The New Testament admonishes Christians to be given to hospitality. It does so through command, as well as giving examples of this commendable behavior.
For example, Gaius was commended by John in 3 John 5-6, “Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well.”
Elders are required to be hospitable (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8). As is the widow to be supported by the congregation (1 Timothy 5:10). Lydia is a wonderful example of a hospitable woman, “And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.’ So she persuaded us” (Acts 16:15). So, hospitality is not only an attribute of the mature. Even babes in Christ can and should be hospitable.
The word is familiar to us, and means essentially the same in both our modern English and in the New Testament Greek. The word is philoxenos, a compound word. Philo (love) and xenos (stranger, guest). As a love for guests is properly shown in doing for them, hospitality consists of entertaining, feeding, and expressing love by having such into your home.
The show of hospitality is an expression of much of what it is to be a Christian. Are you hospitable?
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