# 25 2021 Devotion 3 Jn. 1:3. Truth Speaks! Read all of Chapter 1 first. The purpose of these devotionals is to draw closer to God and grow spiritually by applying His Word to our daily living. All passages are taken from the NIV.
3 Jn.1:3 “It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.”
John writes a personal letter to a friend, Gaius, commending him for living the truth. He is one of the church leaders who is accepting the teachers John has sent to churches in the Roman providence of Asia. Apparently that is not the case for all churches and John indirectly warns that leader, Diotrephes, that he is coming to him to point out his errors. John also commends Demetrius, who “is well spoken of by everyone–-and even by the the truth itself.”
How does the truth speak? “Possibly the Gospel personified.” (NIV) At this time of our experience and of the experience of the church, this is how it should be as it was in the beginning at John’s time: followers of Jesus living the truth of the Gospel by imitating Jesus in all aspects of their lives. As it was in John’s day so it is today; it can take one person, one leader, one pastor to lead a church astray.
In John’s day the powers that be and the population in general was opposed to the Gospel and there was no church history recorded. Today, “the church is an interpretive community, where collective wisdom across church history and in various policy structures {denominations, elder boards, membership} provide guard rails against errant theology.” (The Wisdom Pyramid by Brett McCracken, p. 89) Even so, today we have much more to deal with.
Today, we have a large section of society and many secular leaders who have heard the truth and may have at one time walked in it but now have rejected the truth of the Gospel and are adamantly opposed to church, Christianity as defined today, and to the followers of Jesus. It is important therefore, that the truth speaks in us, and by us. The Gospel must be personified in every aspect of our lives!
Lord Jesus, fill us with your Spirit and allow Him to speak your truth though us and may your truth live through us, Amen!
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