June 11, 2020
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in 3 John? Here’s today’s reading:
3 John 1 (ESV)
Greeting
1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. 2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul..........Continue Reading
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God’s leaders express genuine concern for others. This is demonstrated with John’s greeting to elder Gaius. Not only is he concerned with his physical health, but also for his ‘soul’ (v. 2). It is this heartfelt concern that makes a great leader worthy of following (Hebrews 13:17).
God’s leaders rejoice in knowing that others are ‘walking in the truth’. I see this attitude not only here in John’s words, but also many times throughout the Pauline epistles as well. Not only is the message ‘preached’ but it is also demonstrated.
It is this genuine heart attitude of a godly leader that should have led Diotrephes to obey his leaders and submit to them. But, he does not recognize their leadership and authority. A good leader is teachable and willing to accept correction and instruction. Diotrephes appears to have an attitude that challenges everyone that even questions his behavior.
The message to not imitate evil and to imitate good is as relevant today as it was back for the people to whom John addressed this letter. The world and in some cases even the church can pressure leadership to call good evil and evil good.
This chapter has me wondering about the autonomous church that we see in our world today. Clearly the model presented here is that the local assembly is held accountable by some form of higher assembly. If a local assembly leader is in error, he needs to be held accountable by a higher authority. Obviously, God holds such leaders accountable, but is the model that we use in our churches the correct one? I cannot say that it is the same model that is expressed in the epistles of John. It is just something to ponder as we consider God’s words.
Imitate good
A contrast between those who are walking according to truth and supporting those who labor for the gospel, as opposed to those who thwart it.
It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
Such a warm letter we have here. I certainly understand this shepherd’s heart in caring for those in the church and share the joy when I see people walking in the truth…by reading and studying it and then by living in it. That is why I so appreciate those who comment here because it is one way for me to know people are at least doing the first part! I also love when I hear of people in the congregation fellowshipping or serving and sharing the love of Christ with each other and the world. I also more than understand how guarded our writer is over those who are divisive, destructive and self serving. I am glad that I have not had to deal with many inside the church and pray for the discernment and courage to address it as I should. And being a person who likes to talk and not write…I get his closing words as well……
1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
2Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.