3 John 9-10 English Standard Version

9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.

John’s third epistle takes on a different tone than his first two letters. He has heard about the failure of Diotrephes to allow oversight in this letter to Gaius.

In the KJV the phrase “who likes to put himself first” was written as “who loveth to have the preeminence, among them” indicating that he held some title of leadership that is not defined in the letter. Those issues were known to Gaius and would not have had to be repeated.

3 John 1:12

Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.

It would seem this individual began a good ministry but at some point believed his own press clippings. Fame can turn a head and when pride takes over the blessings of the Father’s hand is often removed.

When leaders, no matter the title, cast any voice of opposition out of a church, what remains begins to look like a cult. Members need to be heard and their concerns addressed in an atmosphere of submission to an overseeing authority.

In this age of the non-denominational church it appears to be difficult to determine who has been given oversight for any one of them. This is something that should not be hidden from the congregation. This letter from John is a prime example of understanding who we can turn to for arbitration when it appears that a church is becoming a one man show.

Why non-denominational churches began springing up around the country is obvious to some but pulling away from a counsel of any certain denomination does not negate the need for oversight.

Leadership has the responsibility to their members to identify who has oversight and how to contact them if needed. If for no other reason it is needed to prevent division in the church.

Numbers 12:1-9 English Standard Version

Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses

1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. 2 And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. 3 Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. 4 And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. 5 And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward. 6 And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. 7 Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” 9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed.

If we were to read on we will discover only Miriam was stricken with leprosy and was put out of the camp for seven days until her plague was removed at Moses’ intercession. Interestingly, their journey did not continue until after Miriam was restored. Read into that what you will.

The issue of who hears the Lord is not a sign of leadership. God chose Moses to lead them. It is a clear sign of the dangers when self-imposed prophets try to usurp leadership. They might be useful as advisors but should never be allowed to gather a following. History has produced multiple destructive cults that formed around so-called prophets and false messiahs.

We no longer live in the age of judges or earthly kings. We have one Lord who sits on the throne and has sent us the Holy Spirit to live by faith. The mistakes of the past are not to be repeated. We have seen the results. 

In this present age there are many voices rewriting history. We must not allow those loud voices to infect our faith like it infected Miriam. She was put out of the meeting place and we must take care not to allow the same thing to happen to us.

No matter our place in the body of Christ, we all serve God. As was pointed out to me by a wise counselor, when a toe is stubbed, the whole body feels it. We all matter no matter where we are placed to serve.