The idea that evil is only the absence of good, is quite widely spread today. And in a certain sense, it can be considered as profoundly true: because if God creates the world, according to the words of the Holy Scriptures "quite well", then the evil in it is possible only as distortion, mutilation and destruction of what was created by God. And this means in a certain sense that evil can be considered as a consequence of the reduction of the measure of goodness, which God put in His creation...
The idea that evil is only the absence of good, is quite widely spread today. And in a certain sense, it can be considered as profoundly true: because if God creates the world, according to the words of the Holy Scriptures "quite well", then the evil in it is possible only as distortion, mutilation and destruction of what was created by God. And this means in a certain sense that evil can be considered as a consequence of the reduction of the measure of goodness, which God put in His creation. And, of course, the one who knows God would never oppose Him and spoil what was created by the Creator. If there wasn’t of course, a "but": damage may not necessarily be intentional. But can also turn out deliberate, if the one who spoils aspire consciously to reduce the measure of the presence of God in the world created by Him. But all the same, on the basis of any action, increasing the measure of evil in the world is particularly the ignorance of God. And it is not about the doubt that God exists, and even not about violent denial of His existence. It is about the unwillingness of admitting Him into our world and in our life.
And paradoxically, in the final analysis is not so important, which intentions from the beginning caused such unwillingness: because independently of the intentions separating from God, objectively their position brings to the spiritual degradation as they themselves, quite as this part of the creation of God, which thanks to their efforts lost connection with its Creator. And in such conditions even the good intentions and initiatives can bring to evil or turn to evil. In such situation the call "follow not that which is evil" means obviously not the outward following, not the copying of the sinful actions of others, although the copying of the sin of others can bring of course to nothing, except to sin.
It is about the relation to God, to people and to the world that breaks all the links linking man to God, and destroys all his relations with Him. Moreover, what begins with the ordinary following of the sin of others can become easily afterward a habit, that the ancients called not accidentally "the second nature" of man.
And to take alien nature to oneself can in the final result make man quite stranger to himself, and to God. That is why, as seen, the apostle warns of any following of the sins of others, from any participation in evil. It is horrible not in itself, not only because in such case man is inevitably going to sin himself, but because it corrupts the very nature of man, making it inappropriate for the Kingdom. And thus, inappropriate for salvation.
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1:1 Caius was probably that Caius of Corinth whom St. Paul mentions, Rom 16:23. If so, either he was removed from Achaia into Asia, or St. John sent this letter to Corinth.
1:3 For - I know thou usest all thy talents to his glory.The truth that is in thee - The true faith and love.
1:4 I have no greater joy than this - Such is the spirit of every true Christian pastor. To hear that my children walk in the truth - Caius probably was converted by St. Paul. Therefore when St. John speaks of him. with other believers, as his children, it may be considered as the tender style of paternal love, whoever were the instruments of their conversion. And his using this appellation, when writing under the character of the elder, has its peculiar beauty.
1:5 Faithfully - Uprightly and sincerely.
1:6 Who have testified of thy love before the church - The congregation with whom I now reside. Whom if thou send forward on their journey - Supplied with what is needful. Thou shalt do well - How tenderly does the apostle enjoin this!
1:7 They went forth - To preach the gospel.
1:8 To receive - With all kindness.The truth - Which they preach.
1:9 I wrote to the church - Probably that to which they came.But Diotrephes - Perhaps the pastor of it. Who loveth to have the preeminence among them - To govern all things according to his own will. Receiveth us not - Neither them nor me. So did the mystery of iniquity already work!
1:10 He prateth against us - Both them and me, thereby endeavouring to excuse himself.
1:11 Follow not that which is evil - In Diotrephes.But that which is good - In Demetrius.He hath not seen God - Is a stranger to him.
1:12 And from the truth itself - That is, what they testify is the very truth. Yea, we also bear testimony - I and they that are with me.
1:14 Salute the friends by name - That is, in the same manner as if I had named them one by one. The word friend does not often occur in the New Testament, being swallowed up in the more endearing one of brother.