Today’s passage: 3 John 1:1–4
Focus verse: I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (3 John 1:4)
John’s third letter is to his dear friend Gaius, a man John loves in the truth. Loving in the truth is the same affirmation he writes to the chosen lady in his second letter, 2 John.
It thrills John to hear the testimony of others that Gaius is faithful to the truth and continues to walk in it. John has no greater joy than to know that his children are walking in the truth.
If this idea of walking in the truth sounds familiar, it’s because John uses the same language to affirm some of the chosen lady’s children who are walking in the truth (Day 32).
Though it should no longer surprise us, only John’s letters mention this idea of walking in the truth. The rest of the Bible doesn’t use this phrase, so we can’t tap its other appearances in Scripture to understand it better.
Even so, we’ve talked about how John’s use of truth is a nod to the good news about Jesus and the eternal life he offers, with truth personified in Jesus.
Though Jesus never tells his followers to “walk in the truth,” he often invites them to “follow me.” Even though he sometimes tells people to do other things, the simplest instruction he gives is “follow me.”
When we follow Jesus, we stop doing what we’re doing, thereby changing our course (we repent) to follow him.
Therefore, when we decide to follow Jesus, we decide to walk in the truth. As such, John’s euphemism to walk in the truth is synonymous with Jesus’s invitation to follow me.
Though walking in the truth starts with a one-time decision to follow Jesus, it’s also ongoing. Walking is active. We must build on our initial commitment to our Savior by making an intentional decision each day to continue to walk with him.
In this way we find ourselves continuing to follow him. As we do, we walk in the truth. And this delights John, with unsurpassed joy.
May we live lives of walking in the truth each day.
Questions:
- What testimony might others hear about us?
- What does walking in truth mean to you?
- Is following Jesus the same as walking in truth? Why?
- How well are we doing at walking in the truth?
- What actions should we take today to continue to follow Jesus?
Discover more about following Jesus in Luke 9:23 and John 10:27.
Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.
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Discover practical, insightful, and encouraging truths in Love One Another, a devotional Bible study to foster a deeper appreciation for the two greatest commandments: To love God and to love others.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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