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The Second and Third Epistles of John - Lesson 7
Scripture Passage:
3 John 1:8-14 Attached Audio:
Quiz:
The Third Epistle of John
3 John 1:1-8 [1] The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
[2] Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
[3] For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
[4] I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
[5] Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;
[6] Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:
[7] Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.
[8] We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.
See All...
The Testimony of Gaius
(Continued)
- THE IMPORTANCE OF HOSPITALITY (3 John 1:5-8 [5] Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;
[6] Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:
[7] Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.
[8] We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.
See All...) (Continued) - The Work of All Believers (3 John 1:8We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.
See All...) - To be fellowhelpers to the truth
- By receiving and helping the brethren
- By becoming a part of the ministry of others (2 Corinthians 8:23Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.
See All... – “Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper”).
The Third Epistle of John
3 John 1:9-11 [9] I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
[10] Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
[11] Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
See All...
The Treachery of Diotrephes
- His Rejection of the Brethren (3 John 1:9I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
See All...) - He Heard of Their Needs.
- John had written to the church.
- It was not a matter of ignorance.
- Note: the four levels of sin in Psalm 19:12-13 [12] Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
[13] Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
See All... - Ignorant sins (Psalm 19:12Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
See All...a – “Who can understand his errors?”) - Secret sins (Psalm 19:12Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
See All...b; Psalm 90:8Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
See All...) - Presumptuous sins (Psalm 19:13Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
See All...a); these are sins that brazenly go against the clear teaching of the word and the clear will of God. - The great transgression (Psalm 19:13Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
See All...b); this would be the sin that brings the full judgment of God, like the sin unto death (1 John 5:16If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
See All...). - He Desired the Preeminence.
- Preeminence defined
- The word "preeminence" is only found three times in your Bible, but we also have four occurrences of the root word eminent. Let’s take a look at these scriptures and see if we can build a definition.
- Eminent (Ezekiel 16:24That thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street.
See All...; Ezekiel 16:31In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire;
See All...; Ezekiel 16:39And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare.
See All...; Ezekiel 17:22Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:
See All...) - Preeminence (Ecclesiastes 3:19For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
See All...; Colossians 1:18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
See All...; 3 John 1:9I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
See All...) - From looking at these passages we can see that the word eminent has a connection to “high places” or an elevated place and the word preeminence seems to mean “an elevated position or rank” or “superiority due to merit.”
- The preeminence belongs exclusively to Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
See All...). - This is one of the great dangers of spiritual leadership (Matthew 20:20-21 [20] Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
[21] And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
See All...; 1 Peter 5:1-3 [1] The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: [2] Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; [3] Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
See All...). - To minister we must become a servant (Romans 12:10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
See All...; Philippians 2:1-5 [1] I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. [2] And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. [3] For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. [4] Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. [5] Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:
See All...). - He Received Not the Brethren.
- He was lifted up with pride (1 Timothy 3:6Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
See All...). - He refused to humble himself as a servant.
- He refused to minister to others.
- HIS REMEMBRANCE BY JOHN (3 John 1:10Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
See All...) - His Words
- His prating; to prate is to talk much with foolish talk (Proverbs 10:8The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.
See All..., 10; Ecclesiastes 5:3For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.
See All...; Ecclesiastes 10:14A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
See All...). - His malice; malice is ill will; it is the desire and the attempt to hurt someone else (Ephesians 4:31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
See All...; 1 Peter 2:1Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speakings,
See All...). - Diotrephes was speaking harmful things against John and those with John for the sake of his own promotion.
- His Works
- Diotrephes was not satisfied with speaking malicious words against John. He had to do more.
- He rejects the brethren.
- He rejects those who receive the brethren.
- He forbids those who would receive them.
- He casts out of the church those who do receive them.
- This is not proper church discipline.
- This is a willful casting out for purposes of personal power (Isaiah 66:5Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
See All...; Luke 6:22Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
See All...; John 16:2They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
See All...). - HIS REPORT BY HIS DEEDS (3 John 1:11Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
See All...) - We Are Known by What We Follow.
