This morning, many incorrectly think or assume that truth is a relative idea. They say that truth is relative, and fact is absolute. That might be all right if it was not all wrong. The reason that truth is absolute is that God is Truth personified. If anything is unresolved in our minds, the truth is still the truth. As my earthly father once said, "The truth is still the truth whether I believe it or not. The truth is still the truth whether you believe it or not. The truth is still the truth whether nobody believes it or not." 

Here, John writes to folks dearly beloved to him. They have a special bond directly rooted in the fact that they follow after the truth. Natural kinship, social status, or personal compatibility does not make these people precious. The common bond of truth makes these people special. Our churches today are composed of people from many different social strata, and there is a diversity of personalities therein. However, what draws us together is the fact that we share the truth of God's word in close fellowship and love. Notice that John had no greater joy than that his children walked in the truth. This means that they did not just believe in the truth, but they walked and followed after it as well.  

This text shows that the true church of God does not preach a doctrine of "do-nothing." They were up and about the Master's business. They did not just listen to the preaching, but they tried to implement it in their lives to the furtherance of God's glory and praise. This shows that they did not just have the truth, but they had a proper spirit as well. The two key factors to serving God properly are in spirit and in truth. These people had the truth, but they also lived what they preached. Indeed, to a minister of the gospel, there is no greater joy than to know that the ones you preach to receive and use the preaching to God's glory and their edification.

In Hope,

Bro Philip