Day 64 - 3 John

The Apostles were simply audacious.  I'm not sure we could be that audacious or should be.  Heck, what do I know.  Maybe that's what we're missing.  They had a kind of holy confidence that stemmed from radical faith, and it allowed them to operate at a level of Christianity that, frankly, we don't see much of today.  In 3 John, the Apostle John does something we don't ever here of, hardly -- he calls someone out.

9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. 10 So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.



11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone —and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.

 
Demetrius, on the other hand, is respected by all.  This is the kind of lifestyle we should strive for, the kind that gives God and the Church a good name.  Maybe we don't do this enough these days?  John, Peter, nor Paul had a problem judging those in the church and pointing out bad behavior.  The thing I like about this is that it's clearly instructional and it lifts up holiness over corruptness.  John is saying, "You're seeing two different people act two different ways.  This is the one to follow."  He might make Diotrephes mad (I don't think he cares).  But, he might save the faith of some young Christians who are headed down the wrong path.  The bottom line is that our behavior matters because people are watching and, sometimes, following.John's purpose for this is clear.  This is about calling to attention the kind of behavior God wants us to mimic in the church and the kind of behavior God doesn't want to see repeated.  Diotrephes calls himself a Christian, but John makes it clear that, though he has attained an apparent leadership position, his behavior is ungodly, unwelcome, and not to be mirrored.