Diotrephes and Demetrius
Many who have never opened a Bible know about Noah. There are citizens who have never darkened the door of any church; yet they can tell you who Jonah was. Children in Sunday School can tell you who Lazarus was, and how Jesus raised him from the dead. Yet, tucked away in the small epistle of III John are two Bible characters that are little known to even the most faithful churchgoers. I hope the reader will read what the scriptures declare concerning these two men.
Diotrephes – The Undermining, Authority-Usurping “Church Boss”
III John 9, 10 – “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.”
John’s third epistle is addressed to man named Gaius, a man about which we know but little. In verse 9, John tells Gaius, “I wrote unto the church.” More than likely, John is informing Gaius that he wrote to the church of which Gaius attended. John expounded to Gaius how that the letter he had written to the church had fallen into the hands of a deadly serpent – the hands of an undermining “church boss.” John tells Gaius that Diotrephes “loveth to have the preeminence.” This is a mark of a genuine, authentic hypocrite. A sincere Christian is content to work hard behind the scenes so that Christ may be preeminent! But Diotrephes, on the other hand, loved attention. He loved to be out in front. He loved to run things. He got glory out of the fact that the pastor had to come to him for permission to have a bus ministry, permission to have a revival, or permission to increase spending for the promotion of outreach.
Listen to me very carefully. If you are on a board of trustees, a deacon board, or some other church board, listen to me right here. If your pastor has to ask YOU for permission to have a revival, have a bus ministry, or anything else, you are wicked. I have spoken to deacon boards who were trying to find a pastor for their church. It was evident to me why they couldn’t find anyone. They wanted the pastor to preach, and they wanted to run the church. Let me tell you something, Diotrephes – if you think it is your job to run the church, why don’t you just pastor the church? Why get a pastor to be your puppet?
First, Diotrephes loved to have preeminence. He loved to have authority. Furthermore, the scriptures tell us that Diotrephes was “prating against us with malicious words.” “Prate,” according to Noah Webster, means “to utter foolishly.” Basically, when John tells Gaius that Diotrephes was “prating against us,” he is saying that Diotrephes was running his mouth often, and never knew what he was talking about. Church bosses are not content with any man of God. Church bosses are quick to run down men of God. They have no fear of God. A real Christian, on the other hand, realizes the Biblical admonition to “touch not Mine anointed,” and “do my prophets no harm.” The true Christian understands that, even when a preacher is wrong, it is just as wrong to criticize. Notice that Diotrephes was big on “prating;” true Christians are big on “praying.” Diotrephes specialized in running his mouth to others; the true Christian specializes in running his mouth to God.
John further shows us that Diotrephes had no discernment. No hypocrite has discernment. Church bosses have no discernment. If church bosses had any discernment, they would see that their desire to run the church and the pastor is of the devil. John tells us concerning Diotrephes – “neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would.” Diotrephes did not receive the brethren, but cast them out of the church. This plainly shows that Diotrephes did not know the difference between a real brother in Christ and a wolf in sheep’s clothing. So it is with church bosses. They don’t know a real man of God when they see one. When they do have a real man of God, it’s the church bosses that vote him out! Don’t be a Diotrephes!
Demetrius – The Man Whose Actions Were Right and His Beliefs Were True
III John 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.”
Here John mentions a second member of Gaius’ church. Demetrius was a man who is commended on two fronts by the apostle John. First, John states to Gaius that “Demetrius hath good report of all men.” This is a testimony of Demetrius’ way of living – he lived right! The testimony of the life that Demetrius lived was reported BY ALL MEN! Saints and sinners alike testified that Demetrius lived right! No man’s religion is worth a wadded-up Snickers wrapper if it doesn’t affect the way he lives! I only care what you believe after I see how you live! Demetrius had gotten hold of a religion that caused him to live right, and all men saw it!
Not only did Demetrius adhere to a practical Christianity by living right, but he also possessed doctrinal Christianity by believing right! In the above verse, John states “Demetrius hath good report of all men, and OF THE TRUTH ITSELF!” “All men” testified of how Demetrius lived; “the truth itself” testified of what Demetrius believed! While it is important to live right, it is also important to believe right. Demetrius did both! His Christianity looked good in practice, but it also looked good on paper! It matters what you believe. It matters what you believe about Christ. In II John, John said, “If any man come unto you, and bring not this doctrine [the doctrine, or teaching, about Christ], receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed.” It matters what you believe about heaven and hell. It matters what you believe about retribution for sin. It matters what you believe about the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. It matters what you believe sanctification and holiness. It matters what you believe about the sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Yes, “universal atonement” is important, and “limited atonement” is not in the Bible. If you do not believe in justification by faith, you are in serious error. If you teach that we are kept by works, then you, like the Galatians, are fallen from grace. It is a big deal if you have a problem with the deity of Christ. Before He was born in the flesh, Christ was equal with the Father. After Christ was born in the flesh, His name was called Emmanuel, meaning “God with us.” And the Father declared to the Son, “Thy throne, O GOD, is for ever!” While in the flesh, Jesus Christ was absolutely sinless! He never sinned in thought, in word, or in deed. All these things are important.
Practical Christianity [how you live] is important; but doctrinal Christianity [how you believe] is just as important. You may ask, “What difference does it make what I believe about Christ’s sacrificial death, or some of the other doctrines you mentioned?” These doctrines matter for one major reason – each doctrine of the Bible is a test to each one of us, and that test is stated thus: “Do you believe what God said?” You tell me what you believe about hell and I’ll tell you whether or not you believe God. Don’t ever conclude that the doctrines of the Bible are unimportant – it ALWAYS matters what God said, and Demetrius believed the truth!
