3 John 1:11 KJV
[11] Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
We all need guidance. The world itself also offers models, depending on what you are looking for. God also offers us the right model in line with His nature and will. What this tells me is that we always have a choice to make at all times. God never leaves us in doubt as to what His will is; the problem is always that our human nature will not choose the right way by itself. It does not have the capacity or the ability to make the right decision, because of its exposure to sin. What this verse also makes clear is that I am a slave or servant to whatever I submit my life to. Let no one be deceived into thinking you are a free agent. It is not as if you are in physical bondage, but all of us are bound to a particular nature, either to the Godly, or to the sinful nature. We are the disciples of whatever nature we have now submitted our lives to. The most important question here, then, will be: 'what nature are you subject to?
Who am I following? The writer of this letter must have had a personal encounter with Jesus, as we see from the first letter, where he made reference to "that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life". This is personal; this is something you cannot fake. This is not one of those things that you can pretend to have. If you don't have it, you don't. If you don't know Him, you don't. John came from a place of knowing; he could also pass on the knowledge to other people. When the squeeze comes, and be sure that it will, what would people see or get from you? When the world places a demand on you, what will your life produce? If you have not yet met God at the time, you will only produce in line with the human nature, and you can be sure that this will never look like what God's nature can produce.
You cannot follow after a nature that is alien to you. Asking someone to follow that which is good, without first addressing the source that will generate that good, is a waste of time. You cannot compel good out of the life of a person unless and until you have taught and shown the person what good looks like. The person who does good is the one who knows and follows God. I audit my life with the help of God, and ask Him to help me walk with Him on a daily basis. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not even seen God. You look like your source; you reflect your inspiration and focus. And as can be seen, there are only two options; there is no middle ground, no fence to sit on. There is no room for being lukewarm; you are either all in or all out. As a disciple, the call is different from the crowd. Help is available for those who follow after God, while those who want to do their own thing will also pay the price? Which one are you? God's time of favour is here.
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