INTRO: I have preached in the past concerning the awful testimony of Diotrephes (The Spirit of Diotrephes). Today I will preach about the wonderful testimony of Gaius.

What I will show you is not self testimony, it is testimony given by others about Gaius!

1 - Testimony Concerning Gaius & the Truth (1-4)

A - IT WAS IN HIM

-Gaius knew what was true and he held on to these truths.
-The truth was ingrained, entrenched, imbedded, and hidden in his heart.
-This is why he was so dearly loved by John.
-It is up to each of us to FIND the TRUTH and to embrace it.
-“Buy the truth, and sell it not…” (Pro. 23:23)
-“What is truth” - Where is truth? (SEE John 8:31-32 & John 14:6)
-We should find a church and a pastor that we KNOW is helping us to discover truth – and we should stay put!

B - HE WALKED IN IT

-Gaius not only KNEW the TRUTH and EMBRACED the TRUTH… but he LIVED it, he WALKED it.
-It is not enough to KNOW TRUTH, we must LIVE THE TRUTH!
-“…be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22)
-To KNOW truth and NOT LIVE truth is a sin! (Jms. 4:17) -“blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” (Luke 11:28)
-“if ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (Jn. 13:17)

A - WHATSOEVER THOU DOEST

-Gaius not only KNEW the truth, EMBRACED the truth, WALKED in the truth, but he was a FAITHFUL man.
-The testimony concerning Gaius was that he was faithful in “whatsoever”.
-Faithful people are hard to find.
-“…a faithful man who can find?” (Pro. 20:6)
-Many people who claim to be God’s people:

-Are not faithful to read & study their Bible
-Are not faithful to prayer meetings or to prayer
-Are not faithful to attend holy gatherings
-Are not faithful to witness
-Are not faithful to work in the ministry
-Are not faithful to give tithes & offerings
-Are not faithful to their own convictions

-Even those who WERE faithful stop being faithful
-(SEE Psa. 12:1)
-Not Gaius… the testimony people gave of him was that he was FAITHFUL.

A - TO BRETHREN and STRANGERS

-Gaius loved other Christians
-This, of course, is one of the signs of salvation
-“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” (1Jn. 3:14)
-“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:5)
-This should be fairly easy… but Gaius also loved STRANGERS!
-This may be difficult for some people, but showing love to strangers is a good and Christian thing to do.
-“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: (reminder) for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (incentive)” (Heb.13:2)
-“Love ye therefore the stranger: (command) for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. (reminder)” (Deut. 10:19)
-“I was a stranger, and ye too me in…” (Matt. 25:43)

B - HIS LOVE WAS CHARITY

-His love was not in word only – in fact that is the CHEAPEST type of love.
-His love was shown by his CHARITY or BENEVOLENCE.
-(SEE James 2:14-17) (SEE ALSO 2Cor. 8:1-8)
-Some people only have a feigned love so that they can take advantage of others. Their goal is to act nice, act friendly, act loving so that later they can get from you whatever you may have that they want. This stinks to the high heavens!
-These are the same people that steal towels from a motel, and enjoy half of their meal at the restaurant and then complain so that they get it free. Watch out for these people because they ACT like your loving friend today – tomorrow they will sue you.
-Our love should not be to take advantage
-(SEE Exodus 22:25-27)

C - HIS LOVE BENEFITED THE MINISTRY

-Gaius loved people, he loved the brethren, he loved strangers… but his love and his charity was especially directed to the gospel ministry.
-“…that we might be fellow helpers to the truth”
-Our love for people ought to benefit “the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the ground of the truth.”