PROSPER in ALL things, but ‘WALK in TRUTH’!
December
24 Bible Reading: 2 John, 3 John, Jude
PROSPER in ALL things, but ‘WALK in TRUTH’!
"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper
in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced
greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as
you walk in the truth. I have no
greater joy than to hear that my children walk
in truth." (3 John 1:2-4)
In the above
passage, Apostle John is wishing his beloved Gaius that his physical health
might correspond to his spiritual vigor. Gaius was clearly a dear friend of
Apostle John. His physical health and prosperity was as important to John as
his spiritual health. So, John prays that the temporal prosperity and physical
health of Gaius will be commensurate with his spiritual status. This prayer gives
us a warrant for praying for the physical, the material, and the spiritual
well-being of others; and also provides us with a model of intercession.
The reason
for John’s prayer was because he had heard from others that Gaius’s lifestyle
was consistent with the truth. Truth here refers to the ‘body of truth’ given to the church
through the apostles and prophets, that is, according
to God’s Word, the revelation of His truth. Gaius walked according to the
God’s Word rather than the ways of the world. He could have been a disciple of
John’s or simply a younger believer.
The
importance of doctrinal integrity and truth
is evident in John’s affirmation that nothing brought greater joy to him than
to know that his spiritual children walk in truth. What a thrill it is to
see our spiritual children going on
for the Lord, from grace to grace. This emphasizes the importance of follow-up
work in all our evangelistic endeavors.
We should
not only hold the truth, but allow
the truth to hold us. People would
rather see a sermon than hear one. People could see the truth in Gaius because
he loved it and walked in obedience to it, and that brought great joy to John. May
every Christian parent can echo this and even make it a daily prayer!
