Reader's Version
- 2 & 3 John: A Tale of Two Doors
- Sermon by Gene Simco
- Reader’s Version
- I once heard a story about a little girl and her father crossing a bridge. The father, feeling a bit scared, looked down and asked his daughter, "Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river".
- The little girl looked back up and said, "No, Dad, you hold my hand".
- Puzzled, the father asked what the difference was.
- "There's a big difference," the little girl replied. "If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go".
- Indeed, like that little girl, we know that we are perfectly safe in our Heavenly Father’s hands. But today, we are going to talk about how to know if we are in good hands when it comes to the earthly leadership of the church.
- The Reality Check
- Let’s look back at where we were last week in our study of First John. We took a hard look at what it actually means to be a Christian—which literally translates to a "baby Christ". The Apostle John gave us the ultimate reality check: it is not enough just to talk the talk. If we claim we know God, we are commanded to step completely out of the darkness and walk exactly like Jesus did.
- In that letter, we dismantled the modern church's excuse for perpetual, unrepentant sin, and we exposed the early Gnostic false teachers who tried to separate physical actions from spiritual truth. John warned us that anyone who denies Christ by the way they live is operating in the spirit of the antichrist. He told us to test the spirits and to stop loving the things of this fading world.
- The Ancient Postcards
- Now, we arrive at Second and Third John. We are looking at two of the shortest books in the entire Bible. They are essentially ancient postcards, but they pack a massive theological punch. If First John was the broad theology of walking in the truth, Second and Third John are the hyper-practical applications of that truth regarding the leaders, influencers, and teachers in the church. These letters deal directly with identifying good and bad teachers themselves.
- We live in a consumer-driven church culture that preaches absolute tolerance. We are told to listen to everyone, read everybody's books, and welcome every perspective. But John is about to draw a hard line.
- Today, we are going to learn exactly how to identify these good and bad teachers. We will see that the biblical church is commanded to completely cut off support for false teachers, while fiercely supporting those who actually walk in the truth. Later on, we will use the Apostle Paul's words in Galatians 5 as our ultimate metric to judge the fruit of these teachers, tying it all the way back to the things of the world versus the things of the Spirit.
- Stepping Into Second John
- Let's hop right in to Second John.
- "This letter is from John, the elder. I am writing to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth, as does everyone who knows the truth, because the truth lives in us and will be in us forever. Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, will continue to be with us who live in truth and love." (2 John 1:1-3)
- We see some familiar themes here from last week: walking in the light and walking in the truth. Remember, those who deny Jesus do not live or walk in the truth. "Grace, mercy, and peace" is a common way many of these New Testament letters are introduced, establishing the foundation before getting into the instruction.
- A Quick Greek Word Study: ἀλήθεια (ah-LEE-thee-ah)
- Notice how many times John uses the word "truth" right out of the gate. In just those first few sentences, he anchors everything on it. The actual Greek text he uses is ἀλήθεια, pronounced ah-LEE-thee-ah in Modern Greek, which is much closer to how the first-century church actually would have spoken it than the academic pronunciations invented by English scholars centuries later.
- In our modern world, we tend to think of truth as just having the right facts or winning an argument. But ἀλήθεια (ah-LEE-thee-ah) means so much more than that. It means the absolute reality of God. It is genuine, undeniable, and completely opposed to illusion, fakeness, or deception.
- This is exactly why John says we must walk in it. ἀλήθεια isn't just something you agree with in your head; it is the divine reality that you actively live out in your everyday life. This sets the stage perfectly for how we identify the fakes who deal in illusions rather than reality.
- Living the Truth
- "How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded. I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. Love means doing what God has commanded us, and He has commanded us to love one another, just as you have heard from the beginning." (2 John 1:4-6)
- This serves as a quick review from last week regarding the absolute importance of loving one another. How can we say that we love God, but fail to love our brothers and sisters in Christ?
- The Spirit of the Antichrist
- "I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son." (2 John 1:7-9)
- This echoes our previous study exactly: those who say they live in Christ should obey Him, and anyone who denies Jesus is an antichrist.
- The Bible does not teach that there is simply one singular antichrist. It says that anyone can be an antichrist if they deny Jesus, and that many antichrists have already come. John makes it crystal clear: anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. They are a deceiver and an antichrist (plural). We will discuss this concept more deeply when we get to Revelation, but this severe warning sets the tone.
- Door Number One: Shut It
- "If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work. I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to do it with paper and ink. For I hope to visit you soon and talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete. Greetings from the children of your sister, chosen by God." (2 John 1:10-13)
- This establishes our overarching theme for this first letter, ending with some incredibly serious instruction. We can call this "Door Number One."
- If anyone comes into your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, you are commanded not to invite that person into your home or give them any kind of encouragement. Why? Because anyone who encourages such people literally becomes a partner in their evil work.
