3 John Chapter 1
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”
“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”
“Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.”
If Elder John were to write a personal letter to us, as he did to Gaius, what would he say to us?
Would he repeatedly address us with endearment, affirm and encourage us to continue with the good work that we have done and earnestly seek after our welfare?
Or would he instead frown upon us and voice his concerns as he did about Diotrephes? Or worse still, be made a public example of what a Christian ought not to do.
When we love in deed and truth (1 John 3: 18), we become fellow coworkers, helping to push forward and propagate the work of God. We should grow and develop in this area of work by learning and imitating good examples (role models). For this, we will need wisdom that comes from God to discern those who are with God and those who are not with Him. We should not follow blindly just because the person is a church leader, minister or perceived worker of God.
While John did not mention who Diotrephes (who loves preeminence) is and what his role in the church entails, Diotrephes clearly has a significant influence in the church as he has the power to forbid others who wish to receive others by putting them out of the church. He is likely to be a leader, one whom others may look up to, whose words and actions may sway the behavior and thinking of others, but clearly one whom God disproves and one that we must never emulate.
May the Lord bless us with the power of discernment and grow in the grace of the Lord.