- Whether we follow that which is evil (Exodus 23:2Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:
See All...; 2 Kings 13:1-2 [1] In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years. [2] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
See All...; 2 Peter 2:1-2 [1] But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. [2] And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
See All...) - Whether we follow that which is good (Psalm 38:20They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.
See All...; 1 Thessalonians 5:15See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
See All...; Ephesians 5:1Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
See All...) - What We Follow Expresses Our Relationship to God.
- He that does good is of God (1 John 3:16-19 [16] Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
[17] But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
[18] My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
[19] And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
See All...). - He that does evil has not seen God (John 3:20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
See All...). - This does not teach that those who know God are sinless.
- Truths about believers
- It is a proper desire to want to live without sin before God.
- The believer never has to commit any single sin.
- There is a victorious Christian life that is far above what most believers experience.
- Those who teach sinless perfection make a number of major errors in interpretation.
- They misinterpret a few key passages.
- Galatians 2:17But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
See All... which states, "But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid." - Verse 16 had just made a wonderful statement on justification by faith.
- This verse which immediately follows shows us that if we are found to be sinners while we seek to be justified by Christ, then Christ is not the source of our sin.
- It does not teach that a justified believer cannot commit any sin.
- Another verse you usually see in this teaching is 1 John 3:9Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
See All..., which states, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." - The verse has at least three possible interpretations:
- Sinless perfection
- That the one who is born of God does not habitually commit serious sin
- That the part of man that is born again [his spirit] does not commit sin
- The first epistle of John was written by one man at one time to a certain group of people. He is not going to teach two completely opposite doctrines to the same people at the same time. Yet, John is clear in teaching that believers do commit sins. 1 John 1:8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
See All... states, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." More evidence can be found in 1 John 1:10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
See All... and 1 John 2:1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
See All.... This passage cannot teach what some claim. Therefore, an alternative has to be found and there are viable alternatives. - They confuse the believer's position with his practice (this distinction is what some call standing and state).
- Position - the person who has trusted in Jesus Christ as personal Saviour and has been born again is placed, or positioned, in Christ. That is why so many New Testament verses speak of us being "in him."
- In Christ the Father sees us as sinlessly perfect.
- We are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
See All...). - In Christ, we are already seated in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
See All...). - Practice - this refers to the practical daily life and walk of the believer. We may have all things in Christ, but that does not mean that we apply all of these things to our daily lives. God sees me as perfect in Christ, but I may not live perfectly in practice.
- They weaken the Biblical meaning of sin, sometimes to the point of redefining what sin is.
- Those who claim sinless perfection tend to minimize sin.
- Consider the following Biblical definitions of sin.
- Sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
See All...). - All unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
See All...); that is, if it is not righteous, it is sin. - Failing to do something you should have done is sin (James 4:17Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
See All...). - Whatsoever is not done in faith is sin (Roman 14:23
See All...). - The thought of foolishness is sin (Proverbs 24:9The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.
See All...). - A proud heart is sin (Proverbs 21:4An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
See All...).
The Third Epistle of John
3 John 1:12-14 [12] Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.
[13] I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:
[14] But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.
See All...
The Task of Demetrius
- The Report of his Deeds (3 John 1:12Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.
See All...a) - The Evaluation of His Report: Good
- The Sources of His Good Report
- Of all men
- Of the saints
- Of the lost (1 Timothy 3:7Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
See All...; Colossians 4:5Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
See All...) - Of the truth itself (3 John 1:3For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.
See All...; 2 John 1:4I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
See All...) - The Remembrance of John (3 John 1:12Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.
See All...b-13) - The Record of John (3 John 1:12Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.
See All...) - The Truth of John’s Record (3 John 1:12Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.
See All...) - The Quantity of John’s Record (3 John 1:13I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:
See All...) - Much more to say
- Too much to write with pen and ink
- The Reception of Gaius (3 John 1:14But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.
See All...) - Anticipation
- Of seeing him soon
- Of speaking face to face
- Final Greetings
- Peace to Gaius
- Salutations from friends
- Greet the friends by name.
Proverbs 25:14
Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.