3 John 3

The truth was in Gaius, and Gaius walked in the truth. If the first had not been the case, the second could never have occurred; and if the second could not be said of him, the first would have been a mere pretense. Truth must enter into the soul, penetrate and saturate it, or else it is of no value.

Doctrines held as a matter of creed are like bread in the hand, which provides no nourishment to the body; but doctrine accepted by the heart is like food digested, which, by assimilation, sustains and builds up the body. In us, truth must be a living force, an active energy, an indwelling reality, a part of the very fabric of our being.

If it is in us, we cannot from then on part with it. A man may lose his garments or his limbs, but his inward parts are vital and cannot be torn away without absolute loss of life. A Christian can die, but he cannot deny the truth. Now, it is a rule of nature that the inward affects the outward, just as light shines from the center of the lantern through the glass. Therefore, when the truth is kindled within, its brightness soon beams forth in the outward life and conduct.

It is said that the food of certain worms colors the cocoons of silk which they spin; and in the same way, the nutriment upon which a man’s inward nature lives gives a tinge to every word and deed proceeding from him. To walk in the truth implies a life of integrity, holiness, faithfulness, and simplicity—the natural product of those principles of truth which the gospel teaches and which the Spirit of God enables us to receive.

We may judge the secrets of the soul by their manifestation in a man’s conduct. May it be ours today, O gracious Spirit, to be ruled and governed by your divine authority, so that nothing false or sinful may reign in our hearts, so that it does not extend its malignant influence to our daily walk among men.