Thoughts From 3John - Part 4

  I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.11 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. 12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.15 Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name. 3John 9-15

         Ring, ring

         Dude:" Hello"

          Diotrephes (D): "Dude, Come over now I gotta' show you something."

       Knock on door. D opens door

         Dude: "What's so important?"

         D: "Look, my name is in the Bible! I'm in there with David, Abraham, Moses, Daniel, etc"

        Dude: But look, it says you want to be first, It says you wouldn't welcome the disciple who Jesus loved and you are spreading malicious nonsense about him. It says that you are kicking people out of the church who are siding with John. D, I don't think this is as exciting as you think it is. I'm thinking Demetrius is looking better than you in this chapter."

        D: "Yah, I kicked that guy out. He was starting to get a big head and name-dropping people like John and others."

       Dude: "I think he is implying that you are evil and haven't seen God like you think you have. And it sounds like John is coming soon to set you right."

       D: "How can he say I'm evil when I'm in the Bible. Dude, 2000 years from now people will be seeing my name. I'm immortal."

      Dude: "I guess so, but i still think I'd rather be immortal like Demetrius."

   Have you been in a church with people like Diotrephes? I have and it's sad to say I've got some of him inside me. Francis Chan struggled with this love of being first so much that he quit his church and took his family to be missionaries to an obscure part of the world. He recently gave a message on the blessing of being unknown and just faithfully serving God in that capacity. That's what I want - at least that's what I want to want.

     I was once visiting my home church where I grew up in Brookfield Wisconsin, having moved away and coming back for a visit, and one of the elders confessed in the service that he was wrong when he opposed a pastor who was candidating for the job and God has set him straight and now he is in favor of the candidate coming. It all seemed very humble but as an outsider looking in I was thinking, how can one man have enough power to stop a candidate and now approve him? I remembered this guy from our premarital classes, and he had a "taking over" air about him. These are the dangers that churches have to deal with, and I've seen it in every church I've ever been in.

      Fight for anonymity. God knows who you are!

Thoughts From 3John - part 3

Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. 3John 5-8

          John has a strong sense of black and white in his writings that often seems harsh in our Western thinking. He's big on darkness vs. light, children of God vs. children of the Devil, Spirit of God vs. Spirit of the antichrist, saved vs. condemned, among us vs. not one of us, and in this passage brothers and sisters vs. pagans. The Webster's definition of pagan is "one not holding to the religious beliefs of the recognized religion", which is interesting considering that in actuality the burgeoning Christian faith would probably fit better under the definition of pagan. It's like in a group of 100 people, only one would be a follower of Christ and that follower would consider the 99, pagans. What gall! - unless there is only one "recognized religion" and that is what John would call "the truth."

           This is why James would say in Chapter 4 of his epistle,

 "You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. "

If we think that we can somehow be popular, loved, endorsed, financially supported by a system that is opposed to God, we are sorely mistaken or else our beliefs have become so watered down that we have lost the difference between us and the world and Satan is glad to keep us stuck in his web.

        When you received Christ, did you realize that it would pit you in an us versus them reality. How do we battle? With love only, no other weapon than that. When they persecute, we love back. When they hate, exclude, mock we love back. But recognize we are on the side of truth no matter how in the minority you might feel and don't back down.

Thoughts From 3John - Part 2

 It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3John 3,4

        There are 4 progressive responses to the Truth, and I believe all must be necessary for salvation. The first is knowing the Truth. Romans 1 says that the truth has gone out to the whole world through revelation of God in nature and Romans 2 says it has gone out to all mankind in a moral awareness. In other words, all mankind knows that we aren't a cosmic accident and there must be a cause behind our existence and you can either acknowledge that it's God or make up some other non-sensical cause. Then Romans 2 says we know there is a right and wrong and we violate it and we can either acknowledge we don't measure up or deny responsibility and evilness. This is the first part of knowing the truth but knowing the remedy must come through specific revelation from messengers of the gospel, that Christ came to take on our moral guilt and introduce us to the creator. We follow the Great Commission so people might know the Truth.

       The 2nd part is acknowledging that this is the truth. However, even the Devil acknowledges this to be true so that doesn't save you.

       Third is humbly receiving the Truth. I know the truth, I acknowledge this is the truth and I humbly admit I'm a sinner in need of forgiveness through Christ's sacrificial death for my sins. I said there are 4 responses necessary when in actuality, it's 3 that save you but the 4th flows from a genuine 3rd response. 4th is walking in the truth - the walk or footsteps of faith as described in Romans 4. As John would say in his first epistle, if we say that we have received Christ in salvation but don't walk in love or obedience, we really didn't get saved because we aren't transformed by the Holy Spirit living inside us.

      I have no greater joy to see my children and their children building marriages, homes, families with Christ at the center.

This is the highlight of my life, and with 11 grandchildren, it's vital that my wife and I

continue to help them walk in the Truth which is lifelong process.

Thoughts From 3John - Part 1

 The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3John 1,2

         This is my favorite verse having to do with philosophy of Christian medical care. It recognizes the three important parts of the person that me, as a doctor, needs to address. First, good health. My eldest son, a doctor, is more in tune with this than I ever was. Our teaching had nothing to do with diet and nutrition and minimal training in preventative medicine. We were more focused on identifying diseases early so they could be treated. All of this is important to keep the body, the carrier of the eternal soul, alive and well and on this planet as long as possible. This unfortunately is where care stops with most physicians.

