Apostasy and Rebellion in the Church by G. B. T.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 28, 1916

Apostasy and Rebellion in the Church

By G. B. T.

The apostle Paul, in a farewell visit with the Ephesian elders, imparted to them some admonitions which the church of God will do well to keep in mind till the end of time:—

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” Acts 20: 28-31.

Wolves would prowl, entering the fold to destroy. This danger is from without; but the greatest danger would be from within, from men who would arise, not to build up and establish anything, but to tear down, or draw away some

of the flock after themselves. All of this, of course, would be done in the name of Christ. It is of this class that the apostle speaks in another place, who by “good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” Their words are beautiful, they talk of heaven, of Christ, of the truth, of their hope. Their speeches are as smooth as oil, they smile, and talk in soft and subdued tones. Some of the flock are thus deceived. They conclude that these persons are misunderstood and misused, and sympathize with them. In this way these deceivers are able to secure a following, lead astray some disciples who have been quarried from the world by some one else’s efforts, and divide the flock. This, in brief, is the danger against which the apostle has warned the church.

In apostolic times, after Paul and other laborers chosen and blessed of God, had, at great sacrifice and the peril of their own lives, built up and established organized churches among the heathen in different places, “false brethren” came in to “spy out” the liberty of the people. They claimed, of course, to have great light for the churches in Galatia and elsewhere. We do not read, however, that they used the light they claimed to have in saving the heathen. It is much easier to come into the fold, and create confusion, deceive, divide, and tear down that which some one else had built up, than to quarry from the world a church. It requires no fasting and prayer to sow discord and divide a church that has been built up by earnest toil and sacrifice. Division, strife, and discord have appeared in the church in all ages. It was seen in the church at Corinth. There seemed to be some Paulites, some Apollosites, some Cephasites, and some who were for Christ,—real, true Christians indeed. 1 Cor. 1:12. “False brethren” led away many in Galatia. While thinking they had received greater light, they had really departed from the true gospel.

Troubles, too, have also perplexed the church through those in the church who are not amenable to any regulations of the church. They want to dictate to the whole body. And if their opinion upon what ought to be, and what ought not to be, is not accepted, they accuse the body of having departed from the right, and of countenancing evil. General plans and regulations made for the orderly and aggressive action of the church are denounced as popish. Anything which does not harmonize with their ideas is denounced as tyrannical. They are right, and the whole body is wrong.

A very striking and instructive illustration of this is seen in the case of Diotrephes, who is referred to but once in the Scriptures. “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preëminence among them, receiveth us not. 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.” 3 John 9, 10.

From this brief history, we gather a number of instructive points:—

1. “I wrote unto the church.” John, the beloved disciple, was the writer. John was a “pillar” in the church. He was one of those who gave to the great apostle Paul and to Barnabas “the right hand of fellowship.” He was one of the chosen apostles of the Lord, and was ordained to the work of the apostleship to which he was called. And, moreover, he had the Spirit of prophecy; he was a prophet of God. Rev. 19:10; 1:9-19. Now, in his old age, with many years of rich experience in the past, and the light of God shining in his soul, this apostle and prophet of God writes to Gaius concerning some worthy laborers, and bids the church receive them. It would seem that a communication from such a source would have been respected and heeded. But Diotrephes did not do this; he was a law unto himself. He was amenable to no one’s rule or counsel. Great as was John’s position in the church, he was greater—in his own estimation. The exhortation of God to “submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another,” and “obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves,” had no weight with Diotrephes. He did not believe that any one should have rule, or write directions to the church; yet the Lord had so ordained it.

2. John wrote to the church. This communication seems to have been lost, so we cannot now ascertain its contents. But it was concerning the receiving of these brethren by the church. God has put order and system into his church. It is an organized body of believers to carry forward his work. It was John’s prerogative as apostle and prophet to send instruction to the church. But Diotrephes was not subject to the counsel sent to the church. While rejecting the counsel and rulership of others, though only a member, he ignored the whole body of believers. He ruled, regardless of organization.

3. We do not know just who Diotrephes was, nor what official position he held in the church. Evidently, however, he had influence in this church, and probably was a leading officer. John, however, was a leading apostle and prophet of God, and in rejecting the counsel sent to the church from this venerable seer, Diotrephes arrayed himself against the spirit of prophecy. He may have thought, as some do now, that all who have the Spirit of God have the spirit of prophecy, so he had the spirit of prophecy as well as the aged John, and he decided to follow his own. This according to his view, would be consistent, of course.

4. “Prating against us with malicious words.” Barnes tells us these words mean “to overflow with talk.” From this we gather that Diotrephes was quite a talker. Evidently he did not have brotherly love for John and the other brethren. Hatred seemed to be at the bottom of the opposition against the counsel sent the church. He was malicious. There was an old grudge somewhere. It may have been that he had been reproved by the venerable seer.

5. Diotrephes did not “receive the brethren.” They visited the church with the consent and approbation of the aged prophet, who counseled the church to receive them. But Diotrephes did not care for the counsel of the prophet of God. Neither the advice of John nor the wishes of the church itself were of any consequence to him. He knew best. When the brethren came to the church, fully indorsed by the body, this man deliberately set them aside. He was the despotic head of a local church. These brethren were not allowed to preach or give any counsel. This is a clear case of rebellion against the organized work of God in apostolic times. Instead of this being an example of the evils of organization in the church, it is an example of those who array themselves against the organization established by the Lord.

6. Diotrephes did not believe in being under the rule of any one, for he loved “the preëminence.” He would rule or ruin. He was zealously opposed to any headship, unless he was the head. No doubt he could see visions of the Papacy being formed all around him in any plan that would make any one a “pillar,” or leader, in the church, except himself. He was not opposed to leadership, provided he was the leader, for he loved to be first. It was so with Lucifer. He, too, loved the preëminence. He coveted the highest place in heaven. The Son of God having been assigned to this position by the Father, Lucifer instilled in the minds of the angels the idea that a tyranny had been enthroned, and in order to be free, they must contend for their rights, and oppose the organization of heaven. Satan would have had no contention about leadership had he been placed at the head. This spirit still works in the church of the Most High.

7. “Casteth them out of the church.” Diotrephes refused to receive these brethren, forbade others to do so, and cast them out of the church. Whether he cast out those who wished to receive

these brethren, or the brethren who came to the church, we need not discuss, as the spirit of domination is the same in either case. Diotrephes, it appears, took the responsibility in this matter, and assumed the power to cast them out of the church of God. Organization prevents this spirit of despotism. Where organization prevails, if members are disfellowshipped, it is by the church itself, and not by some Diotrephes in the church.

We may expect to see similar experiences in the church in these days. It will be well to study the picture of apostolic days presented to us, that we may be able to recognize its duplicate when it appears in the church at the present time. There are persons like Diotrephes in the church in these days. They hate any organization, or system of conducting affairs, that allows the people a voice in the management of the church.

But in the midst of all these things the foundation stood sure. The church triumphed. The gospel was carried everywhere. Sooner or later these disturbing elements dropped out, were left behind by the onward march of the truth, and were lost sight of. It will be even so in the history of the church in the last days.

G. B. T.