Third John 1-2 The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
The apostle John has penned a short epistle, or a letter to Gaius, a well respected brother in Christ. John loved Gaius in the truth which means he truly loves Gaius, he loves him because of the truth, and he loves him because he is walking in the truth. John hopes that this letter finds Gaius well that he would be prospering in this life. There is nothing wrong with praying for someone that they would prosper. I rejoice when God blesses people with health and material blessings. John doesn’t equate God’s favor with health and wealth. Neither does John say that if Gaius lives right, good things will happen. Because John loves his friend, he prays that God would bless him in all aspects of his life.
John’s prayer for Gaius is that he makes progress in his spiritual life and that God would add physical and material blessings on top of it. He hopes that Gaius is in good “soul health” as well as physical well being. It would be a thousand times better to prosper in soul with poor health than the other way round (Proverbs 28:6; 16:8). We know a lot about how to live a healthy life physically, so how does one prosper in soul? Are there steps one can take to live a prosperous soul life?
Being in good soul health is by the grace of God, it is a gift and God uses means in accomplishing this grace. First, you need a healthy, well balanced diet of God’s Word. God’s people should hunger for the pure Word like a newborn hungers for milk (1 Peter 2:2). Next, we are to exercise ourselves unto godliness (1 Timothy 4:8). God’s people need to be diligent in disciplining ourselves unto godliness. To exercise our faith and dedicating ourselves to putting off sin and walking in the Spirit.
We are to add a rigorous routine of increasing our virtue (2 Peter 2:5-7). Peter said we are to “give all diligence” to living a godly life. Having received salvation, by grace, through faith, Peter urges us to press on in holiness and to advance in the Christian life. We are not perfect and won’t be in this life, so every day we should be “pressing on toward the mark for the high calling of God.” To be in good soul health, we are to spend much time in prayer unto God. Any gains in the Christian life are gifts from God. Even though we have the responsibility of working out our salvation, it is God’s gift. Our part is working out the desire for holiness that God gave us (Philippians 2:12-13). This makes prayer is a necessity for soul heath.
My hope for you reader, is that you prosper and it is well with your soul.
