It Starts with the Soul! (3 John 2)

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.       

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THE STUDY:

John continues the heart felt address by calling Gaius “Beloved.” The Greek word (agapētos) means “very dear.” When I look at this verse in the Greek I see John stating the idea that as goes Gaius’ soul so goes his health and his success. If I, personally, was to translate this it would read, “My Dear friend, I pray the Lord has prospered you and you are in good health which is directly connected to your spiritual healthiness.” This verse, then, appears to be a wish that all may go well with Gaius’s whole person, as indeed it goes well with his soul.^[1]

The one thing we would want to be careful with is the phrase that all may go well with you. It should not be taken as an implicit divine promise of physical health at all times for all God’s people. Certainly it is not basis for “name-it-claim-it,” “health and wealth,” prosperity gospel. It is merely a typical secular greeting. It employs the metaphor of being led along a good road or path.^[2]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that everything starts with a spiritually healthy soul (psyche). We understand that there is a correlation between a healthy soul and success as well as one’s health. It starts with and continues throughout our lives with the SOUL!

CONCLUSION:

 Just recently, I was talking with a father whose son is going through a time in every young man’s life where they are trying to define who they are. The father shared that his son is looking to the world for the answers. The son believes that the definition of a man is determined by and found in the world.

I shared with this father that the definition of a man was never defined by or found in the world! The definition of a man was defined by God and found in Him. The one who created man is the one who defines him. The beginning of this young man’s quest should start “in” and “with” his soul.

The nurturing of a healthy soul will always have a divine result. For many young men today who are seeking the answer to this question I encourage you to go to the one who created you. As for the rest of us this morning, let us continue to nurture our soul! For as goes the soul goes everything else.  

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Kruse, C. G. (2000). The letters of John. The Pillar New Testament commentary (221). Grand Rapids, Mich.; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.

^[2] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (207). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.