3 John - God Only Sees One Church!

Introduction to 3 John - Insight for Living

Click Here to Read or Listen to 3 John

1 The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Once again the author identifies himself as the "elder". This time he is writing to a specfic person, "Gaius" who is probably a leader in one of the churches in Asia Minor. This kind of greeting makes it pretty certain that the apostle John is the author. This letter is written around 90-100 A.D., so John would have been up in age maybe in his 90's. He was on the island of Patmos, where he also wrote the book of Revelation. 

We can see a lot of the language he uses is very relational (i.e. "my dear friend whom I love in the truth"). He also the use of the words, "truth", "love", "joy", "no greater joy". These are all words John used in his gospel and the two previous letters he wrote. 

He prays for him both physically (his health) and also spiritually (his soul). It is interesting that he uses the words, "Your soul is getting along well." David Guzik translates this, "Your soul prospers" and writes in his commentary, 

John here made an analogy between the condition of our health and the condition of our soul. Many Christians would be desperately ill if their physical health was instantly in the same state as their spiritual health.

Once again we see his pastor's heart when he says, "I have no great joy than my children are walking in the truth." He calls them his children once again, because he is an elder in the church. When you lead someone to faith and/or you are their shepherd, you develop a deep love for them that words can't describe. 

5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,[a] even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.

One of the reasons John was so proud of Gaius and his church was that they had welcomed in traveling preachers and missionaries. We often call this "hospitality to strangers" and the bible talks about it a lot. Like Matthew 25:35 and 1 Peter 4:9 John is not only concerned about the churches of Asia Minor but the whole church. He has a kingdom "mindset" or "mentality".  

Sometimes people get caught up in thinking about their own church alone. When God looks down, he doesn't see one church, He sees the body of Christ. The missionaries showed their trust in God to provide as they accepted no financial help from pagans. They didn't want their ministry or message to be tainted by them. 

9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.

There is was another character in the church named Diotrephes, who was not quite as welcoming or hospitable as Demetrius. He was prideful and focused mostly on himself. He was also spreading rumors and lies about John, and the other evangelists and pastors, who had joined him in mission. Not only does he not welcome these itinerant evangelists, but he throws them out of his 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. 13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. 15 Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.

John commends him for his righteous living, which was obviously was a problem in church in other circles. Just like today there are Christian today proclaiming to be Christ followers but not looking anything like him. Demetrius is an example of an authentic Christ follower. His "walk matches his talk".

What a great thing to say about someone, "They are well spoken by everyone." 

What would someone say about you and your character? Would they say you are more like Demetrius or Diotrephes? Are you more about yourself or others? Do you welcome strangers? 

Does your church think bigger than just your church? Do they connect with other churches in Your community? Do your pastors pray with other pastors and for them on a regular basis>