Tag: Godly Leadership

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How To Tell Good Leaders Apart From Bad Leaders

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3rd John: A Letter to a Faithful Brother

© 2025 by C. O. Bishop

3rd John 1-13

1 The elder unto the well-beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;  6 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: 7 Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth.

9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 10 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.

11 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. 12 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.

13 I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: 14 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.

Introduction:

1 The elder unto the well-beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

Gaius may be one of the men who accompanied Paul in his work. Luke mentioned men with the same name (possibly both the same man) in Acts 19:29 and Acts 20:4. Is the “Gaius” in 3rd John one of those men? Maybe. But, he is someone of whom John fully approves. In verse three we see that he was doctrinally sound, and was living the truth of the Word, not just verbally assenting to it. Read carefully: some of the passages here can be (have been) misused

The Root of the “Prosperity Gospel”

2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

This verse has been used to teach that God’s primary concern is for all of us to be healthy and wealthy. That is false teaching. Hebrews 11:36-38 lists those who lost everything for the sake of the Gospel, and the name of Jesus, and it says that they were the “best of the best.” He says of them that, they were those, “of whom the world was not worthy…”

What does it mean, “to Prosper?”

I looked up the Greek word translated as, “prosper.” I had hoped to ascertain what kind of prosperity it implied. but it turns out that it is pretty much the same in Greek as it is in English: It can literally mean simply to “have a good journey,” or it can imply financial well-being.

Possibly Gaius was well-to-do, and John wished him to remain so. But, possibly his health was in question: The scriptures definitely do NOT teach that if you are walking with God you will never get sick. God says King Hezekiah was the best king Judah ever had. (2nd Kings 18:1-6.)

Old and New Testament Examples:

And King Hezekiah not only got sick: He was told he would die of it. (2nd Kings 20) But when he prayed and asked for a reprieve, God granted him healing and fifteen more years of life. In the New Testament, Epaphroditus was near death from sickness. He was sick, and it happened while he was faithfully serving Christ. (GOD says so! Philippians 2:25-30)

Whatever the circumstances, John wished for good health and general prosperity from God for Gaius. That is a common theme in our prayers for one another, too, but this verse does NOT teach that “If you have proper faith, you will always be healthy and wealthy.” That is false teaching, and it turns people’s eyes away from the Person of Christ, looking more to their own condition than to Him. It is becoming a widespread heresy, and it has ensnared many people, some of whom eventually become embittered and completely reject the entire message of Christ because they have been deceived by a false teacher or a false cult.

Leaning on Jesus

We are told to look to Jesus and to trust Him for our circumstances. Proverbs 3:5, 6 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding.” A sister, here in the church, recently sent me a photograph of a power-strip, plugged into itself: The caption read, “This is what it looks like to trust in your own wisdom: there is no Power!” It is a comical picture, of course, but the message is truly serious.

Romans 1:22 says, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools…”

Except for the wisdom that God gives us in His Word and by His Holy Spirit, we do not have answers for the problems and questions in life. When we claim to have the answers, we are immediately ensnared in the trap of “professing ourselves to be wise.” And the result for us is the same as the result for the people in Romans 1:22. We become fools.

What Did Gaius Mean in Verse 2?

It seems that John simply extended “Best wishes” for Gaius’ life, especially based upon what he knew of Gaius’ spiritual condition. He was not stating that God’s primary concern for believers is that we should be healthy and wealthy. God gives many warnings to the rich, about their spiritual condition NOT matching their wealth. He gives none at all to the poor, suggesting that they are poor because of a lack of faith.

No! In James 2:5 God says the poor are rich in faith. (click the link and read it!)

3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.

Evidently the traveling teachers saw that Gaius was living the faith, and obeying the truth. Possibly it was because they saw that he did what John commanded in 2nd John 4-10. He had questioned them thoroughly before choosing to house and to feed them and sending them on their way, with provisions. They knew that he was faithful to the truth because of his actions, not just his words.

4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

This agrees with 2nd John 4. But it also seems to imply that John considered Gaius to be his spiritual offspring…at least at some level. Whether John had personally introduced Gaius to faith in Christ, or simply had been feeding him and seeing him grow up in the faith, so that he saw Gaius as his “son in the faith,” we cannot know for sure. But we can see the sense of responsibility John felt and understand how pleased he felt to hear from others that Gaius was living the reality of His faith, and standing for the truth of the Gospel.

Fellowship in the Ministry of Missionaries

This is both in contrast and agreement with the warning and admonition given in 2nd John 4-10. John had also commended “the elect lady” for walking in truth. But he had warned her against lacking discernment, and thereby inadvertently supporting false teachers. Here, in 3rd John 5-8, he commends Gaius for supporting true teachers (“missionaries,” we might call them) and states that by doing so, we are thereby being “fellow-helpers to the truth.”

What questions should we ask?

