Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Determining the appropriate applications for 3 John. By David Buck

The book of Third John is an epistle. This epistle was written by John to a Christian man named Gaius. The message contained in this epistle was meant for the situation that was at hand at that time, but its secondary purpose is to give Christians and churches doctrine and principle for living (see Veerman pg. 162). Out of the fourteen verses in the book of Third John, the two that I would like to touch on, are verses seven and eleven. Both of the verses that I have selected I have determined are meant to be applied as doctrine. I have concluded this based upon the definition of doctrine that Veerman has provided on page 162 of his book “How to Apply the Bible.” In verse seven, we read that “we therefore ought to receive such (missionaries), that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.” Here John is instructing all believers’ that we are to be co-laborers in the spreading of the gospel. By this verse we are taught important Christian doctrine, it is the responsibility of the Christian to support those who are missionaries, by so doing this the supporter gets the opportunity to enjoy his or her involvement in the spreading of the gospel. In verse eleven we read “follow not that which is evil, but that which is good.” In this verse John is again instructing the believer of Christian doctrine. We as Christian’s are to follow after that which is good and as we are told in the epistle of James, that faith in Christ produces good works, but faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26). We as believers are to produce good works and follow after that which is good, not after that which is evil.

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