Podcast 117, 3 John, “Pt 7, Ch 1”

John addresses his third epistle ato Gaius. Such letters are valuable for not only do they teach doctrine, but they also make the first church a living church, comprised of real people. On the world stage Gaius is not important. He is given no title in the church, yet he is praised for his faith and his hospitality toward the other saints. We get the feeling of a close-knit community of saints who depend upon each other. We also get the feeling of the apostles who, at the risk of their own lives and freedom, travel about strengthening the church.

The scriptures speak of great men and women of the Lord for our benefit and learning, but they also speak of the ordinary saints who matter a great deal not only to the Lord but to the other saints. Christ was champion of those whom the world did not recognize.

· The woman at the well.

· Fishermen, Peter, Andrew, James, and John

· Tax collector, Matthew.

· Mary Magdalene, possessed by devils

· Lazarus

· Blind Bartimaeus

· Jairus’ daughter

· Anonymous souls such as the Samaritan woman, the man born blind, blind men of Jerico, paralytic lowered through the roof, invalid of Bethesda, woman with an issue of blood. Centurion’s servant, man with the withered hand, woman bent double, man with Dropsy, the Ten Lepers.

We don’t really know who Gaius was, but John’s epistle gave him immortality

3 John 1:1

The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

Gaius is apparently well known among the saints of that era, but we know nothing about him except the epitaph that John gives him. He is another name on a tombstone with a foot note whose example teaches us how to be a better Christian.

3 John 1:2-3

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.

Perhaps that is what we should take away from the Epistle to Gaius, his example. Because the truth is in him, because he walks in the truth, his soul prospers. A very brief but poignant message to all saints. We need to ‘walk in the truth.’

Where have we heard that message before? It was in John’s last Epistle to “the elect lady” who is also anonymous.

2 John 1:1-6

The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

Isn’t that all that God asks of us, that we “walk after his commandments.” We don’t measure our faith by our leaders. We measure our leaders by our faith in the commandments of God. We do not walk after man. We walk after God. Leaders change. God doesn’t. The Word doesn’t. The Ten Commandments, The Sermon on the Mount, The Two Great Commandments, the words of Prophets and Apostles—if they were true then, they are true now. They do not vary from the written word. Policies change. Programs change. Administrative decisions change. Common sense must find its way into Christianity. We should never shut the mouth of God. But the old commandments never change.

Notice John’s greatest joy.

3 John 1:4

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

When John uses the phrase “my children,” he is speaking of members of Christ’s church. We are all children of God.

Romans 8:16-17

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Apparently Gaius is well known for his charity.

3 John 1:5-6

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:

That adds to the meaning of walking in the truth. We must also walk in faith. One can only imagine how important hospitality was in those trying times. Gaius receives the saints into his home. There is a great story in the Old Testament of the Shunammite woman who created a bedroom in her home for the Prophet Elisha to use whenever he traveled through.

2 Kings 4:8–10

And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither."

Enormous blessings fell upon that good Samaritan. She was childless. Elisha blessed her that for her hospitality she would have a child even in her old age. That same child died and Elisha restored the child to life. It parallels the story of the widow who gave her last meal to Elijah, depriving herself and her son who were about to die of the famine. As a blessing the barrel of meal and cruse of oil never diminished until the famine was abated. Elijah also restored her son to life.

John admonishes the saints that they should be like Gaius.

3 John 1:5-6

Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow helpers to the truth.

We learn then to walk in truth, to walk in faith, and to help others to walk in faith and truth. John condemns those who don’t.

3 John 1:9-11

I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth 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.

In addition to the above, we must follow that which is good. The doctrine of “He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God” is very important to John. John in his first Epistle wrote:

1 John 3:2

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Only those who are like Christ will see Christ as he is. Those who are not like Christ will not be able to comprehend his glory nor will they be able to feel the fullness of his joy. Paul spoke of three degrees of glory, or three heavens. The lowest was compared to the brightness of the stars, the second was compared to the brightness of the moon, and the third, or highest, was compared to the brightness of the Sun. Paul did not give a name to the lowest. He called the second degree of glory, the Terrestrial Glory, and the third degree of glory the Celestial Glory. The Father and Son, of course, occupy the highest degree of Glory or the Celestial Kingdom. I think it is interesting that not only is the brightness of light associated with each kingdom of glory—that which is compared to the brighteness of the sun—but also the fulness of joy is associated with each kingdom of glory. We can only have a fulness of joy in the highest or celestial degree.

How do the following words connect: love, light, truth, law, life, and joy. We know how they connect. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” “The way” is to follow the law. The law refers to the commandments. That is the way John wants us to walk. Love? Well John tells us that God is love. Paul equates charity with pure love and pure love is of Christ. Christ, of course, is the key. Everything is governed by law. Light and truth are governed law and law is governed by Christ.

John also praises Demetrius. He is another anonymous saint—that is to the world—but not to John or to the early church. The rest of us can relate to the elect lady, to Gaius, and to Demetrius, for most of us live anonymously and die anonymously, but not to God. John ends his epistle with the praise of Demetrius and with a blessing to Gaius and by default to all those like Gaius and Demetrius. In the final verses, John also gives us an admonition to reach out to other saints.

Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the 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.