LOVE IN TRUTH
INTRODUCTION:
AGAIN, MOST BIBLE AUTHORITIES BELIEVE JOHN WROTE 3 JOHN DUE THE STYLE OF THE WRITINGS. HE CALLS HIMSELF “THE ELDER” AND MAY REFER TO AGE AS MUCH AS HIS POSITION IN THE CHURCH. SOME SUGGEST HE MAY HAVE BEEN THE LAST OF THE APOSTLES. THE LETTER WAS PROBABLY WRITTEN AROUND A.D. 90-91.
SPIRITUAL INSIGHT:
KEY VERSE: 3 JOHN 1: 1 “THE ELDER, TO THE BELOVED GAIUS, WHOM I LOVE IN TRUTH.”
LOVE:
GOD SETS HIS AFFECTION ON BELIEVERS. THAT AFFECTION MUST BE PASSED ON TO OTHER BELIEVERS WITHIN THE CHURCH. AFFECTION FOR FELLOW BELIEVERS MUST BE MANIFEST IN TIME. 1 JOHN 4:11 (NASB) “BELOVED, IF GOD SO LOVED US, WE ALSO OUGHT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.”
LOVE IS AN ACTION WORD. BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IS TIME INTENSIVE.
TRUTH:
IN TRUTH MEANS, YOU TRULY ARE IN ACCORD WITH GOD’S TRUTH. JESUS SAID HE WAS ONE WITH HIS FATHER. JOHN 10 30 (“I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE.”). BOTH GAIUS AND JOHN HELD THE TRUTH AS REVEALED TO THEM.
LOOK AT WHAT THE APOSTLE JOHN STATED IN JOHN 1: 14. “AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US, AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY, THE GLORY OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER, FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH.”
JOHN 14:5 JESUS STATED, “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME.”
APPLICATION: THE APOSTLE AND GAIUS LOVED AND EMBRACED THE TRUTH. TRUE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP IS BASED OF LOVE AND TRUTH AS TAUGHT BY CHRIST AND THE APOSTLES!
