Are You a Gaius or a Diotrophes: a Supporter of the Truth of God and the True People of God, or an Opponent of the Truth?

 

The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. 2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

5 Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, 6 who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. 9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. 11 Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true. 3 John 1-12

 

The letters of 2 and 3 John emphasise “the truth,” walking in the truth, and supporting those who represent and proclaim the truth.

 

The elder writing these letters is most likely the elderly apostle John, and Gaius is a leader in another church to whom John is writing (certainly not the same Gaius mentioned in Acts 19:29, Romans 16:23, and 1 Corinthians 1:14. Gaius was a very common Roman name).

 

Gaius is being commended because his church is not only standing in the truth, but also supporting fellow evangelists, even though they are strangers, i.e. unknown to them.

 

On the other hand, Diotrophes does not possess these qualities. In fact, he is the exact opposite of Gaius. “We can assume that Diotrephes was a leader, or at least an influential member, in the local church where Gaius was a member.” (GotQuestions.org)

 

There are huge lessens for leadership in this letter. As one brother wrote:

 

Unlike Diotrophes, church leaders are required to display humility, and other attitudes that reflect a meek and gentle spirit. Consider the requirements of an elder in 1 Peter 5:2-3. Also see Titus 1:7-8, especially in the words “not self-willed” (as Diotrophes was) and “not fond of sordid gain.” And finally think about 1 Timothy 3:2-3. Diotrophes seems to be anything but “temperate, prudent, hospitable. . . gentle, uncontentious, and free from the love of money.” – Mark Dunagan, Gaius and Diotrophes

 

John Stott wrote this comparison between Gaius and Diotrophes:

 

“In character and behavior he is entirely different from Gaius. Gaius is portrayed as walking in truth, loving the brothers, entertaining strangers. Diotrophes, on the other hand, is seen as loving himself more than others and refusing to welcome the traveling evangelists, or to let others do so” (The Letters of John, John R.W. Stott, p228).

 

Proverbs tells us, It is not good to eat much honey; so to seek one’s own glory is not glory. Proverbs 25:27

 

Jesus said, “Many who are first will be last; and the last, first.” Matthew 19:30

 

It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.”  Matthew 20:26-27

 

Diotrophes had:

 

1.    Unjustly accused with wicked words.

2.    Not welcomed faithful brethren.

3.    Forbade those who desired to welcome faithful brethren, and even put them out of the church.

 

And why? Because he loved to be first! He wanted all the attention!

 

 

Jesus had taught, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Jesus went on to essentially say,” To the extent that you did not welcome a stranger, you did not welcome me.” Matthew 25:35,45

 

 

Some lessons we can learn from this little letter:

 

1.    Positive encouragement and affirmation of good work is important. We should do it often with one another.

2.    Helping Christians we may not know very well, but whom we know are faithful in the truth. This is what we are trying to do with our Kenyan fellow-workers in the truth.

We have also welcomed some Christian visitors in recent weeks – faithful brethren who are strangers to some in our congregation. Enough of us do know these faithful Christians in the truth, and they are worthy of our support and love.

 

 

I have known brethren who do not understand the difference between false brethren who have gone beyond the teachings of Christ, and faithful brethren, and who have therefore rejected both false brethren who have gone beyond Christ’s teachings, and faithful brethren doing their best to follow Christ! Part of this rejection of faithful brethren has been because of a misunderstanding of the application of 2 John 10-11,

 

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

 

Do we reject those who have gone beyond the teaching of Christ, or do we reject those who do not reject those who have gone beyond the teaching of Christ, or do we reject both categories? This has confused some brethren.

 

 

Let us remember the final exhortation of the letter:

 

“Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.” 3 John 11. Compare 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22.

 

Finally, we note the contrast of this letter with John’s second letter:

 

·         3 John emphasises the importance of supporting those who hold to the truth, even if they are strangers.

·         2 John exhorts us not to support those who go beyond the teachings of Christ – not even to welcome them into our homes or extend them a greeting. Those who welcome such brethren participate in their evil.

·         Both letters are talking about imitating what is good and not imitating what is evil. Go ahead - read both letters for yourself, and while you’re at it, read 1 John as well to get John’s understanding of the true God, love, truth and righteousness. Let us not be idolaters who create a God in our own image instead of the one God Himself has revealed in Scripture.

 

 

David Carr