3 JOHN 1-6 – The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. 2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 5 Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, 6 who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.
THEME OF THE DAY. HOW ARE WE KNOWN? What would be the response during a conversation with a small group of Christians if we dropped the name “Gaius” as a person to discuss? Would the group go silent out of ignorance? What about each of us? Would we have any knowledge of this noble follower of Jesus Christ? Or would we find ourselves in the “head scratching” crowd? Well, I hope not but if so, it won’t be so after today’s nugget. Say hello to “Gaius” – a worthy example of a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Apostle John loved this dear brother. A lot. He opens his personal letter to him with the words, “beloved Gaius” and he cannot get beyond five more words without referring to him again as “beloved.” But he isn’t done . . . in verse five, “beloved” flows still yet again from the pen of John about this fellow believer. And the words of affirmation are spread throughout the letter. John commends him for his faithfulness while focusing on the two highest marks of faithfulness; walking in truth and showing love (3 John 3-6).
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to be “Gaius-like” in our reputation among people. John says of him, “For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth” (3 John 3). Notice it wasn’t Gaius himself boasting of his obedient life of living by God’s truth. He had a reputation of being such a person. Others affirmed the high spiritual quality of his life. Imagine a group of Christians were in a conversation. Someone drops your name, my name, into the conversation. What kind of reputation would be recognized? Gaius-like walking in truth? Or one damaging to the testimony of the Gospel and Lord Jesus by our hypocrisy? Beloved, it should never be so. If we claim to be born again by truth, then we are to walk by truth establishing a reputation of a person of truth in word and deed, like Gaius (1 John 1:6-7).
But there was something else about Gaius. He had a reputation of practicing love to other Christians – Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, 6 who testified to your love before the church. Like living by truth, Gaius didn’t boast of his acts of love. Other people gave testimony to his love. And once again, we need to look at ourselves. Are we Gaius-like in our love for other believers? Do we have a reputation of selfless service under the control of Christ’s love? Or a sad, selfish reputation of living for ourselves? One point of great importance; people who walk in truth are also people who love. They are a divine marriage that will never be separated. A person cannot profess truth and not practice love. It is contradiction.
Well, if we didn’t know the man named “Gaius” before today, we do now. May his humble example of loving Christ by walking in truth and love energize us to pursue the same God-honoring testimony among God’s people and the world observing us.
PRAYER: “Father, may I be known as a person walking in Your truth controlled by Your love.”
QUOTE: “To have a reputation of being a man or woman of truth and love is the end of all Christian pursuits.”