth should not surprise us. Because we have already seen in our service that John made an effort to champion both love and “Truth” more than any other New Testament writer. In fact, in the gospel account that John authored, he uses the word “Truth” 25 times. That is by far the most often the word “Truth” is used in any New Testament book. Truth is really a theme that resonates throughout every chapter of John’s writings. And so of course he was thrilled to see that Gaius loved the Truth as much as he did and that his dear friend was striving to walk in the Truth in every way.
It should go without saying, of course, that the Truth John had such a passion for was more than just telling the truth or being truthful. It was more than his own ideas or inclinations. The Truth John cared about was much more powerful. It was the Truth of God’s Word. And we know that because John himself records for us a conversation that Jesus had with those who believed in him. “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). And later on in that gospel account John details for us these words that Christ spoke to his Father: “Sanctify them by the Truth; your word is Truth” (John 17:17). This is the Truth John was dedicated to: God’s Word, Christ’s teaching. The Truth of the Bible is what filled John’s heart. And so when he heard about Gaius’ faithfulness to what he himself held so close to his heart, he couldn’t help but commend his close friend for embracing this Truth of God’s Word and holding fast to Christ’s teachings found in Scripture. It was really the greatest compliment Gaius or any other Christian could receive: that he was being faithful and walking in the Truth of God’s Word.
Do you think that if the apostle John were still around today, he would write the same things about you? Would “the disciple whom Jesus loved” commend you for walking in the Truth and would his heart be filled with joy because of the report he had received about you? Personally, I think I would be a little nervous about what John might write to me. Because I don’t think the report he would hear about me would be any good! I certainly love the Truth and I strive to stay faithful to the Truth, but when I see what the Truth of God’s Word says and how I should live as a Christian, I know that I do not walk in it as I should. Sometimes I don’t even want to.
Just look at one part of the Truth of God’s Word that Gaius himself was commended for: the Truth about love. John wrote to him, “Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love.” One of the main ways Gaius was walking in the Truth was by walking in love. He was supporting those who needed help. He was offering of himself. He was sacrificing his time and his possessions for the good of others. And we are to do the same. Not only for brothers and sisters in the faith, but even for those who are unbelievers, for those who are anti-Christian, for those who are your enemies! The Truth of God’s Word clearly says in many different ways that no matter how much a person hates you, not matter how often a person abuses you, no matter how evil that person may be, you are to give them the full extent of your love without exception. That is how we walk in the Truth: by walking in love.
And I don’t do that! I don’t even like that particular Truth of God’s Word most of the time! Because I want to be angry at others who harm me. I want to hold a grudge. I want to be a little cruel and unpleasant at times because they deserve it! Because they asked for it! Because they aren’t worth the effort of my love! I have no problem loving those who love me back. But to love with a completely self-sacrificing kind of love someone who despises me? Someone who takes advantage of me? Someone who disdains everything I believe and even mocks my God in whom I rely? I would rather call down unspeakable curses on those kinds of people. I would rather wish and hope and pray that they would have the most miserable lives possible on this earth instead of sending one ounce of Christian love their way.
And maybe you’re a little more loving than I am. In fact, I know that some of you are. But there are certain people in this life that you find hard to love, don’t you? There are people that just rub you the wrong way, people that sicken you, people that annoy you - and sometimes they are even your own Christian brothers and sisters. People you should care for, but people you don’t even like. People you should go out of your way for, but people you try to avoid instead. People that your heart should go out to, but people that you can barely stand to look at. My friends, that is not living in Christian love. And that is definitely not walking in the Truth.
But John himself was guilty of that too. John did not always love others like he should have loved. Scripture itself testifies to John’s shortfalls in that area. Nor was John’s friend Gaius innocent of that particular sin either. Gaius in no way loved all others with a Christ-like love at all times. These two men were not any holier than you are. John even wrote in his first letter, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the Truth is not in us… But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One” (1 John 1:8; 2:1). Both John and Gaius fully understood that neither of them could walk in love for the Truth without tripping, without falling, without walking in the other direction at times. But neither of them were bothered too much by that either. Because they also knew that every time they did fall, every time they didn’t love others as they ought, every time they refused to walk in Truth, Jesus himself spoke to the Father in their defense. And the Father listened. The Father gave them a reprieve every time because, as John himself confesses about Christ, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 1:2). John, Gaius, and every Christian since have firmly believed that Jesus not only stands in front of his Father on behalf of sinners, he also hung on the nails of the cross for sinners. He was not only the negotiator, he was the ransom. Jesus sacrificed himself. Jesus offered up himself. Jesus put everything else in this universe on hold so that he could make sure that we would never have to undergo what we deserve, but rather we would get what only he deserves: eternal life, a home of perfection, constant joy and peace and glory for all of eternity.
That’s love. That is the original Christ-like love. And that is also the Truth. That is the Truth in which Gaius walked. That is the Truth to which John dedicated his life. And that is the Truth in which we are saved. The Truth about Christ and his love. The Truth that forgives. The Truth that never lets us down. No one knew that better than “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” John was a witness to that love. He was a recipient. And because he was a recipient, he was also an ambassador. And so was his friend Gaius. And so are you. You are a witness of Christ’s love through the pages of Scripture. You are a recipient of that love. And you are now an ambassador of that love to the world by your words and your actions. And every time you live your life as a Christian, you are living in love. You are walking in the Truth.
And so do you think the apostle John would commend you for walking in the Truth as he did in the letter to his friend Gaius? I think he would. Because John commended Gaius not because he couldn’t find any faults in the way he walked in the Truth, but because of the reason Gaius walked in the Truth. And that reason was Christ. I think John would write you that same kind of letter, not because you walk in the Truth without fault, but because of the reason you walk in the Truth. You trust that the Lord has rescued you from sin. You fully rely on Christ and his cross for your eternal life. You are confident in his love. And that love of Christ in turn moves you to strive to love all others in the same way that you have been loved. You might never be an apostle John. You might not even be a Christian like Gaius was. But you believe and you walk in the Truth just like they did. And my heart is overjoyed that you do. I commend you for your love these past few years. I commend you for walking in the Truth. I think John would too. I know Christ does.
Amen.

“May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” - 2 Thess. 2:16-17