3 John 10-11
Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth… prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
John is not the least bit casual about what Diotrephes is doing. He does not shrug and say, Let us just keep things pleasant. He does not act as though silence is the holier option. He says plainly, If I come, I will remember his deeds. In other words, I will address it. I will bring it into the open. I will not let it keep festering in the dark.
That is not a lack of love.
That is love.
There is a soft kind of thinking that says real love never confronts, never rebukes, never names the problem, never risks tension. But the Bible does not speak that way. Proverbs 27:5 says, Open rebuke is better than secret love. If decay is spreading, the loving man does not stand smiling in the corner pretending all is well. He cares enough to deal with it before more harm is done.
That is John here.
And the way Diotrephes was operating is very revealing. John says he was prating against them with malicious words. The Greek picture is vivid. It speaks of bubbling up empty talk, like bubbles rising underwater and bursting at the surface. That is such an accurate image for slander and accusation. It makes noise. It stirs the water. It creates movement and tension. But there is no substance underneath it.
Just bubbles.
Just turbulence.
Just undercurrents.
A man like Diotrephes can fill a room with suspicion without ever proving anything. He can create a climate of unrest with hints, sharp words, and insinuations. People begin to feel the disturbance before they ever stop to ask whether there is anything solid in it. That is how churches get poisoned. Not only by outright false doctrine, but by malicious talk that keeps bubbling to the surface and unsettling everybody around it.
And John says Diotrephes was not content with words alone. That is the frightening part. Sin rarely sits still. First came the malicious words. Then he would not receive the brethren. Then he forbade others from receiving them. Then he cast faithful people out of the church. Pride in the heart worked its way into the tongue, then into control, then into open abuse.
That is how corruption grows.
A little mold behind the wall does not stay little for long.
So John says he will deal with it. He is not defending personal pride. He is protecting the body. He knows that if this kind of behavior is left unchallenged, the whole fellowship suffers. The humble get pushed aside. The faithful grow quiet. Fear takes over. Suspicion replaces joy. People begin adjusting themselves around the bully instead of around Christ.
That can never be allowed to stand.
Then John brings the whole matter down to one plain exhortation. Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. I like that. Because in the middle of church conflict and strong personalities and painful situations, things can start to feel complicated. John clears the fog. Do not imitate evil. Do not admire it. Do not excuse it because it is forceful or impressive or wrapped in religious language.
Just follow what is good.
That is still the word for us. There will always be people who know how to dominate a room, stir emotions, gather loyalty, and make themselves look important. But the question is not who seems strongest. The question is who is godly. Who is humble. Who is honest. Who is walking in the light.
John says, He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. That is a searching statement. Not that a person earns salvation by doing good, but that conduct reveals something. A life bent toward slander, control, cruelty, and selfish ambition is exposing a heart that is not seeing God clearly. Because when a man truly sees God, he does not become bigger in his own eyes. He becomes smaller. Softer. Truer. More afraid of grieving the Lord than of losing his own little kingdom.
So there is both warning and guidance here.
Do not follow noise.
Do not follow intimidation.
Do not follow bubbling accusations that have no weight to them.
Follow what is good.
Follow those whose lives have the scent of Christ on them.
And do not be afraid of loving confrontation when it is needed. Silence is not always mercy. Sometimes silence is how damage is allowed to spread. Sometimes the most loving thing in the room is a man or woman willing to bring the matter into the light and say, This is not right.
That was John’s heart.
And that kind of love is still needed in the church today.