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By Roger A. Scully, Jr.
shame in order to fulfill His purpose, the salvation of man. Jesus, had He so desired, could have been delivered from
the shame of the cross, but as He said, “my kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would
my servants fight, that I should not be delivered” (Jn 18:36). Indeed, who could withstand the servants of Jesus had
they been called upon to fight for Him? In response Pilate asked Jesus, yet again, “art thou a king then?” to which
Jesus answered, “I am a King. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear
witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.” Pilate then asked, “what is truth?” And,
indeed, what is it? Truth is that which is fact, not opinion. Truth is that which is provable beyond doubt, not that
which is questionable. Truth is that which stands alone against all opposition, because it cannot be cast down. Truth
is that which originates from God, and is that which has come down to man revealed in the book called The Bible.
In John 8:32 Jesus spake of truth being that which is knowable; and in John 17:17 He revealed that God’s word is
truth. For this cause Paul wrote, “yea, let God be true, but every man a liar” (Rom 3:4). Despite these statements of
reality there are many who continue to ignore truth as being attainable, and even worse, suggest that real truth is
not truth at all, but call truth a lie. As the prophet said long ago, “Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil;
that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that
are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” (Isa 5:20, 21). Without doubt our day is a day which fits
the description there uttered. Christians must be so, however. Christians must recognize truth, and strive to walk in
it, just as Gaius about whom John wrote in 3 John, verse 3, where we read of him, “For I rejoiced greatly, when the
brethren came and testified of the truth that that is in thee, even as thou Walkest in the truth.” How is truth to be in
one, and how is one to walk in the truth?
Truth is in a person when the word dwells in a person. Remember Jesus said, “sanctify them through thy truth,
thy word is truth” (Jn 17:17). Paul wrote to the brethren of Colosse, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (3:16).
Hence, the truth is in a person when the word is in a person. But, how, we must know, does the word dwell in a
person? It is only possible that the truth be in us through being in our mind, just as saying concerning a loved one
who has passed, “He is always with me.” How is a person who is no longer alive in the flesh always with a person
who is? Because that person is retained in the mind, or memory. As one poet wrote of a friend who had passed, “So
your memory is all I have left now, and there is nothing more I can give. But, from time to time I can turn back in my
mind to the place where you will always live.” So it is, then, that if we want truth in us, as Gaius had in him, then we
must learn to meditate on God’s word “all the day” (Psa 119:97). We must be as Marry and “ponder” God’s word in
our heart (Lk 2:19). We must learn to think as we are instructed by Paul in Philippians 4:8, “whatsoever things are
true…honest…just…pure…lovely…of good report…if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these
things.” This is how we come to “set: our “mind on things above” (Col 3:1-5). By searching the Scriptures daily,
retaining them to memory, and allowing them to rotate in our minds, we will have the truth in his and the “loins of” our
“mind[s]” will be “gird[ed]” (1 Pet 1:13). But, not only did Gaius have the truth in him, but those around him knew it,
for “the brethren testified of” it; hence it was something observable. But how? Do you suppose that if one has filled
his mind with God’s word then it will be that about which he often speaks? Indeed, we must so conclude, because as
Jesus said, “for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh” (Matt 12:34). There was also another way
that they knew the truth was in Gaius—“as thou walkest in the truth”—it was observable in his actions.
Walk is a metaphor which figuratively speaks of one’s mannerism, etc. In Romans 13:13 Paul wrote, “Let us walk
honestly.” Since, literally speaking, to walk at all is to walk honestly, we must come to understand the metaphorical
manner employed by the term walk as is so often used in Scripture. So it is, then, that to walk in truth means to live
one’s life in harmony with the truth, which is, of course, God’s word (cf. Jn 17:17).
One walks in truth by living out the living message. This includes “not forsaking the assembly of the saints” (Heb
10:25); “seeking and saving the lost” (Mrk 16:15); speaking honestly, not being gossips (Eph 4:29); doing what is in
the best interest of others (1 Cor 13); et al.
The result of Gaius walking in the truth was causing the apostle John great joy, for he said, “I have no greater joy
than to hear that my children walk in truth” (3 Jn 4). When we walk in truth we cause the same joy to the saints, and
most certainly to our Great Father in heaven.
Is the truth in you? Do you walk in the truth? If not, then you must make changes in your life, for without having
truth in you and without walking in the truth, then it is not possible to please the Father.