How did he know they were true teachers? John gave some “litmus tests” in 1st John 4:1-6, and in 2nd John 4-10. The “tests” were doctrinal in nature. What were these teachers teaching? The questions had to do with the person and work of Jesus. Is he truly God in the Flesh? Is he truly virgin-born, thus fulfilling the “Seed of the Woman” prophecy? Did His blood truly satisfy the judgment and Holiness of God for the sins of the entire human race? Was he truly dead, and truly buried? Was He physically resurrected, and is He the eternal God, still today? Is His forgiveness available by faith in His blood, alone…without additional works?

I don’t know what questions Gaius may have asked. But these are the sorts of questions we ought to be asking before supporting missions. We try to only support missionaries who are faithfully teaching good doctrine and the pure Gospel of Christ.

Becoming Partners in the Work of the Gospel

5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 6 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: 7 Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

Part of the proof of the character of these teachers is that they were not “seeking a handout,” and were only being funded by other believers who saw their work as being from God.

8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth.

This is God’s approval for Missionary support, and His statement that by doing so we are taking part in their ministry.

A Bad Leader: A Counterexample to Good Leadership

9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

This is the only example of a New Testament church where one man had seized preeminence. All the other mentions of the church leaders stated “elders” (plural) in each “church” (singular.) But Diotrephes wanted to be the chief ruler. He rejected the authority of the apostles, and he rejected the travelling teachers, approved by the apostles. Further, he excommunicated believers who did receive the brethren.

This is a very stern warning to churches who declare themselves to be the sole proprietors of God’s truth. When WE become the standards of what is true, rather than God’s Word, we are in trouble with God.

10 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.

Diotrephes didn’t know it yet, but he was in deep trouble! There are many religious leaders in the world today, some of them claiming to be followers of Jesus, who are in the same trouble.

God does not allow us to elevate ourselves above God’s Word, nor to elevate ourselves above our fellow-servants. We do use the Word as a filter, to decide how to respond to people claiming to be disciples. God warns us in advance that false teachers abound and that false brethren are dangerous. (2nd Corinthians 11:26) He warns us not to be partakers with them. (2nd John 9, 10; Ephesians 5:7)

Conclusion: Follow That Which is Good.

11 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.

John had just warned them of an evil among them: He told them to “follow not that which is evil!” Then he said, in contrast, “Follow that which is good!” He gave his recommendation that Demetrius was a better example.

12Demetrius 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.

Two “Rulers of the Synagogue” (not the Church)

It is an interesting thing to observe, in Acts 18:8, and Acts 18:17 two consecutive “chief rulers” of the Synagogue at Corinth. One, Crispus, became a believer in Jesus, and evidently abandoned his position as “ruler of the synagogue.”

The second, Sosthenes, was savagely beaten by the unbelieving gentiles, after which, he evidently also became a believer…when? We don’t know, but Paul mentioned him in his first letter to Corinth, (1st Corinthians 1:1) as a brother in Christ. The point is that there is no mention of a “chief ruler” of a church. Perhaps Diotrephes was trying to connect to that Jewish tradition under the Law. I don’t know. But John condemned Diotrephes’s works and he commended Demetrius. I think we can learn from that contrast.

We are given to hope that Demetrius was able to stand against Diotrephes, and that the church would have flourished under a multiple elders, (Gaius and Demetrius, to start?) not that one man who sought to be the “ruler.”

Personal Contact When Possible

13 I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:

Personal contact is important: Sometimes a letter is the best thing, but, these believers had the hope that John would meet with them soon. Did he? We don’t know. But that was his hope as well. The letter, however, stood for eternity. We learn from it today.

14 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.

John’s final blessing to the believers with Gaius, through the mediation of Gaius, stands as one of the rarities among the epistles. Virtually all the epistles are addressed to the churches, NOT the leaders. The leaders are simply part of the church. This one is addressed to an individual. Verse 9 may reveal that Diotrephes had been intercepting John’s previous letters. So, this time, he circumvented Diotrephes by writing to Gaius.

But the blessings extended to the rest of the flock.

Lord Jesus, enable us to absorb the teachings in this epistle and to guide our decisions by the examples given here. Teach us to be the living examples of Jesus on Earth.

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Learning More Details About The Gifts of The Spirit

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Spiritual Gifts (3)

More About Spiritual Gifting

Introduction:

For the lasttwoweeks, we have discussed the Spiritual Gifts listed in Ephesians, and in Romans. We only brushed over a few of gifts in Romans, for lack of time, and I want to delve into them a little more deeply, today.

Romans 12:8-11 (read it)

8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

The Relational Gifts

8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Exhortation–Encouragement

Encouragement is a pretty vital gift: it is the ability to see a need in someone’s life, and strengthen them by drawing alongside and being a friend, or a helper, or to encourage them to make good decisions.

Some people are constant encouragers to those around them. Some are not. But, in Hebrews 10:24, 25, God tells us all to encourage one another! So those of us who do not come by it naturally have no excuse— we still have the command to do it.

