Scripture to Read: 3 John 1
As we continue examining how the church is infiltrated with people with ill intentions, today we focus on 3 John. As God led John to write to Gaius, God used John to encourage Gaius and, of course, all other believers who were walking in God’s Truth. Gaius, and many other believers in their local church, helped and supported the missionaries who were traveling and sharing the Gospel and planting other churches. But there was one individual in the church, “Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say” (3 John 1:9). Diotrephes was causing trouble in the church. We do not know whether Diotrephes was a believer or not. All we know is that Diotrephes was against helping the missionaries and that Diotrephes was putting people out of the church if they did help the missionaries. God used John to tell Gaius, and us today, that these kinds of people must be dealt with and must be stopped. God also uses John to tell Gaius, and us, in 3 John 1:11, “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.” So, what Diotrephes was doing was definitely evil and not good. If we’re not on guard at all times, our attitude can become hostile toward something God has clearly led His church to do. God wants us to be like Gaius and also Demetrius, who is mentioned in 3 John 1:12. May our lives be spoken of that we have a good testimony and that we are walking in His Truth.
Challenge & Application
1. What did God teach you today about having a good testimony among others?
2. How are you living right now to make sure you are spoken of well among other believers like Demetrius was?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!