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3 John 11-12 - Choosing to imitate
Scripture:
3 John 11-12
11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who
does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.
12 Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the
truth itself; and we add our testimony, and you know that our testimony
is true.
NASU
Thoughts:
Gaius receives an exhortation to imitate what is good. This might seem
strange considering his earlier commendation:
3 John 3
3 For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth,
that is, how you are walking in truth.
NASU
However, Gaius was in the same church as Diotrephes (3
John 9-10), who was abusing other Christians, asserting himself
over them. John's fear then, seems to be that Gaius might begin to
imitate the sinful behavior of Diotrephes (verse 11a).
It is strange how easily we find ourselves imitating the behavior of
others, especially those we consider successful in some way. In this
way, sin often begets sin, as John feared would happen in Gaius. But,
good deeds can also beget more good deeds. John points Gaius to the
example of Demetrius as someone Gaius may choose instead to imitate.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to be a Demetrius, a person that you would commend. Let
my thoughts, my words, and my actions glorify You this week. Help me
to imitate the faithful in the Bible, and that have passed through my
life.
Amen
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