1:5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers,
1:6 who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well,
1:7because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles.
1:8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.
John had already called Gaius beloved once, in verse 2 of this letter, and he calls him beloved one more time in verse 11. There is no mistaking that John had a clear understanding of God's love for people, and this is why He sent Christ into the world. It's because He loves people.
John went on in the passage we are looking at to commend Gaius for his faithful support of brethren, and for strangers. Gaius had provided aid to both of these groups. The strangers would be literally those people whom Gaius did not know.
These traveling ministers, and missionaries had borne witness, or told of Gaius's love before the church where John was.
Gaius was also encouraged by John to continue his financial support for those in ministry. John called it sending them forth on their journey in a manner worthy of God, and that he would be doing well if he did.
So, what is the manner worthy of God? It would be to provide what is needed. That's what Paul said in Philippians 4:19 "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus"
So, what Gauis was doing was to provide "all that was needed"
The reason for this support is because "they went forth for His name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles" It was Paul's practice also to never ask for money from the unsaved to whom he was speaking to. But rather, he would be supported by those whom he had ministered to. The reason he would not take anything from them, is that he did not want to hinder the gospel of Christ, by being seen as doing what he did just for the money, ( as apparently many false prophets and charlatans were doing ) See 1st Cor 9, and 1st Thess 2:9
Finally, in the passage before us, John says that "we ought to receive such" referencing the traveling ministers and missionaries. And, adds that "we may become fellow workers for the truth"
John was putting his stamp of approval upon these ministers, and encouraging others to share in the work of getting the truth out.
It's helpful to realize that in the next section of this letter, that John brings up a person who would not receive these ministers. This man, Diotrophes, was said to be "prating against us with malicious words" This means that he was a man boiling over if you will, and saying hateful things about John and others who were of John's mind, and insinuating many things about them.
We will look more in detail at him tomorrow. But, what sad person he was. John has much to say about him.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
