The Truth

Meditations on the Epistles of Saint John

November 5, 2020

The Truth

This letter is from John, the elder. I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, 

whom I love in the truth.

3 John 1:1

In the opening passage of Third John, 3 John 1: 1-8, The Apostle used the word, truth, four times:

“whom I love in the truth” (1:1),

“you are living according to the truth” (1:3),

“to hear that my children are following the truth” (1:4), and

“as they teach the truth” (1:8).

The context suggests to me that John assumes he and the recipients of his letter are in complete agreement on ‘the truth.’ Certainly, John remembered Jesus saying, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), so whatever he believed the ‘truth’ to be, it was grounded in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. But what do you think John has in mind, specifically, when he commends the church to love in the truth, live according to the truth, follow the truth and teach the truth?

Truth is a person: Jesus Christ. To love, live, follow and teach the truth is to hold tight to the ground of our faith, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Because Christ is in us, the acrostic WWJD is more than a catchy phrase; it is an absolute reality. When we take the time to pause and pray, in any circumstance, even the simplest of circumstances, we can seek the wisdom and direction of Jesus as we ask, “Jesus, what will you have me say or do at this time?” “Jesus, how do you will that I respond to this opportunity?”

My Takeaway: When we so chose to respond to our environment, truth is not just a fact or quality; truth becomes a living, dynamic, powerful energy for transformation, transforming our own life and transforming the world around us.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

 

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.