But God has truly gifted some believers to be encouragers to other believers. Encouragement just seems to flow out of them wherever they go. These brothers and sisters are a tremendous blessing to the Church. We so badly need encouragers.

Giving with Simplicity

Giving, obviously, requires having something to give. But I remember hearing about a woman of limited income, who picked blackberries for pay, all summer, with the express intent of having enough to buy her little daughter a student violin. You can imagine how precious that violin had become, many years later, to her grown daughter, after her mother had passed away! She did not  have enough to give what she wanted to give, so she found a way to earn the money, to give that violin to her daughter. It was truly a gift of love.

A person can “give for show,” making a spectacle of the gift—but Jesus condemned that practice. One can give simply, privately, with no attention to the gift or the giver: just to meet a need. That is a blessing. And the Greek word, “haplotēs,” sometimes translated as “simplicity” in  King James English, also means “bountifully,” or “liberally.” So, be generous in your giving.

Seeing to the need of another person without regard to one’s own benefit is the simplest definition of Agapé Love. When we consider what Jesus did at the Cross, we see that he completely personified that Love.

Ruling with Diligence

Not all administrators are diligent…and not all are gifted to rule. But it takes diligent work to do a Godly job of overseeing any sort of work, or any group of people. Some people are gifted in administration: they can do a good job without damaging the people they serve. Others just want power: They cause offense, as they try to “bully” the others in their group, to force conformity.

This ungodly desire for preeminence is rooted in self-will. It has nothing to do with the gift of administration, or leadership. Compare 3rd John 9-11…Diotrephes is the counterexample to what God commands His shepherds to be. And the shepherds are to act as examples to the whole flock. 1st Peter 5:3 says, “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.” The Love of God has to be the motivating power in every area of the church, but especially in those who rule.  

A gifted administrator, leader, ruler, elder—whatever name you choose to apply—must live as an example of Christ’s abiding presence. In 1st Corinthians 11:1, Paul gave an invitation, “Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ!” Coming from anyone but a truly godly leader, that would sound incredibly arrogant. But every man to whom God has given the gift of leadership should be able and willing, along with Paul, to say that.You are supposed to be living as an example, so that you can truly say, “Do as I do!” (As opposed to “Do as I say!”)

Showing Mercy, with Cheerfulness

Mercy is another gift that goes along with service and encouragement. It is tremendously valuable, because it mends hearts, it comforts the feeble and it quiets the fearful. It is the Compassion of God, in human form.

The “Report Card” on this gift is how it is received. If little children and the elderly are blessed when they are near you, and people are comforted by your presence, then perhaps you are gifted in this area. It is difficult to describe, but it is easy to see in others.

In Hosea 6:6, God said that Mercy was more valuable, and more acceptable to Him than sacrifice. He said, “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

Jesus cited this passage in Matthew 9:13, when He condemned the judgmental stance of the religious leaders. He said, “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”  And again, in Matthew 12:7, under nearly identical circumstances: “But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.”

Notice that Jesus shows “Mercy” to be the opposite of condemnation and accusation. If you have a pattern of accusation, please take note: God clearly identifies the “Accuser” in Revelation 12:10, as Satan.

The opposite behavior, “Mercy,” is what God says He wants from all of us. And God has specially gifted some believers in this area, with a tender heart toward their fellow saints and sinners.

Love is the Undergirding Principle for All the Gifts

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

Love– the Agapé love (along with its companion word phileo—brotherly love) is the key to all relationships in the body of Christ. Those two loves, working together, never lead to evil; only to what is best. So, a person who is claiming to express agapé love, but is doing wrong, is faking the love for the sake of cloaking the evil. Paul says, love is to “be without dissimulation”—without fakery—without pretense. If what you are doing is wrong, then the Agapé Love “left the room” a long time ago!

We are to completely avoid evil, and see it as abominable, wherever it appears…but especially in ourselves: We need to be looking at our motives, and our thoughts, since that is where God is looking. In  Hebrews 4:12,God says he “is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart.” We are to cling to what is good, without exception. Our love for one another must be pure, drawing us closer to one another and to Christ. Agapé love never leads to sin!

Preferring One Another

We should be most comfortable in the company of other believers, and He commands that we give each other full respect and honor as children of God. In business and productivity, Agapé Love should produce an excellent work ethic, as we recognize that we are serving God as well as our employer.

If our spirit is right with God, it should produce a fervent love and worship for God, and a fervent desire to do His will and draw others to Him as well. Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work.” (John 4:34)

These are the principles by which we are to guide our walk with God, our relationships with other believers and our relationship with the World around us. I trust that, as we meditate on this passage we can see it come to life in us, and transform us into the hands and feet and heart of Jesus, doing His work in this World.

Next week we will begin to examine 1st Corinthians 12, and the rest of the spiritual gifts.

Lord Jesus, please grip our hearts with the urgency of Your great Commission. Teach us to live in a way that honors You. Teach us to reflect  Your Holiness, Your Love, and Your Mercy for the World around us to see, so that they will be drawn to You in faith.

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