1:9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.
1:10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.
1:11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.
John had written a previous letter to the church ( we don't know where this church was exactly ) but, he had written and this man Diotrophes was not receptive of John and some unamed other persons.
Much is said of this man.
1. He loved to have the preeminence among the others in the church.
2. He was not receptive to John and other servants of God.
3. His deeds were going to be called to mind.
4. He was prating against John and others.
5. He said malicious words.
6. He was not content with just his prating and maliciousness.
7. He was forbidding others to receive the ministers.
8. He was removing people from the church who should not have been removed.
9. He was evil.
10. He was not to be imitated.
11. He was doing evil.
12. He had not seen God.
What a description. Let's just take a close look at some of these things.
He loved to have the preeminence among others. That is, he loved to be first. He aspired to be first.
He was not receptive of John's apostolic authority, and of others as well. He would not come under the authority of those he should have come under. He was a proud and arrogant man.
He was prating. Not a word we hear or use very often. That is, he uttered nonsense. He would falsely accuse people. He made empty charges.
He accused people with malicious words. Maliciousness, means to intend to do harm to others. It's when you are out to destroy others. It means to be wicked. It means to have ill will towards others.
He was not content with prating and being malicious. He went on, and on, and on in his evil deeds.
He would forbid others from receiving these traveling ministers and missionaries.
He was evil, or destructive. That's what evil means. It means to hurt other people.
And, lastly, he had not seen God. In other words, if he had had contact with God, he would have acted differently. His actions revealed that he had not come into fellowship with God.
The last thing that John in this regard, is not to imitate evil. But, to imitate what is good. And, the person who does good is of God, and the person who does evil has not seen God. That's the second time John used this statement.
God wants to be seen as it were. He wants to be known, and to be received. That's His nature, to give His goodness and grace, and mercy away to others.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
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