- Entering Third John
- Now we enter into Third John.
- "This letter is from John, the elder. I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth. Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. Some of the traveling teachers recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth. I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth." (3 John 1:1-4)
- John begins in the same way, focusing on the idea of living and walking in the truth. A quick note here: some people use this opening line to support the prosperity gospel, claiming that because of this verse, we are always supposed to be healthy in body and spirit. However, when read carefully, it is not a promise or a command of any kind. John simply hopes so. The Greek word used is euchomai, meaning "I pray". Of course we pray for health, but it is not a promise that we will always be healthy—hence the need to pray for it in the first place.
- Door Number Two: Open It Wide
- Now we get the setup regarding the traveling teachers, showing us a very different kind of instruction.
- "Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. For they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers. So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth." (3 John 1:5-8)
- Notice that when we support these faithful teachers, we actually become partners with them. This is Door Number Two.
- The Bad Example of Diotrephes
- John then points out a very bad example within the church to contrast Gaius's faithfulness.
- "I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us. When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church. Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God." (3 John 1:9-11)
- Here we see that clarity again. Diotrephes is actively refusing to support good teachers, and John commands us not to follow his example. Instead, we must follow only what is good. Tying back to the themes of First John, those who do good prove that they are God's children, and those who do evil prove they do not know God.
- Face to Face
- Third John ends much the same way as Second John. John states that he does not want to write with just pen and ink, but desires to speak face to face.
- As a fun Greek note, the phrase used here is stoma pros stoma, which literally translates to "mouth to mouth". This is a great example of why strictly literal translations aren't always a good thing, because it might make someone think they are about to resuscitate someone!
- The Tale of Two Doors
- In Second and Third John, we get what I call the "Tale of Two Doors." As we wrap up the text of these two short letters, we are presented with a very clear, contrasting picture of how the church is supposed to operate.
- In Second John, we are explicitly commanded to slam the door on false teachers. If someone comes bringing a counterfeit gospel or denying the truth of Christ, we are not to welcome them into our homes or give them any encouragement, because doing so makes us a partner in their evil work. Biblical love does not mean blind tolerance of deception.
- In Third John, however, we are commanded to open the door wide to faithful teachers. We are called to financially and practically support those who are traveling for the Lord and teaching the truth, becoming partners in their ministry.
- At the same time, John gives us a real-life example of a toxic, power-hungry leader named Diotrephes, who loved to be first and actively created division by kicking good people out of the church.
- The mandate for us today is clear: we must be absolutely discerning about those we allow to influence us, and fiercely support those who actually walk the walk. This brings us to a massive question in a modern church filled with podcasts, best-selling books, and traveling speakers. How do we actually tell the difference? How do we know if we are listening to a faithful Demetrius or a toxic Diotrephes?
- To answer that, we are going to have to put them to the test. We will have to look at their fruit. We are commanded to walk as the One who walked, just like Jesus.
- Alpha & Omega Fulfillments
- Before we look at some of the practical application steps, let's look at some Alpha and Omega fulfillments that bridge the Old and New Testaments.
- Psalm 1:1 "Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers."
- 2 John 1:10-11 "If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don't invite that person into your home or give them any kind of encouragement. Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work."
- The Old Testament established a clear boundary: a blessed and joyful life requires actively separating yourself from the influence and the counsel of the wicked. In Second John, we see the exact same boundary applied to the New Testament church. We are commanded not to welcome or encourage false teachers, because giving them a platform makes us active partners in their deception.
- Isaiah 52:7 "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings the good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!"
- 3 John 1:8 "So we ourselves should support them, so we can be their partners as they teach the truth."
- Isaiah beautifully described the vital importance of the messengers who travel to bring the good news about God's truth. In Third John, we are given a practical mandate for how the church must treat those messengers. When we financially support faithful teachers, we literally become active, equal partners in the ministry of spreading that exact same truth.
- The Litmus Test for Leaders
- Second and Third John give us a tale of two doors—one to shut, and the other to open. They also give us the ultimate litmus test for these leaders.
- A couple of weeks ago, I made a statement that sounds incredibly shocking in our modern, consumer-driven church world: I said there are people who simply do not belong here. In a culture that demands absolute tolerance, that sounds harsh. But in the biblical church, it is standard operating procedure.
- From Romans all the way through the Book of Revelation—where Jesus Himself directly addresses the churches about tolerating false teachings—the New Testament is completely unified on this issue. Here is how we apply the severe warnings of Second and Third John, along with the rest of the New Testament, to our lives today.
- Recognize the Danger
- First, we need to recognize the danger. Why are we commanded to reject divisive people and false teachers? Why do Peter, Paul, and John all tell us not to welcome them? Because false teaching and division are highly contagious.
