I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 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. 3 John 1:9-10
What is rampant in the Church today? Exactly what this book describes here in these two verses. At the core of the issue I believe it is pride and ambition, with a desire to control others. So that the leadership would be seen as ‘authoritative’ and ‘right’ in all things. This all comes about when the Holy Spirit is maligned and not allowed to bring discernment to the ‘babies’ in the local congregation. Mature followers of Christ who have an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit will follow the instructions given to them, which most likely is to confront the leader in private, or to just ‘dust off their shoes and depart’. Of course there are those people who do the exact same thing (walk away) because of their own pride, not willing to look at their own sin. Unfortunately I’ve personally seen too many spiritual leaders that just deny the ‘message’ the Holy Spirit has HAD to now bring through other people, because the individual leader has been shutting out the Holy Spirit’s words to them personally, and just dismiss the ‘messenger(s)’ as “not hearing correctly from God”.
This isn’t a new thing. Here the issue existed within the first century church. Human pride, and arrogance has been around since Adam and Eve. But God… has provided the Body of Christ ‘gifts’ for the ‘equipping of the saints’ that will call out these issues among the Body. But with the continual morphing of the structure and system of the Church the ‘leadership’ continues to embolden their defenses to anyone who might disagree with them. Making it very hard for anyone who might speak against the things they are saying and doing. We certainly see this trend today in EVERY institution. The ‘gift’ of the Prophet in the Body of Christ has been removed from most institutional churches. They used every method they can think of to neutralize that ‘gift’, which has the responsibility to call out the ‘sin in the camp’.
On a personal scale it comes from our prideful nature to deny our shortcomings before the Holy Spirit. He is the FIRST Person we deny. Why? Because we don’t like the truth he is giving us about ourselves. So we squash that conviction from Him and self justify our excuses. These are the issues in maturity of humility and repentance that are missing because pride, arrogance, lust, and selfish control have pushed them aside within us.
The time is coming for EVERYONE when will we won’t be able to deny the truth … about ourselves. The wise individual hears the words of the Holy Spirit within them NOW and repents, and allows the Holy Spirit to guide them out of the condition they are in. But this takes real relationship beyond just ‘mental ascent’, there must be real action involved, with honest words and talk in confession before Him.
What is the thing you are not wanting to accept from Him now? What dirty secrets do you not want to confess before Him? Freedom comes from honesty, and accepting the Truth from Him. Then light dawns once again within those dark corners within us.
Lord shine Your Light within our being. Point out any hidden sin and iniquities. Help us Lord!! We need You!! Show us where we need to repent, and cleanse us.