Fellowshipping With The Father And The Son - Part 12

(1 John 2:12 NKJV) I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake.

(1 John 2:13 NKJV) I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.

(1 John 2:14 NKJV) I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.

I write to you, little children…

To begin with, “little children” refers to all believers. Literally, this word means, “born ones.” It comes from the word, teknion, tek-nee'-on, meaning an infant, little born one.

John then gives the reason he is writing these little born ones: “I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake.”

John is telling us that we become the “little born ones” of God when our sins have been forgiven. Sins are forgiven when one trusts in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross.

When John writes that “our sins have been forgiven us for His Name’s sake” he is saying that all that is true of God in His glory, majesty, and might is behind the reason He saved us. In essence, God saves man because it brings Himself glory.

Now that John has explained why he has written to children—all believers in Jesus, he writes to fathers.

Fathers

(1 John 2:13 NKJV) I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.

The “fathers” John refers to are mature believers who have an intimate personal knowledge of God. They have “known Him who is from the beginning.”

Young Men

“Young men” is neaniskos, neh-an-is'-kos; a youth (under forty):--young man.

I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. (vs. 13b) I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. (vs. 14b)

The “young men” are the conquerors: they have overcome Satan, the wicked one, who is the prince of this world system. Young men according to John are victors and conquerors. They have been victorious over Satan who is the wicked prince of this world system.

Little Children

Another group of Christians that John writes is “little children.” But these are not the “little children” addressed in 1 John 2:12; two different Greek words are used.

In verse 12 teknion, tek-nee'-on, is used, meaning an infant, little born one. This is the word that refers to Christians no matter how old you are.

The word “children” in verse 13 is the Greek Word paidion, pahee-dee'-on; It is referring to a childling (of either sex), a half-grown boy or girl; an immature Christian:--(little, young) child, damsel.

This word carries the idea of “immature ones,” or little children still under the authority of teachers and tutors. These are young Christians who have not yet grown up in Christ.

This word describes many of those in our churches today. They received Christ as their Savior but they are still immature.

Why is John laying out these stages of Christian growth and maturity?

In our text John reminds us that we are in God’s family; some of us are children, others are young men and still others are fathers.

I believe that John is letting us know that

…it doesn’t matter if you have an intimate relationship with the Father

…it doesn’t matter that you are strong and know the Word and have overcome the evil one

…it doesn’t matter that you have years of experience serving the Lord as a “father”

You and I are still susceptible to being tempted by and succumbing to the allures of the world and its lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life.

Just because you are a Christian doesn’t mean you are exempt from being tempted by worldly attractions.

You might be a young man in the Lord and strong; the Word of God might dwell in you and you may be victorious over the devil but you could still give in to your fleshly desires—just ask King David.

You may be a “father” in the faith, having grown to know the Lord over the years of your Christian experience but you can still have a moment of weakness where your flesh gets the best of you.

This is why in 1 John 2:15-17 John gives Christians of all stages of maturity the following warning:

1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.