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Answer
Truth is a prominent theme in the third epistle of the apostle John. The term truth is mentioned four times in the first four verses of the letter. John addresses Gaius, a church elder and close friend, commending him for his selfless behavior and Christian hospitality. John is delighted to hear that Gaius is “walking in the truth.” He concludes his greeting with, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 1:3-4;ESV).
In the Bible, a person’s “walk” signifies their conduct or way of life. The concept of walking in 3 John 1:4 is derived from the Greek verb “peripateō,” which figuratively means “to live or act in a specific manner.” Our “Christian walk” involves following Jesus Christ «Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. », (Matthew 16:24), learning from Him «Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. », (Matthew 11:29), imitating His behavior «For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. », (John 13:15), loving and living as He did (John 13:34;1 John 2:6;Romans 13:14), and being transformed into His likeness «For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. », (Romans 8:29)
The Greek term alētheia, translated as “truth” in 3 John 1:4, specifically refers to “the good news about Jesus Christ, especially as a message that aligns with (and responds to) the nature of reality.” The phrase to walk in truth is biblical symbolism for acting in a manner that aligns with the truth of Scripture, the proclamation of the gospel that Jesus preached, and the Christian beliefs we declare.
When we put into practice what we believe in our everyday lives, actions, and behaviors, we are walking in truth. Nowadays, instead of “walk in truth,” we might use phrases like “walk the talk” or “practice what you preach.” A person who walks in truth is dedicated to following God’s Word, which is truth (Psalm 119:160;John 17:17). When our way of life is grounded in the Bible, there should be no inconsistency between our beliefs and our behavior.
Walking in truth entails walking in love (Ephesians 5:2;John 13:34-35;2 John 1:5-6), a concept that John elaborated on in 1 John 4:7–11: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (NLT).
Just as walking in love displays God’s loving nature to the world, walking in truth communicates all that we understand of His truth to the world. Warren Wiersbe stated, “True living comes from the living truth” (The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2, Victor Books, 1996, p. 542). When God’s truth resides within us, the proof wilI show in our authentic godly living.
To walk in truth is to walk in the Spirit, who is truth «This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. », (1 John 5:6). The Holy Spirit teaches us all truth (John 14:17; John 16:13; Ephesians 1:13; 1 Corinthians 2:13). As we “live by the Spirit,” “keep in step with the Spirit,” and are “led by the Spirit,” we are changed from the inside out. Our behavior reflects that transformation in every part of our lives (Romans 8:4, 9; Galatians 5:16-18, 25; Ephesians 5:18).
To walk in truth is to “walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded” «Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.», (Deuteronomy 5:33). It is parallel to walking in the light (Isaiah 2:5; 1 John 1:5-7), walking by faith «(for we walk by faith, not by sight:) », (2 Corinthians 5:7) and walking in a manner worthy of the Lord and our calling (Colossians 1:10; Ephesians 4:1).
An excellent way to understand what it means to walk in truth is to consider what happensWhen we walk, if we walk in the dust and the mud, we get dirty. If we walk in the rain, we get soaked. If we walk in the storm, we get blown around. John encourages us to walk in truth so that it envelops us and firmly establishes us in our faith (Ephesians 6:14;2 Thessalonians 2:15). God desires us to be deeply rooted and covered in His truth, love, and light so that it transfers to all the people we encounter. If we walk in truth, it holds the power to change and liberate us and to have a positive impact on the people in our lives (John 8:32;Romans 6:22).