        The next part is the "all goes well" part. To me, this is the emotional well-being aspect or what we would call the psyche. Most doctors would rather not deal with this because frankly, who has time to listen to family, relational, work, marital, money problems, when patients are sandwiched tightly into time slots 15 minutes apart. Besides, you can't bill for that and there are doctors called Psychiatrists that chose to do this for a living. But as a Christian doctor who is supposed to care and love and show kindness, this is an essential part. Not only that, but so much of emotional distress triggers the problems with the body, that to adequately treat physical illness, psychological issues need also to be addressed.

      A good Doctor addresses parts 1 and 2 but a great doctor deals with the last one also and that is the spirit of mankind. To paraphrase Jesus (which is never wise), "What shall it profit a person if they live to be a healthy, happy 100 year-old yet lose their own soul. In other words, if I care for a person and they eventually die without knowing Jesus, they are going to Hell according to God's word. Therefore, I'm not really caring for someone if I don't care for their eternal soul that lies dormant inside of them. I must, at some point lead the conversation toward Christ. Frankly, it's much easier to do if you allow time to explore part 2, their emotional well-being because that often leads to areas that are in disarray because of a life of sin. Also, studies show that Christians live longer due to lack of sinful, detrimental habits to the health of the body, and also a renewed psyche filled with hope, peace, and joy.

       Can non-Christians be good doctors? Absolutely. Can non-Christians be great doctors? No.

Thoughts From 2John - Part 3

  I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.13 The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings. 2John 12,13

        2John has a real family feel to it. You have elder, Father, Son, lady, children, one another all speaking to relationship, family, respect, subordination, roles, care and love. To think that one can become a Christian and not get involved in a body is a mistake. God saved us to be part of a body. John says that his joy isn't complete without face-to-face interaction with fellow believers.

       This is especially needed in this day where communication is often done with texting. Texting is far below talking on the phone which is far below face timing which is far below in person talking. I recently had an episode where I was in a text communication, and it was totally misunderstood. When it was read back, the person read it in a angry, "snarky" (their words) tone where it was anything but that in intent. If I had read it, it would have sounded completely different and I was once again reminded of John's words that he had much to write but he would rather communicate it in person, which is always wise.

     I've got to say, the worst thing about being in a church is the people, but this is also the best thing about being in a church. God uses the worst to refine us - how could we really learn love, long suffering, mercy, grace, compassion, gentleness, selflessness except for difficult people? God uses the best to bless us - our joy is completed. So many people leave the church saying, "I was hurt." Of course you were. There's people in the church. Did you love back? Did you show mercy back? You're like a marine who deserts saying, "They were shooting at me." You're like a boxer that leaves the ring saying, "That guy looked like he wanted to punch me." What do you expect. Get back in there and fight for the prize set before you.

Thoughts From 2John - Part 2

 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.  2John 5-11

         This is the passage that is traditionally used to discourage Christians from inviting travelling cult evangelists into your house to discuss their faulty views while trying to win them over from the lies of Satan that deny the deity of Christ. But is this what this really means in light of the preceding verses that deal with loving people? I suppose it could mean that because you could certainly talk to them on the porch as I have done, but if we are truly concerned about their souls, we shouldn't do like this possum family.

   I think the main thrust of this passage is don't do anything to help them succeed. When you donate money to a charity, is any of that going to further an anti-Christian agenda? If you own a building, are you renting out space to someone who is working against the gospel of Christ? When you spend money at a business, are the owners supporting ministers of a false religion? You don't want to do anything that would further their agenda. We must be informed givers and with AI search engines, that information is at our fingertips. For example, did you know that Marriot Hotels and Crumbl cookies were started by Mormons? You have to believe that a small portion of what you spend there will go to the LDS church. It makes you think. (But I do love me a Crumbl cookie)

Thoughts From 2John - Part 1

 The elder,

To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth— 2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 

        Any idea what the theme was in this quarter of the book? John uses the word "truth" in his writings 43 times. This is relevant to today because people aren't really interested in "the" truth, they are interested in "their" truth which is ironic because their truth may be totally incorrect but it doesn't really matter to them. Plus, their truth may change over time which means one of them wasn't true. "Truth" is defined as that which is in accord with reality.

     One of John's most notable accounts of "truth" is found in Jesus' discourse with Pilate which is only found in his gospel, not the other three. It relates to today because Jesus was explaining who He was and the kingdom of God and explaining the truth and Pilate wasn't interested because his truth was that he had to keep peace even if it meant killing an innocent man. I suppose his truth was true, but Jesus is THE truth, so the question is which truth are you going to follow? What God asks us to do is submit our truth to His. What would that look like in Pilate's case? The truth was that he would lose his job, status, favor with the king, maybe even his life if he didn't keep peace which in this case was sentencing an innocent man to die. To put his truth in submission to Jesus' would have been to admit that what Jesus said was true and to follow Him no matter what the cost because his job and life is nothing compared to the wonder of following Christ.

           That's what happened with Saul/Paul who was advancing in power with the Pharisees by persecuting Christians until he met the truth on the way to Damascus, left his truth and followed the truth and proclaimed that whatever he was then was rubbish compared to the glory of knowing Christ.

       This is what John is talking about as he starts his letter to this body of believers. He is beyond excited that this group of believers have put their truth in subjection to THE Truth who has now given them a new truth which is in line with what is really true. Make sense? In my life, I was introduced to the truth at a very early age but in my college years, when I was on my own, I had to decide is this really the truth or have I been brainwashed. I knew like Trump, Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson that this way of living led to a good life and wholesome world. But is that enough? Do you really want to be a Christian because it works even if it is not true and Jesus wasn't God and didn't rise from the dead? That's what Karl Marx called the opiate of the masses - let them believe a lie because it makes them endure suffering without complaining. No, I, like Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men wanted to know the truth and after investigating I was convinced that Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life and no one comes to God except through Him.

       That's the truth and I'm following it (Him).