Friday 2021.09.17
One of the NT passages I read this morning is the Third Epistle of John, a short epistle containing only fifteen verses. In verses 9 - 12, John wrote about two very contrasting persons in the assembly of believers under the care of the elder Gaius:
3 John 1:9 - 12 NKJV
9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.
11 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.
12 Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.
The first person, Diotrephes, loved preeminence in the assembly. He refused to receive the apostle John and the brethren into their midst but instead slandered them maliciously. He went to the extent of casting out from the assembly anyone who wanted to receive the brethren.
In contrast, the second person, Demetrius, had a good report from everyone, including John, having an undeniable good testimony "from the truth itself".
Between the reference to the evil Diotrephes in verse 9 and to the good Demetrius in verse 12 is a significant reminder in verse 11, calling upon the elder Gaius not to imitate what is evil, but to imitate what is good, because
- he who does good is of God
- he who does evil has not seen God
Brothers and Sisters in Christos, like the elder Gaius, today we may often stand between good Demetrius on one side and evil Diotrephes on the other. Let us diligently choose to do good like Demetrius and to depart from doing evil like Diotrephes.
