"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" (3 John 11).

"And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:29).

"Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile" (Rom. 2:6-10).

Observations:

In the 3 John 11 passage Hodges, true to his theology, believes that Diotrephes was a saved man. "John was not questioning Diotrephes’ salvation" (Bible Knowledge Commentary, NT,p. 914). Hodges insists that a true believer may do evil and may be described as one who "hath not seen God" (p. 914).

In 3 John 11 John is teaching that those who do good are OF GOD. The implication is that those who do evil are NOT OF GOD. Hodges, in 3 John 11 and 1 John 3:10, teaches that it is possible for a SAVED person to be described as one who is "NOT OF GOD." According to Hodges, the expression "he is not of God" does not mean the person is unsaved but merely that "a person so described does not find the source of his actions in God" (Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 895 and see Dillow, p.173). But how is this expression used in 1 John and in the Gospel of John? Consider the following:

In light of the above usage, we may safely conclude that the expression "OF GOD" means that a person has been born of God, is a child of God, belongs to God and to the true family of God and is therefore a saved person. The expression "NOT OF GOD" means that the person has never been born of God, is not a child of God, does not belong to God and does not belong to the true family of God. This person is unsaved and is of the devil (1 John 3:10). Therefore Hodges is incorrect to teach that the expression "NOT OF GOD" may be a description of a saved person.

Hodges’ teaching that a saved person may be characterized as an evil doer is refuted by John 5:29 which clearly teaches that those who do evil will participate in the resurrection of damnation (the second resurrection which is exclusively for the unsaved). This verse mentions only two groups of people: 1) those who do good and who have life; 2) those who do evil and who are damned. Hodges and Dillow require a third group of those who do evil and are saved, but this verse does not mention such.

[Of interest is Faust's interpretation of John 5:29.  In harmony with his idea that unfaithful Christians will be severely punished, he teaches that the "resurrection of damnation" will include unfaithful Christians [The Rod, p. 195]!  Hodges and Dillow would strongly reject such teaching and yet in some ways Faust is more consistent than they are.  If, as Hodges and Dillow teach, unfaithful Christians can be described as "those who do evil"  (3 John 11) then why don't they qualify for the resurrection of damnation (John 5:29)?]

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