“For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.” (3John 1:3)
Evidently the brethren spoken of here may have been traveling evangelists of whom John speaks about in verses 5-8. “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 fellow helpers to the Truth.” (3John 1:7-8) They gave a good report of Gaius, that he had the Truth and that he walked in the Truth.
The Truth is the Gospel and all the teachings of Jesus. The behavior of Gaius gave testimony that the Truth was in him. Jesus said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” (Matthew 7:16) He also walked in the Truth. His hospitality toward the brethren showed brotherly love for those of the family of God. “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:” (3John 1:5-6)
I doubt that liars are saved. They say they have the Truth. They go through the motions of joining a church, but their words and actions speak about who they really are. “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” (Matthew 12:34) It’s not about a ritual or completing certain requisites that makes one a Christian. The Truth doesn’t enter one’s heart by osmosis. And we cannot be what we are not.
The Truth cannot be in us if we don’t have an encounter with the Lord. It’s a realization that we are sinners, without hope, bound in sin because we cannot escape the kingdom of darkness, owned and influenced by evil and wickedness, living in death and on our way to eternal death. We have depended on our own strength and wisdom and see that that our hearts have deceived us. Our wisdom is useless and our strength an illusion. But the person in this condition cannot see. Their eyes are blinded and closed to the Truth. Our prayers for those lost in the kingdom of darkness is that the Lord will mercifully open their eyes and that they will have an encounter with Jesus.
Paul had such an encounter. He was a zealot Jew with authority to arrest Christians. He went out of his way and out of the hub of his world to pursue Christians. But Jesus met him on his way. And immediately, although blinded physically, he saw that Jesus lives and is Lord. (Acts 9:1-9) Our encounter with the Lord might not be as dramatic, but it’s just as miraculous. It’s just as life changing as Paul’s conversion. And God is just as merciful to us as He was to Paul.
It's life changing because we are no longer who we were. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2Corinthians 5:17) That old sinful man has died. “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:3) God seeing the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10) saw our old man die at the cross with Jesus when we believed on Him and received His work of redemption. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Romans 6:6) And if we are no longer sinful people with a sinful nature, then it should show forth in our words and actions.
Gaius’ words and actions were proof of his eternal salvation. Jesus lived in him and through him. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) And just as Paul says Christ lives in him and he lives by the faith of Jesus, should we. John the Baptist told the Pharisees and Sadducees that came to the baptisms, to show proof of their repentance. “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:” (Matthew 3:8) Our fruit tells of our encounter with Jesus. Just like Paul and Gaius, our speech and actions of love are proof that Jesus is in us and living through us.
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