Anthony Pritchard
Member
The Heart That Seeks to Be First
"I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not." 3 John 1:9
Introduction
There are people in every generation who speak with great confidence, who carry themselves with severity, and who seem to believe that their harshness is a mark of spiritual strength. They appear in churches, in religious communities, and in every place where believers gather. They do not build up the body. They unsettle it. They do not strengthen the weak. They burden them. They do not welcome faithful brethren. They resist them. Scripture does not leave us without guidance about such people. It gives us a clear picture in the short letter of Third John, where we meet a man named Diotrephes, a man who loved to have the preeminence. His pattern is not rare. It is not ancient history. It is a recurring posture of the human heart. This article is written to help believers recognize that pattern, not to condemn, but to walk in truth and charity without being drawn into the spirit of contention or preeminence.
John does not describe Diotrephes by his doctrine or his gifts. He describes him by his posture. He loved to have the preeminence. He wanted to be first. He wanted to be the one others deferred to. This pattern did not end in the first century. It appears wherever people gather in the name of Christ. It is not limited to men. It is not limited to leaders. It is a spiritual disposition that can take root in any heart that confuses dominance with discernment, harshness with holiness, and control with conviction. This article is not written to attack. It is written to help believers recognize a pattern that Scripture itself warns us about, so that we may walk in truth and charity without being drawn into the spirit of Diotrephes.
I. The Contentious Spirit
“As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.” Proverbs 26:21
Some people thrive on argument. They do not debate to learn. They debate to dominate. They are restless without conflict. They kindle strife the way dry wood kindles flame. Their energy rises when contention rises. They speak as if they are defending the truth, but their real concern is defending their own sense of importance. Scripture does not call this zeal. Scripture calls it contention.
II. The Self Exalting Spirit
“Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.” Proverbs 26:12
The Diotrephes pattern includes a refusal to be corrected. A person who is wise in his own conceit cannot be taught. He cannot be reasoned with. He cannot receive instruction. His certainty is not based on Scripture, but on self importance. He does not test his own spirit. He assumes his own rightness. This is why he reacts with hostility when someone does not bow to his claims.
Continued Part II The Diotrephes Pattern — Part 2