(3 John 1-8)
In 3 John 1–8, we read a deeply personal letter from the apostle John to Gaius, a faithful member of the early church. John commends Gaius for his unwavering commitment to walking in the truth, a quality expressed through genuine hospitality and generosity towards fellow believers, especially travelling teachers and ministers. Gaius’s faithfulness not only brings joy to John but also serves as a model for Christian discipleship today. John’s prayer for Gaius in verse 2 is rooted in the evidence of his consistent faithfulness, highlighting an important biblical principle: God honours and rewards those who live by His truth and serve others selflessly.
John’s prayer for Gaius is threefold, reflecting God’s holistic desire for our wellbeing. Firstly, he prays for spiritual prosperity—that Gaius’s soul would flourish and that he would grow in grace to fulfil God’s purpose for his life. Secondly, John prays for material prosperity, asking God to provide all the resources needed for Gaius to accomplish his God-given tasks. Thirdly, he seeks physical prosperity, that Gaius would have robust health and strength to meet the demands of his calling.
- Spiritual prosperity: To thrive spiritually is to have a soul that is healthy and growing, empowered by God’s grace to live out His calling.
- Material prosperity: God desires that we have the financial and material resources necessary for every good work He entrusts to us.
- Physical prosperity: Good health and vitality are God’s gifts to enable us to fulfil His assignments with strength and vigour.
True prosperity, then, is not about personal gain or accumulation, but about having everything we need to accomplish God’s purpose in our lives and to bless others. John’s perspective reframes prosperity as a means for kingdom advancement—when God blesses us, it is so we can extend generosity and serve others. By living faithfully and treating every blessing as a seed to be sown, we align ourselves with God’s plan for true prosperity, which encompasses spiritual growth, material sufficiency, and physical wellbeing.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8).
