GOD'S HOSPITALITY

GOD'S HOSPITALITY

 

"and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God."  3Jn 1:6　

 

If in his second letter John dealt specially with the subject of those to whom NO HOSPITALITY should be extended, but in this he commends HOSPITALITY, and shows what its nature should be. There were those who "for the sake of the Name went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles." These were to be received and welcomed, and "set forward on their journey worthily of God." Two interpretations have been given of this phrase. One is that these men were to be treated as the VERY MESSENGERS OF GOD, and so worthily of that fact. The other is that those who tendered them hospitality were to do it AS GOD WOULD DO IT, "worthily (commendably) of God." Most probably both views are correct, both ideas being involved. In harmony with the whole spirit of the letter the 2nd is the more obvious. What a PATTERN AND TEST is here of HOSPITALITY! What kind of a host is God? How does He treat His guests? When we have answered those questions, we shall have discov­ered the NATURE of the hospitality we ought to extend to all those who go forth for the sake of the Name. To those who receive the hospitality of God, He gives of His best, He gives lavishly: He gives of pure delight. His concern is forever for the HIGHEST WELL-BEING of His guests. He opens His home to them; He spreads His table before them; He admits them to familiar conversation with Himself; He places at their disposal all His knowledge, and all the riches of His grace. If we are to ENTERTAIN "worthily of God" these are the lines upon which our HOSPITALITY must proceed. It is one of the things which CONSTANTLY CHEER AND HELP those who go forth for the sake of the Name.