Beloved, Do Not Imitate What is Evil

DATE: JUNE 7, 2020

TOPIC: "Beloved, Do Not Imitate What is Evil" 3 John 1:11, 12 John's treatment of Brother Gaius is as he writes in the letter, beloved! (the one who is loved!). Regarding Diotrephes (Vs. 9, 10), John concludes to advise Gaius. "Beloved..." (Vs. 11) It is like saying: "Dear friend...", "...do not imitate what is evil, but what is good." Sometimes I say to someone: "Do not act like the one who presents himself to everyone as a leader." The reason why I say this is because these people do what is wrong, they are more interested in leadership than anything else and, like Diotrephes, they tend to spread malicious comments about others in order for them to grow and excel.

I. John says to him: Be careful! "...don't follow what is evil and dedicate yourself to follow what is good."

A. Good deeds are evidence of having a "RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD".

1. This being the case, we see that the apostle has serious doubts about the spiritual state of Diotrephes.

2. So let it be clear today: He who does not do well has NO RELATION TO GOD!

3. What separates us from the body of Christ? HAVING NO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!

4. Sometimes there are people who want to fix the church, but then they leave the church! And the reason for those who leave the church IS THAT THEY DON’T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

5. John is speaking to his dear friend, Gaius.

6. John writes to Gaius for his help with A SERIOUS PROBLEM.

7. That Diotrephes spread malicious comments about him and other Christians!

8. And he refused to respect the authority of the apostle!

9. Then he says to Gaius: Don't be an imitator of what is evil!

10. IF EVIL IS IMITATED IT IS BECAUSE GOD HAS NOT BEEN SEEN!

B. "Anyone who does what is good is from God..." (Vs. 11)

1. The believer shows with his conduct the characteristics of his spiritual family: He imitates God, his Father! While he who does evil has not seen God!

2. 1 John 3:6 “No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin HAS EITHER SEEN HIM OR KNOWN HIM.”

3. By not having familiarity, not having an intimate relationship with God, one cannot imitate Him!

4. The mention of the need to imitate "the good" now leads John to write ABOUT DEMETRIUS!

5. What a great contrast between both characters! DEMETRIUS IS THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE TO DIOTREPHES!

6. Everyone speaks well of Demetrius!

7. INCLUSIVE, THE TRUTH ITSELF!

8. THE TRUTH GAVE TESTIMONY OF DEMETRIUS!

9. Demetrius was not the norm (the set of rules) for the truth to be tested by him, but rather the truth was the norm by which he was tested!

10. And being this way, when tested, Demetrius was approved! Approved by the truth!

11. We are tested by the truth, because it is the truth that possesses the norm in itself. And there is where we are tested, BY THE RULES OF TRUTH!

12. John and all the brothers gave testimony of Demetrius!

13. And his good testimony went as far as the testimony of the truth itself!

14. "The testimony of the truth itself", it’s that John uses the personification (representation of a thing in the form of a person) of the truth to express to a greater extent the good attributes of Demetrius.

15. John refers to an exact conformity of Demetrius's conduct with the faith he professed!

16. Demetrius' Christian genuineness did not need the evidence of men, it was self-evident!

17. John himself, with the plural "...and also WE..." (Vs. 12), implies that he with his apostolic authority guarantees the veracity and competence of that testimony: "... and you know that our testimony is true "

18. Brother, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good! Always seek to be like Demetrius so that all will give good testimony of you, even the truth itself! Amen.