Where Bible Study Makes A Difference

For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy (2 Timothy 3:2 NASB)

“THE DANGERS OF DIOTREPHES”

I was listening to J.Vernon McGee teach on the Epistle of 3rd John. The series reminded me of a question which has arisen to my mind many times. Why did J. Vernon McGee retire from being a pastor of his church in California and begin putting up audio recordings of 5 years through the bible? What did J. Vernon McGee see that caused him to be burdened to go on the radio and preach the Word of God? This morning revealed why: it comes from McGee’s bible study on 3 John. I encourage you to listen to the study which is RSS linked on the left side of my website. Below is some of what the 3 John 1 text says:

I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church. 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 1:9-11)

What can we notice from this text above? The truth we should take into account peeks into the actions of Diotrephes. This has become an attitude which is destroying the so-called churches in America today. Here’s are the evidences of why we true believers must recognize and speak out against these dangers:

1 – Systematic Promotion of self love
2 – Refusal to listen to sound apostolic teaching from the bible
3 – Malicious slander of true believers
4 – Unjust hatred of the true church
5 – Self promotion to his own authority that denies then Lord Jesus

This is what we may see on a regular amongst many churches thoughout the United States. These are the dangers of Diotrephes. In the next couple of weeks hopefully, I will attempt to cover what each on of these mean for the church today. My encouragement to you, brethren, comees from what God suggest we do when confronting such men in the church: DON’T IMITATE THEIR BEHAVIOR (v11). Instead, do that which is good and pleasing in sight of the Lord Jesus Christ. God bless.