3rd John 9 THE SECOND MAN The first of the men written about in 3rd John was Gaius, a man who in his spiritual life was a Prosperous Christian. His soul was prospering and as a result he was able to be a blessing to others who came to visit the assembly of which he was a part. The second man written about in this epistle was a Proud Christian who had a most unchristian-like attitude toward others. Diotrephes looked out for himself and his self- centered ambition. He had many of the characteristics of the false teachers both Peter and John had warned the Lord's people about in earlier epistles.
Diotrephes did not accept the written word of the apostles as the word of God. He actually rejected what John wrote. By rejecting the written word of the apostle John, he was rejecting and not receiving both John as a person and his writing as the word of truth being passed on by the Holy Spirit through him. He "loveth to have the preeminence," means that he loved the first place and wasn't going to yield that even to an apostle who was in the foundation of the church.
s10 One needs to ask himself: am I looking out for those things that reflect our Lord Jesus Christ and what He practiced and taught? Do I truly love the Lord's people? Would they consider my home a place of hospitality where they can find good fellowship in the things of God? Are those who pass through our city in their service for the Lord supported and encouraged by my attitude and actions?
Or: is it a bother to me to have people come to visit? Is it inconvenient to me when one of the Lord's servants asks me to pass on a letter to the saints to be read at the prayer meeting? Do I consider it a challenge to me and my authority when a suggestion is made to have some Gospel meetings? Am I the boss here in this assembly, "the main man," "the leading elder," or am I a servant of the church? Are those passing through to some other part of the world as missionaries and those old preachers to be our responsibility or not?
The contrast between Gaius and Diotrephes was very pronounced. The one was a man who demonstrated Christian love in showing hospitality and support for others. The other man demonstrated pride, arrogance and self-centered importance. He set himself up as "the leader." He considered himself to be the final word about anything and everything. He misused his position of leadership and his pride disqualified him from being a representative, let alone as leader of the saints of that assembly. He was actually taking the place of the Lord.
It is the Holy Spirit who raises up overseers who are to "feed the flock of God," not brow-beat others nor use his place of leadership as a position of dominance. A shepherd is one who not only feeds but cares for those for whom he has responsibility. It was from the same kind of attitude of self-importance that Diotrephes had, that ultimately led to the "clergy - laity" condition a couple of hundred years later and from which we still suffer today.
Leadership has its obligations and responsibilities which the Holy Spirit enables us to fulfill. But the misuse of the role of leadership because of one's desire to control the lives of other people is wrong. These men were likely in the same assembly and yet were very different. How is it that two people hearing the same messages and sitting in the same prayer meetings and listening to the same Gospel preaching can be so different? That difference is motivation and commitment. We choose what we do with what we hear. We all have influence of one kind or another. One of these men demonstrated love, the other pride. One showed hospitality, the other self-importance. One helped strangers, the other refused strangers and those he didn't like personally. One was beloved by the apostle John, the other rejected John and spoke against him.
The contrast of a prosperous Christian and a proud Christian is not an uncommon sight among the people of God. How careful we must be to have the mind of Christ which shows His love and care for His people. Pride is "the condemnation of the devil" and that has the potential of not only putting a damper on the warm fellowship of believers, but also of dividing God's people and bringing about the disintegration of an assembly and its demise.
Not everyone is exactly the same, though we are in the family of God. Even among those gathered to His name, there are different attitudes to His word. Some want to show evidence of Christ's love, others declare they're "standing for the truth." Some listen to those who are teachers, others consider them of little worth.
Pride has various ways to be seen; the main one is "I want my own way." It exalts one and it preens: it demands "You listen to what I say." But those with pride will someday find, God resists those who stand so tall. Pride's many tendrils that bind, are sure to bring about their fall.
A person with wisdom will think, "Is this God's will or is it mine?" When choices must be made, he won't act until God's will he finds. Then he goes forward with confidence, "This is the way - we will walk in it." That person knows God can bless; he wants to take advantage of every minute.
Each of us needs to evaluate, each activity has to have a reason. Whether it be a dramatic work, or a simple "word in season." There are consequences that inevitably follow each decision that I make. The outcome is God's blessing or correction depending on which path I take.
s11 "Father, I am asking Thee today to please help me keep from ever being a person who thinks I have all the answers. Give me wisdom that is needed to bless others. And please give me a child-like spirit of humility and grace whenever I pass on that which Thou dost give me. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."