- In First Corinthians 5, Paul warns that a little yeast spreads through the whole batch of dough. In Second Timothy, he warns that their teaching spreads like gangrene. People love to abuse Philippians Chapter 1—where Paul rejoices that Christ is being preached even by his rivals—to claim that false teachers are really no big deal. But if you just keep reading into Chapter 3, Paul aggressively clarifies his stance, calling false teachers "dogs," "evildoers," and "enemies of the cross of Christ".
- We use Second Peter as an anchor point here, and Jude gives us a rapid-fire review of exactly what these infiltrators are like, sneaking in and bringing destructive heresies. False teachers are not just an alternative point of view; they are a spiritual cancer.
- Exposing the Darkness
- Remember the "not so small sins" we talked about last week? We discussed the idea of categorizing sins as mortal or venial, but the truth is that all sin leads to death. Romans 6 clearly states that the wages of sin is death. Right after that concept, we see something very interesting in Ephesians.
- Ephesians 5:6-13 "Don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey Him. Don't participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light, for this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness. Instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret, but their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them."
- Notice it explicitly says, "don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins". There is a lot of that going on in the modern church, where people just excuse the "little sins"—especially the ones that the teachers commit. But notice that God's anger will fall on all who disobey Him.
- Again, we see the command not to participate, and we now know that participating also means supporting them. We see that concept of light and darkness again; we are told to take no part, but to expose them. We have learned in the past that exposing false teachings is exactly what a good teacher's job is.
- Judge the Tree by Its Fruit
- Well, how do we do that? We judge a tree by its fruit.
- Next week, we are going to look specifically at what these people teach, but today we need to look at how they deny Jesus. They deny Him by the way they live.
- Titus 1:16 "Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good."
- This is the ultimate litmus test. Jesus commanded us to judge a tree by its fruit. You have to anchor yourself in Jesus's words and then look at the comparison metric the New Testament provides.
- Matthew 7:15-20 "Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. So, every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, you can identify people by their actions."
- Notice a few key things here. Jesus warns that they will come in among us—this is exactly what John was worried about, which is why he said to shut the door and not participate. You can identify them by the way they act. A bad tree cannot produce good fruit, and a good tree cannot produce bad fruit. This sounds a lot like First John: we cannot keep on sinning. We identify these false teachers strictly by their actions.
- The Galatians 5 Metric
- Let's go back to Galatians, where we saw those quote-unquote "little sins," and we will get a clear list of what those good and bad fruits actually are.
- Galatians 5:19-23 "When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"
- Here we see the definitive list of sins contrasted with the list of good behavior, accompanied by a deadly serious warning. I made a chart for you so that we can easily break it down and visualize it.
- Examining the Rotten Fruit
- Those who truly belong to Christ do not exhibit this rotten fruit of the flesh. Furthermore, church leaders are held to an even higher standard, so we should absolutely not see these traits in their lives:
- Sexual immorality, impurity, and lustful pleasures: Sadly, we see this constantly in many of these modern church scandals.
- Idolatry or sorcery: This manifests as worshiping the things of this world, which is closely akin to the prosperity gospel.
- Hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger: These are the teachers who encourage things like picketing, yelling from the pulpit, adopting worldly or government influence, and even encouraging violence.
- Selfish ambition: We see this all over the megachurch world, where there are many people who start these churches purely as a business, and they are all about the numbers.
- Dissension and division: These are the leaders who actively break up churches, perhaps to start their own.
- Envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.
- Again, we have that severe warning: anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the kingdom of God. People who are shepherding the Lord's flock absolutely should not be living that sort of life.
- Instead, the Holy Spirit produces a very specific kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This exact fruit should be highly visible in our church leaders.
- The Character Qualifications of a Leader
- We are commanded to evaluate leaders by how they actively live out their faith, which is exactly why the Bible gives us such strict leadership requirements. It is entirely based on character. We see this clearly laid out in First Timothy 3 and Titus.
- 1 Timothy 3:1-7 "This is a trustworthy saying: 'If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.' So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil might cause him to fall. Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap."
- We have looked at this text before, but notice that the only actual skill listed here is teaching. Remember, when we looked at Acts chapter 6, we saw that the leadership of the church is supposed to be devoted to the Word of God and to prayer. That is a very important thing to remember when we talk about pastors today: they are not supposed to be politicians; they are supposed to be teachers who are diligent about their prayer and study.
- These requirements do not read like a corporate resume; they are all about character. Let's break down these specific qualifications:
- The Foundation: The absolute, overarching standard is a life above reproach.
- Personal Character and Integrity: He must be faithful to his wife, exercise strict self-control, live wisely, make good judgments, and maintain a good, solid reputation.
- Ministry and Relational Skills: He must enjoy having guests in his home, practice hospitality, possess the ability to clearly teach the truth, be gentle in his overall demeanor, and be peaceable and not quarrelsome.
