Walking in Truth

(ESV)

13Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

14As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,

15but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

16since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

(ESV)

1The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth,

4I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.

May have been an actual lady and children but most likely the church and its members

5And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.

2because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:

May have been an actual lady and children but most likely the church and its members

Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible I. INTRODUCTION vv. 1-3

The basis of this love was the truth the Christians there believed in common with one another. This

6And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

3Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.

7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.

4I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.

8Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.

5And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.

9Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

6And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting,

7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.

11for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

8Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.

9Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting,

11for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

(ESV)

22Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

23since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

(ESV)

11Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.

1The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

2Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.

3For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth.

4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

5Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are,

6who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.

7For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.

8Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

Pagans did not support the preachers of the Truth. But Gais and his church was generous as a part of who they were.

9I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.

10So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.

11Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.

12Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.

What bound them together was the truth of the Gospel.

The identified with each other by living out the truth.

They encouraged the spreading of the truth.

They did not imitate those who spread evil but imitated God who is concerned with truth.