Third John 1

The Bible says in Third John verse 1, “The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.” John identifies himself in the same way that he did when he wrote the book of First John: “the elder.” It may mean that the two books are closely connected and perhaps were written to the same audience. In verse 9 when John spoke of the fact that he “wrote unto the church,” perhaps John was referring to the Epistle of Second John. Perhaps Gaius was the pastor of the same church to which John had written in Second John.

Even though John addresses Gaius by name, John is obviously speaking about the entire congregation because he mentions the church throughout this epistle. John uses the word church in verses 6, 9, and 10, and John speaks of the church in other ways also such as with the word “friends” in verse 14.

The Apostle John said that he loved Gaius “in the truth.” In other words the basis for John loving Gaius was “the truth.” We can also say that there was a close connection between the love that John had for Gaius and the truth. John did not love Gaius because Gaius was a great person. He did not love Gaius because of any particular characteristics about Gaius. He did not love Gaius because of the look that Gaius had on his face. He did not love Gaius because of some special talent or gift that Gaius had. John loved Gaius because of the truth. Jesus is the truth. The truth centers around who Jesus is and what Jesus did for us on the cross of Calvary. How can one Christian love another Christian? Because of Jesus and for Jesus sake, we can and must love other Christians. Our common knowledge of the truth is what ties us together. There are a thousand things that might separate us, but our common knowledge of the truth is what ties us together and is what must compel us to love one another. We are of the same spiritual family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We will all live together forever in the Kingdom of God as part of the greatest family ever. We all know Jesus as Savior.

The Bible says in Third John verse 3, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” There are three types of prosperity mentioned here: general prosperity, physical prosperity, and spiritual prosperity. Gaius already had one of them, the most important one, spiritual prosperity. Our lives are made up of body and spirit, so we are not everything that we can be unless we have prosperity in every area. But first things must be set first. A lot of people seek material prosperity without first taking care of their own spiritual needs. If that is the case, they will not have the wisdom to know how to properly use their material or physical prosperity should they have it.

John wrote, “I wish above all things that you may prosper.” The word that is translated “prosper” means to have a good journey. Of course, it is talking about the journey of life. It is talking about the physical and material things that happen to a person. Paul used the same word in an even more literal sense in Romans 1:10 where Paul wrote, “If by any means I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.” You are prosperous if good things happen to you along your way. Sorrows and troubles and tribulations and woes and distresses can happen to anyone, but it would be better if they did not. It would be better if a believer had a good journey through life filled with opportunity and accomplishment. Some of the good things that create a good journey are the consequences of decisions that we each make, but some of the good things are totally out of our control. They just happen. John was saying that for these things he hopes and wishes and prays that these believers to whom he was writing would have good things happen to them in their life’s journey and not bad things. John obviously knew that anyone could suffer bad things. It just might be your destiny to go through a long period of time with the sufferings of Job. Some people will have that, and hopefully they will also have faith in Christ to get them through it. But it would be better to not suffer such terrible things. That is one reason that we look forward to going to heaven. When we are in heaven with Jesus our Savior, all of the sufferings will be done forever. If it is good to have no sufferings in heaven, then it is good to have no sufferings on earth also. If good things have happened to you, do not feel guilty about it. Take the prosperity and use it for good.

John wrote in Third John verse 3, “For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walketh in the truth.” You cannot hide the truth. You cannot hide the truth about what really motivates you and what you are really all about. Generally speaking, with people who are fair and honest, the truth will be known. If you are walking in the truth, the truth about you will come out and be known. If you are not walking in the truth, that also will be known. The point is that you have an effect on people, and if you walk in the truth you will help the people of God who know you. They will be encouraged and they will rejoice to see that you are walking in the truth.

What does it mean to walk in the truth? The believer who is walking in the truth has a close relationship with the truth. Jesus is the truth. The believer who is walking in the truth has a close relationship with Jesus. The believer is centered on Jesus. He trusts in Jesus, he prays to Jesus, he serves Jesus. He confesses his sins to Jesus daily and finds daily forgiveness. Just because someone is involved in a religious organization does not mean that such a person is walking in the truth.

