Based on 3 John 1:11-12 (New King James Version)
“Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.
How do we know we are doing good? O even more specific, how do we know if God sees as good what we are doing? In today’s passage, we read very definitive things, without any grays (per se), because the Word simply says: “He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.” There is no long theological explanation on the issue, and very simple and direct words are being used, such words that even a very small child can understand. And it speaks about Demetrius, and that he was a person that demonstrated, without any kind of doubt, that what he was doing was good, the good that the Apostle John was talking about. So then, what is good?
Through time, the majority of people have formulated their own opinions of what it means to do good. If you took a public opinion poll, there would be many different answers. And quite possibly, there would be even more different answers within the church environment. In the world, the opinions might vary around the following: that doing what is good consists on either not hurting others, or supplying the needs of the less fortunate, or letting people do whatever makes them happy, or giving love (and that may vary greatly as well based on the different opinions that there are about love). And well, if you asked people within the church, these might possibly be their answers: to live a moral life, or to give love, or to fulfill the commandments, or to be a good person and help your neighbor, or to go to church, or to participate in church activities, or to dedicate yourself to a ministry, and so on. And within the confines or limits of the Bible, all of those things are good, but it is not necessarily the good that God is looking for. How is that?
We read, for example, of how severe and strict the Lord was in explaining that not all would enter the kingdom of heaven, even those that do things that anyone would say that are good things, things that go far beyond what we noted previously, for it is written: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23. What is the will of God, the good that we should do? The Bible further complicates things (per se) through the following passage: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. But, even though we said that this may have complicated the issue, the truth is that this passage gives us a north, a direction, that love is what defines what has value for God, the good. The Lord finally clears everything up with this very simple passage, that defines both the Old and New Testament, the all of man: “Jesus answered him, ‘The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. Mark 12:29-30. So then, if we understand the simplicity of what the Lord explained, we can then understand that what is most important is the “why”, the reason for why we do things, and that this should be what generates the other actions, and that is what defines if what we do is good before the eyes of God or not. So then, loving the Lord must be the reason and the root for everything a person does, what generates the action, and that the action be founded on the will of God, on His Word, and from there stems everything that directs our interaction with our neighbor, or rather, the second commandment, to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Now then, why should we love God above all things, and with all of our being? Because it’s the fair thing to do. The Bible tells us this: “We love Him because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19. And God demonstrated His love for us in the following manner: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. No one has done, nor can do, nor will be able to do what God has done for each one of us. And the greatest injustice in all of the universe is not returning that love in the same manner, because it is an unmerited love, only by His grace. There was no obligation due. God does not owe us anything, not at the very least. Nonetheless, He is the One that allows for you to exist, to live, to breath, to be able to do everything you do, and have everything that you have, and even more importantly, He was the One that opened the way to salvation through Jesus Christ, so that you could have eternal life. You owe Him absolutely everything. Therefore, is it fair to give the priority to something or someone else that has done far less for you? No! The all of life is to try to be fair with God, and the only way to do it is through Jesus Christ, because we cannot do it alone. And the fruit that shows that the Spirit of God is living inside of your life is this: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23. If you do not love God, then you have nothing, you are not doing what is good. The Bible tells us this: “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: ‘I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.” Revelation 2:1-5. Loving the Lord is everything, and what should be the reason of our existence and for our actions.
So then, do you love the Lord? Is he the priority in your life? Does He have first place? “And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then one said to Him, ‘Lord, are there few who are saved?’ And He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.’” Luke 13:22-24. If you do not love Him yet as you should, then put in the effort in learning how to love Him, because it is the best work that you can do, and it is totally within your reach. Remember that faith without works is dead, and that loving God and doing things for Him is the work that defines us before God. Lord bless! John