Walking in Truth

For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

(3 John 1:3-4)

In this passage from 3 John, the Apostle John is writing to his friend and brother in Christ, Gaius (3 John 1:1). We don’t know the church John is referencing where Gaius was a member, but it is most probably a church in Asia Minor close to Ephesus where John could have preached and had influence. It is quite possible that Gaius came to faith in Christ through the evangelism of John and why John “rejoiced greatly when brethren came” to tell him about Gaius.

John is overjoyed because one of his spiritual children, Gaius, is growing in Christ and walking in the truth of the gospel. Gaius not only knows the truth, but most importantly he is confirming his Christian faith by walking in truth and sharing his faith and love of Christ with others.

What is truth? Truth is what is factual and real. Truth is reality. You’ll find that definition in any dictionary. A person who does not believe in the truth believes in what is false, or a distortion of truth and reality. We see the distortion of reality a lot in today’s culture. However, one must know and understand the meaning of truth to be a Christian.

Shortly before He was crucified, Jesus stood before Pilate in the governor’s quarters and said to him, “For this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (John 8:37).

Pilate said to Him, most probably in a mocking and condescending way, “What is truth?” (John 8:38). This question from Pilate is not unordinary and has been asked by philosophers, scientists, and truth-seekers throughout history. Mankind has always been in a search for truth, especially the truth of God.

One thing is certain. Truth is important to God. He is not only the God of truth, but He is truth, and desires that you know the truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Jesus would later pray to God the Father for His disciples to be sanctified by the truth of God’s Word, saying, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17).

The entirety of God’s Word, from Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21, is truth. The Psalmist wrote, “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of your righteous judgments endures forever” (Ps. 119:160).

Jesus Christ is truth, God’s Word is truth, and therefore, the gospel of Jesus Christ is truth. The Apostle Paul says in his letter to the Ephesians, “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Eph. 1:13). In his letter to the Colossians, Paul says, “The hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel” (Col. 1:5).

What is the truth of the gospel? The gospel is God’s true biblical message about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for, and in the place of sinners, and those sinners who believe in Christ are forgiven of their sins and receive the gift of salvation for eternal life in Him.

Do you believe the gospel of Jesus Christ? Are you walking in the truth of Christ? Christians are forgiven sinners who have been given the gift of eternal life by God’s grace through faith in Christ (Eph. 2:8-9). We are new creations in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) who desire to follow the truth of God’s word and live walking in truth.