The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

3 John 1:1-15: “The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

3 For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.

4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

5 Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers;

6 and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.

7 For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.

8 Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.

9 I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say.

10 For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church.

11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.

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

13 I had many things to write to you, but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink;

14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak face to face.

15 Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.”

This letter was written by the aged Apostle John to Gaius, one of Paul’s hosts (Rom. 16:23), one whom Paul had baptized (vs. 4) and who was continuing to live faithfully in the LORD. It’s always best to commence a letter with the mention of a good man.

As we become older, we become bolder in stating forthrightly what we would not have said in our youth (v. 9). Although Paul is doubtlessly quite old as he writes, he calls attention to the faithless Diotrephes, who wants desperately to become a leader in the church, despite his lack of qualifications. (Believe me, there is always at least one!) Still, there are those good, godly, dependable, Biblical people, whose lives demonstrate their love and likeness of the LORD. Are you one of those? I pray that you are! May God bless you if you are and help you if you are not!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

Gene

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom