III John 1:11-14
Some pastors and churches today teach that it is the Christian’s responsibility to do whatever the pastor tells him. People who do not, for what ever reason are treated as inferior, have positions they have served in taken away, are accused of trying to split the church or of rebellion. Some pastors rebuke them from the pulpit or otherwise stir up opposition to them to force them to either comply or to leave the church.
Gaius had apparently been put into this position. John’s compliments have been given to remind him that he was still doing what the Lord had commanded and to encourage him to continue to do so even though the pastor opposed it. It was going to be necessary for John to take action about Diotrophes’ behavior when he came, because it was definitely wrong. Until John can come, Gaius needs to know how to deal with the problem. John has written this letter to enable Gaius, and us, to know how to deal with such a situation.
“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.” (III John 1:11)
Some pastors have abused their positions. Some have demanded sexual favors from ladies in the church, that a person donates a certain amount, that they meet his standards of dress or celebrate or not celebrate certain holidays. They encourage others to snub or shun those who fail to do so. And forbid contact. Much of I John is devoted to the matter of demonstrating our love as evidence of our Christianity. Even those who are clearly in overt sin, we are to demonstrate that love. II Thessalonians 3:14-15 commands, “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” By ‘shunning’ them, we reject God’s command, going too far, teaching man’s command instead.
Neither the pastor or the church has authority to set aside any of God’s commands. As the Apostles said in Acts 5:29, “…We ought to obey God rather than men.” While the pastor must give account for our souls, as to what he has led us to do, we have to account for our own actions as Romans 14:12 declares. “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” What a relief it is to see those who you’ve taught doing what is right, because it confirms that you have done your job properly, as Hebrews 13:17 instructs. “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” Obedience to the leaders must never supersede obedience to God.
We need to listen to and follow leaders who are following God, whether they are in the forefront or not. Gaius needed to find and associate with those who were less concerned with their own position and more concerned with what God wanted, and such a man was there.
“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.” (III John 1:12)
Ones spiritual life and growth is too important to allow it to be hindered or circumvented by a false teacher, or self willed church leader. Find someone who is there to serve God, whether by finding a changing the church leadership, or by finding a different church. Don’t allow a hypocrite to get between you and God. If you do, he is closer to God than you are. Go around him or push him out of the way if you have to. Best of all try to get him to go with you.
“I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: 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.” (III John 1:13)
Showing posts with label III John. Show all posts
Showing posts with label III John. Show all posts
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
The Domineering Pastor
III John 1:1-8
“The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.” (I John 1:1)
The letter to Gaius is, like the letters to Philemon, Titus, and Timothy, written to specific individual, to address a specific problem. In many respects it is very similar to Philemon, focusing on the individual’s personal response to a particular problem, whereas II John is concerned with individual responses of a group. It appears that Gaius was standing alone against the problem. John is careful to give him personal encouragement in his stance.
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (I John 1:2-4)
I have been privileged to go back from time to time to churches I worked in and see people who I taught continuing to serve God, twenty or thirty years later. Others have moved to other areas, and impact people that I meet later. It is almost like finding out that one of your children has made some great accomplishment, especially when others have fallen by the way side.
Gaius had continued faithfully reaching out to and encouraging others in the Lords work, demonstrating his love by his faithfulness in his actions. They had declared his faithfulness to John.
“Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 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: Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.” (III John 1:5-8)
If we love the Lord, we ought to love those who carry the Gospel to others. While it is the churches place to support the pastor, there is no reason for the unsaved to support those who come to preach to them. One of the ways we fulfill the great commission is by enabling others to go to areas we cannot, helping them to accomplish their ministry.
In the past few years, it has become common for a new pastor to try to eliminate all evidence of the previous pastor in an attempt to consolidate his control of the church. They cut off fellowship, join a different organization, eliminate missionaries to make it clear who is the pastor. Frequently, they push out the former pastor’s family and faithful older members of the church who question his actions. Gaius was apparently in this position of being forced out because he wouldn‘t go along.
“I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 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.” (III John 1:9-10)
Like some modern pastors, Diotrophes wanted to be the one in control. He had no trouble ignoring Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 20:25-28. “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43 records the same incident. In Luke 22:24-27, Jesus repeated the command at the last supper. “And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.”
In his effort to establish his control, Diotrophes began to imply wrong doing or false teaching on the part of John and others. He demanded obedience to himself and forced those who did not obey him and maintained a relationship with the former leaders out of the church.
As we see the same things done in modern churches, it is easy to understand God’s statement in Revelation 2:6, that he hates the actions of those who believe they have the right to dominate the church. “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.” In Revelation 2:15, he states that he hates the very belief that a man has the right to dictate and control the church. “So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.”
They demand that their standards and ideas be followed, with no regard to what God has commanded. As the Apostles told the Jewish leaders in Acts 5:29, “…We ought to obey God rather than men.” This must not be simply ignored, and John would have to deal with it, or it would destroy other Christians.
“The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.” (I John 1:1)
The letter to Gaius is, like the letters to Philemon, Titus, and Timothy, written to specific individual, to address a specific problem. In many respects it is very similar to Philemon, focusing on the individual’s personal response to a particular problem, whereas II John is concerned with individual responses of a group. It appears that Gaius was standing alone against the problem. John is careful to give him personal encouragement in his stance.
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (I John 1:2-4)
I have been privileged to go back from time to time to churches I worked in and see people who I taught continuing to serve God, twenty or thirty years later. Others have moved to other areas, and impact people that I meet later. It is almost like finding out that one of your children has made some great accomplishment, especially when others have fallen by the way side.
Gaius had continued faithfully reaching out to and encouraging others in the Lords work, demonstrating his love by his faithfulness in his actions. They had declared his faithfulness to John.
“Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 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: Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.” (III John 1:5-8)
If we love the Lord, we ought to love those who carry the Gospel to others. While it is the churches place to support the pastor, there is no reason for the unsaved to support those who come to preach to them. One of the ways we fulfill the great commission is by enabling others to go to areas we cannot, helping them to accomplish their ministry.
In the past few years, it has become common for a new pastor to try to eliminate all evidence of the previous pastor in an attempt to consolidate his control of the church. They cut off fellowship, join a different organization, eliminate missionaries to make it clear who is the pastor. Frequently, they push out the former pastor’s family and faithful older members of the church who question his actions. Gaius was apparently in this position of being forced out because he wouldn‘t go along.
“I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 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.” (III John 1:9-10)
Like some modern pastors, Diotrophes wanted to be the one in control. He had no trouble ignoring Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 20:25-28. “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43 records the same incident. In Luke 22:24-27, Jesus repeated the command at the last supper. “And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.”
In his effort to establish his control, Diotrophes began to imply wrong doing or false teaching on the part of John and others. He demanded obedience to himself and forced those who did not obey him and maintained a relationship with the former leaders out of the church.
As we see the same things done in modern churches, it is easy to understand God’s statement in Revelation 2:6, that he hates the actions of those who believe they have the right to dominate the church. “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.” In Revelation 2:15, he states that he hates the very belief that a man has the right to dictate and control the church. “So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.”
They demand that their standards and ideas be followed, with no regard to what God has commanded. As the Apostles told the Jewish leaders in Acts 5:29, “…We ought to obey God rather than men.” This must not be simply ignored, and John would have to deal with it, or it would destroy other Christians.
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