Good morning Saints,
The bible tells us in Romans 12:17-18:"Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."
The call upon we who walk upright is to shun evil. And this begins with those who are called to lead us. In our text today John encourages his friend and traveling companion Gaius to continue doing that which is good. He emphasizes that the one who practices righteousness is a child of God but the one who does not practice righteousness is not born of God. The lesson for us today is to listen to the words people say and measure them against their actions. If you find that their words are sweet but their actions are deceptive, cruel and evil towards others, flee from their presence for there is no God in them. Diotrephes is evidently a very powerful leader who has succeeded in ruling the church by his own self-contained standard. But now a check-and-balance counterforce is put into the picture. John has written this letter to call into question the runaway authority of Diotrephes. Exposing what is cancerous behavior in the church that must be eradicated!
Saints of God I conclude with these word I learned so long ago from one of my mentors "Don't check your brains at the doors of the church!" Simply put, Saints we are the only creature God created with an infinite ability to reason, and if we neglect our God given ability to discern good from bad we dishonor God and harm the church of God! And one might question is there any God in us! The Word of God.
3 John 1:11 NIV
Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.
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