John wrote, “I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth.” The great joy that the Apostle John had was to see spiritual children walking in truth. They were spiritual children because they had been given spiritual life through faith in Jesus and also by means of the ministry of John and those who worked with him. Some people must suffer great sorrow because of what has happened to their children. They cannot rejoice because of what has happened to their children. Perhaps what they need is to acquire spiritual children in order to have the kind of joy that the Apostle John had.

In verse 5 the Apostle John starts giving some instructions regarding how to properly treat other believers, especially those who are involved in the spread of the gospel and who happen to be passing your way. In Second John he made it very clear how to treat the false prophets. He wrote in Second John verses 10-11, “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” There should be a very big difference in the way that believers treat those who have come their way with the truth of the gospel. Verse 5 of Third John says, “Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers.” In one sense these believers to whom John was referring were strangers, but they were not really strangers because they were “brethren.” If you really think that someone is your brother in Christ, then you will assist them when they need your assistance.

It is not enough to say that you love God’s children. What you have done for God’s children is what really shows how much you love them. The Bible says in Third John verse 6, “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.” Of course, the word “charity” means love. Make sure that you proclaim your love for the children of God, and then make sure that you show your love by actually doing something to help those who need your help. Those who are “strangers” and those who are on a “journey” often need help. They are more vulnerable. They might need a hot meal or a word of encouragement, or something even more substantial to help them on the road that God has put them on.

In verse 7 John gives more information that helps to identify who he is talking about when he speaks of those who need assistance from other believers. It says, “Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.” We are told why these particular believers are on a journey. They are on a journey “for his name’s sake.” They are on a journey for the sake of the name of Christ. Jesus Christ is the greatest of all names. Jesus Christ is the name that can forgive sins, save the soul, and heal the sick. His name is the name that should be put up in lights and celebrated. “There is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved.” Believers understand the importance of spreading the name of Christ.

In the history of Christianity believers have journeyed all over the globe for the sake of spreading the name of Christ. You can participate in their good deeds by helping them on their way. The reason that they need help is given here in verse 7. It says that such believers took “nothing of the Gentiles.” That has always been God’s way to provide for his servants: the believers should give, not the unbelievers, so that the ministers can live from those offerings. It was that way in the Old Testament. Israelites offered animals to be sacrificed, and the priests used some of the offerings for their own food. In the New Testament the Bible says in First Corinthians 9:14, “Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.” It is not God’s will that His work should be financed by unbelievers.

The day will come when every believer will give an answer for what they did to help spread the gospel. If you have material prosperity, it is because God gave it to you; and He gave it to you for a reason. Those believers who were given prosperity by God and who did not use their prosperity for the spread of the gospel will find that they wasted what God had given to them. James wrote to rich believers who did not use their material prosperity properly in James 5:1-3 that says, “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.” Why are some people made rich? One thing is for sure. They are not made rich to hoard their riches. They are made rich in order to use their riches to accomplish good things, and there is no better thing than the spread of the gospel. And there are none who deserve more your financial assistance than those who are involved in the spread of the gospel of Christ.

In Third John verse 8 the Apostle John reminds us one more time why we should be helpers of our brothers in Christ who have gone forth for the sake of the name of Christ. He writes, “We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.” The word that is translated “fellowhelpers” means fellowlaborers. There is a great deal of work to be done. We need each other to get as much done as possible in the most important of all tasks: spreading the gospel and making disciples. Unless we help each other, much less will get accomplished. One person using his or her gift can do a few things. But with assistance from other believers, together they can do much more. It is not God’s will that we be isolated or separated from each other doing our own thing. The truth will suffer if that happens. The truth will only be spread and the name of Christ will only be spread if we truly are fellowlaborers.

___________________________________________________