- Strict Prohibitions: He must not be a heavy drinker, must not be a violent person, and must not love money or harbor greed. He must also not be a new believer, which prevents pride and falling into the devil's trap.
- Home Life and Public Witness: He must manage his own household well and raise children who respect and obey him, proving his ability to care for God's church. He must also be highly regarded and spoken well of by people outside the church to avoid disgrace.
- These are not mere suggestions; they are absolute biblical requirements that the modern church has largely ignored.
- Stop Supporting the Fakes
- Now that we know what to look for, we can identify this fruit. Let's take some practical steps. The first one is to stop supporting the fakes, and do not become a partner in their work. This is a very serious offense, as you become a partner in their evil. Second John gives us the non-negotiable command: do not support false teachers.
- This is where it gets very practical. If a ministry, worship band, or celebrity pastor is producing bad fruit or teaching a distorted gospel, you must cut off your support. This means we do not buy their books, we do not stream their music, and we do not invite their influence into our homes, whether it is Bethel Church or any other compromised organization. If they do not walk in the truth, you cannot encourage them, or you become a partner in their evil work. This includes popular shows which distort the person and character of Jesus.
- Related Article:
- https://www.biblebelievingchristian.org/post/the-chosen-why-it-misrepresents-jesus
- Actively Support the Faithful
- On the other side of that, we have to partner with the truth. Third John shows us the other side of the coin: we are commanded to actively champion and support good teachers.
- Here is where I just want to make a quick note and disclaimer for everyone who participates in C3 Church. C3 Church actively does this very well; it is a biblical church and a church that loves me. Yes, my wife works because I am not here to get rich or famous, but the church does its part in supporting me financially—even doing things like buying me a pizza oven! However, there are many Diotrephes in other churches, so this message is probably a little bit more for those watching online, and it serves as an affirmation for our generous C3 members.
- The Right to Support
- What often happens is that First Corinthians 9 is used by the Diotrephes out there. They will use it to say that Paul worked with his hands and refused pay. But he was doing that to show up the false teachers. We see that the Lord actually commands that those who preach the gospel get paid by those who benefit from it:
- 1 Corinthians 9:11-15 "Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink? If you support others who preach to you, shouldn’t we have an even greater right to be supported? But we have never used this right. We would rather put up with anything than to be an obstacle to the good news about Christ. Don't you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple, and those who serve at the altar get a share of sacrificial offerings. In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the good news should be supported by those who benefit from it. Yet I have never used any of these rights, and I'm not writing this to suggest that I want to start now. In fact, I'd rather die than lose my right to boast about preaching without charge."
- So it is his right, and the Lord ordered it. It is very important to remember that Paul is doing this for a specific reason. He gets into it a little bit more in Second Corinthians, where he is proving that the false teachers are just in it for the money. But he is very clear here biblically that receiving support is a right, and the Lord ordered it. We also see that Paul did receive financial help:
- Philippians 4:15-17 "As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the good news and traveled on to Macedonia. No other church did this. I don't say this because I want a gift for you; rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness."
- The Biblical Norm
- The norm is that a teacher should be receiving pay. We see very clear biblical commands about supporting and honoring leaders throughout the scriptures, reinforcing what we saw in Third John:
- Galatians 6:6: "Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them."
- 1 Timothy 5:17-18: "Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard in both preaching and teaching, for the scripture says you must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain. In other places, those who work deserve their pay."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13: "Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord's work. They work hard among you to give you spiritual guidance, show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work, and live peaceably with each other."
- Hebrews 13:7 & 17: "Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives and follow the example of their faith... Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they're accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit."
- Why is this the case? If we go back to Acts 6, the teachers were to be about the business of studying, sharing the Word, and prayer. That is something that simply takes time. It does not allow you, in many cases, to have other jobs or do other kinds of work. When the apostles tried to do that, they were neglecting the Word and their time in prayer, so they realized they shouldn't spend all their time running those types of ministries. When someone is really devoted to the Word and prayer, they cannot do anything else fully to make money. Yet, as we saw in the pastoral requirements, they need to be able to manage their household well and support their family.
- So, when you find leaders who are living above reproach, teaching the uncompromised Word of God, and bearing the fruit of the Spirit, you rally behind them. You support them, you pray for them, and you partner with them.
- Conclusion
- The entire New Testament, culminating in these brief letters from John, serves as a massive warning system. We are fully equipped to identify the fakes. We have the standard of Galatians 5, the pastoral requirements of Timothy and Titus, and the absolute command of John to walk in the truth.
- Do not let toxic leaders influence your walk. Protect the church, protect your mind, and completely commit yourself to the truth of God's Word. Partner with me in walking in the light as Jesus walked, living a life filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
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- ©️Copyright 2026 Gene Simco Most Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scriptures in brackets reflect the original Biblical languages.