III John verses 4-8
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 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: Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth."
In this passage of Scripture the Apostle John is writing a church and in this letter we find that he gives the testimony of these people. John gave witness to three truths concerning this church and some of its individual members:
I. A Witness of their Walk (vs. 3, 4)
II. A Witness of their Works (vs. 5, 6)
III. A Witness of their Workmen (vs. 1, 9, 12)
While John gives us many truths in this epistle, the thought that the Lord gave me is this: No matter how I try to put up a facade people, through my day to day life, know who I really am.
The Bible states in 1Corinthians 8:3, "But if any man love God, the same is known of him." This verse teaches that if a man really loves God people know it!
This passage in III John and also the verse in 1 Corinthians is very convicting.
My heart's desire as a pastor, parent, husband, & friend is that I might be real! I do not want to be hypocritical in my preachings and lifestyle! I wish to not hinder the cause of Christ by being fake in deed and attitude!
I know that no matter who we are or how long we have been serving the Lord that there will be some inconsistencies in our lives. (Ecclesiastes 7:20, "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.")But each of us should desire, day by day, to allow the Spirit of God through his Word and by prayer to change us more and more into the image of Christ.
2Corinthians 3:18 "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
Romans 12:2, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
Whether we like it or not each believer has a testimony before the world, his church and his family! Oh, may the Lord Jesus Christ help each one of us to be more like Christ as we try to serve him "in sincerity and in truth". (Joshua 24:14 "Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.")
