Thoughts on 3rd John
3JN 1:3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
3JN 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
John had seen many people saved under his ministry. He thinks of them as his children. He loved them, taught them, prayed for them, and labored for them. He loved them and was concerned for their wellbeing (vs. 1-2). As he observed their lives and followed what they did, I think that there were many things that would have given him joy. But he says that he had no greater joy than to hear that they walked in truth.
There is truth and there is error. There are things that you are to do in your walk with Christ and things that you are not to do. There are things that you are to stand for and there are things that are just preferences.
Causing trouble and fighting and hurting your brothers and sisters in Christ for a preference is not walking in truth. There are proper times for joining together and other times separation is called for. To walk in truth sometimes you must give a rebuke and other times you need to keep quiet. We are to walk in truth. Walking speaks of continually. Walking is different than just taking a step or two. Walking in truth means that you know what the truth is from God’s word and then you walk in that truth not departing from it.
Walking in truth means that you do it all the time and no matter the circumstances. Even in hard times and under persecution. And when John saw that they did that it gave him Great joy.
And where do we find out how to walk? The Bible. It gave John joy to see his spiritual children studying the Word of God enough to know how to walk in truth and then to see them actually do it.
And the greatest reason why this brings joy is that our Lord is worthy.
3JN 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
3JN 1:5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;
The Christians that John is writing to brought him great joy when he heard that they were walking in truth. They not only heard the truth, but they let it affect them and they put into action. They followed thru on what they had learned. One of the things that they learned was the second great commandment and that is to love thy neighbor as thyself. They actually walked in that truth. Verse 5 says that these Christians were faithful in all they did to others. Both to the brethren and also to strangers. They practiced real Christianity to those that they knew and to those that they did not know. They did it to people who were like themselves and to people who were different. They are a shining example for us to emulate.
3JN 1:8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.
3JN 1:9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
3JN 1:10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
Diotrephes loved to have the preeminence and would not receive other breather and used malicious words against John and others. He did not want John or others to steal the attention away from him. Diotrephes wanted all the attention and praise for himself.
Verse 10 says that he used malicious words. This is using lies with evil intent to do harm. Malicious words are foul language that should never come out of the mouth of any Christian. And he is the leader of a church. I have seen men who do this today and usually they call their malicious words standing for the faith. They convince their people that they are right and everyone else is wrong and because everyone else is wrong they are on the side of evil and thus their malicious words are justified.
Do not misunderstand what I am saying. We are to earnestly contend for the faith. And we are to do all we can to stand and we are to walk in truth and call out error. But we should never use malicious words to do it. And keep in mind that contending for the faith was not what Diotrephes was doing. He was slandering good men that were walking with God with malicious words.
He not only did not receive John but he also would not receive other brethren. And he was not satisfied to act this way alone. He also would forbid others from receiving them. If they did he would kick them out of the church. The man was a self-centered, self-glorifying tyrant, and had the audacity to run the church. The man’s words and actions are in no way Christian. And in this context we have verse number 11.
3JN 1:11 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.
Diotrephes was evil and John was telling them to NOT follow that which is evil. He goes on to say that one that does evil has not seen God. Diotrephes needed to get born again. Actions are manifestations of the heart. What was coming out of his heart was evil. We can all have a bad moment and slip up, but with Diotrephes it was more of a way of life. He was a false professor and not a possessor and was in the leadership of the Church.
This even happens today. There are many pastors today who are not saved. Some men are attracted to the attention they can get by being in leadership. They are in it for all the wrong reasons. Money, attention, power. What a contrast they are to God’s servants. Men who do it because they truly love the Lord and His people. Humble men who consider others better than themselves. Men who understand that it is a blessing to be a blessing to others. These are the kind of church leaders that we need.
And so John finishes this short letter by recommending someone else to be pastor of that church.
3JN 1:12 Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.
This is an important Bible teaching about what a church should do when the Pastor is really bad and is a tyrant using malicious words and who is in it for the preeminence. The answer is do not follow him and replace him. Amen and Amen.