1 JOHN 2: 12-14 [LIFE, LIGHT & LOVE SERIES]
SPIRITUAL STAGES
[Ephesians 6:10-20]
In the introduction or prologue John indicated that the general purpose of his letter was to help believers mature into Christ-likeness. Having laid down the general principles between light and darkness and love and hate, John now wants to encourage their spiritual walk [maturity] in the way of light. Due to all the warnings John didn’t want his readers to think that he was dissatisfied with their spiritual condition. So John here assured genuine believers that he not only wrote for -but because of their spiritual progress. He wanted to strengthen their faith in Christ and undergird the basis of all spiritual growth (CIT).
Three groups of persons within the family of faith are addressed. They are called children, young men and fathers. What is said of each group doesn’t appear to be age related. These groups may represent different levels of Christian maturity within the community. We could call them three stages of spiritual growth. The culminating point is some glorious results of spiritual growth.
Only the light of God’s Word can dispel darkness and equip believers to overcome the enemy. The truth and power of Christ’s Word are sufficient to bring all of us to a full knowledge of the Father.
STAGE I. SPIRITUAL CHILDHOOD, 12.
STAGE II. SPIRITUAL ADOLESCENCE, 13a.
STAGE III. SPIRITUAL PARENTHOOD, 13b.
STAGE IV. SPIRITUAL GROWTH’S OUTCOMES, 13c -14.
The critical content John wants to communicate in verse 12 is that their sins have been forgiven. “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake.”
If we look at the passage as three stages of spiritual growth, the first would be childhood. The Greek term "little children" refers to toddlers. And if there's one thing toddlers are good at - it's is tripping and falling. Until they learn to walk they need someone to pick them up, dry their tears, bandage their skinned knees, and reassure them that falling down doesn't mean they’ll never walk or that they're not part of the family.
There are two things a spiritual toddler needs to understand. The first is the difference between their stage of growth and their standing before God. Don't get these two things mixed up! You have been pardon because of Jesus. Trusting in the finished work of Christ is the only thing that gives you right standing with God. From that moment on you are a fully accepted and redeemed child of God. That's how He sees you. If you forget that you'll be in trouble, because every time you fall the Devil will make you doubt your salvation or God’s acceptance and love of you.
The forgiveness you receive at the new birth is a judicial act by God, making you a member of His forever family. You are justified or in right standing with God. But the forgiveness you receive on a daily basis is a relational act. Confession and forgiveness keeps you relationally close to God.
Suppose you enter some wrong numbers into your calculator. What do you do? You have a little button called “clear entry" which allows you to erase your error and start over. That's what the blood of Christ does for you. Repentance allows you to override sin by triggering God's forgiveness so that the flow of His grace continues. And when grace flows, growth follows.
The important thing to remember about sin is to always keep short accounts with God. We have been forgiven for being a sinner, but we need daily forgiveness for individual sins.
So as children of God we are forgiven and redeemed by Jesus’ sacrifice. We are pardoned, and the penalty for sin is removed. Because our sins have been forgiven we can enjoy an intimate relationship or fellowship with God. This relationship remains close and vibrate if I confess my daily sins and receive His cleansing.
STAGE II. SPIRITUAL ADOLESCENCE, 13b.
As we grow in faith we begin to overcome the enemy. Look at the second part of verse 13. “...I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.”
So the second stage in spiritual growth is adolescence. If you've ever had young men or teenagers, you know that the transition from adolescence into adulthood can be a bumpy ride. Teenagers clash with their parents and other authority figures because they're moving from dependence to independence. They wrestle with conflicting feelings of wanting their freedom, yet not really wanting it - especially if mom and dad are still paying the bills. They chafe at observing curfews, particularly when their friends don't have to. They don't like getting approval for movies, dates, parties, dress codes, or using the [family] car. They especially dislike hearing what my Dad told me, "As long as you're under my roof you'll live by my rules. When you get your own family you can establish "your own rules."
The truth is, a spiritual adolescent doesn't know as much as he or she thinks they know.
They need guidance, support, and correction from more mature Christians so they can learn how to avoid falling into the enemy's trap. They need instruction and training in God's Word to make them strong and keep them battle-ready at all times. And they need opportunities to serve, discover and develop their gifts, to gain experience and spiritual strength.
Youths not only have strong desires (2 Tim. 2:22) and temptations to overcome, they also need to learn how to overcome the wiles of the Devil (Isa. 40:30). The readers who are addressed as “young men,” are those who are engaging in spiritual warfare and are overcoming the evil one or Satan. Satan is the source of evil and exercises sway over the realm of darkness. [This term, “the evil one” (tou poneron,“the wicked one,” nkjv) refers to the devil in the New Testament. (Matthew 6:13, “but deliver us from the evil one,” and John 17:15, “that You should keep them from the evil one.”) Here John uses this term to identify the source of the darkness—the devil.]
The perfect tense of overcome informs us that the victory has already been won, although there are many battles still to be fought. Jesus won the victory over the world, the flesh and the devil on the cross. But we must overcome the lies of the devil. Young believers who grow in their faith know how to walk in the light of Christ’s victory and overcome the darkness of the world, the flesh and the devil.
So, how can you tell when you've outgrown your spiritual adolescence and begun moving into adulthood? John answers in verse 14, "You are strong the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one."
Young men who have grown up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord are no longer being defeated by the evil (wicked) one. Because of the Word of God that dwells within Christ’s disciples we are overcomers and are overcoming the evil one. Jesus Christ is our authority and power over all evil, even the devil. [This word translated “overcome” is the Greek verb nikaô, which will become a very decisive word in the Book of Revelation as it was also in the Gospel of John (John 16:33; Rev. 2:7.)]
STAGE III. SPIRITUAL PARENTHOOD, 13a.
The third stage in spiritual growth is parenthood found in the first part of verse 13. “I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning.”
What makes you a spiritual father? The reproducing of your spiritual life and the caring for the spiritual lives of others [fuller maturity]. How does this spiritual maturity come about? Maturing comes from “knowing God.” It's that simple! As our depth of knowledge or relationship grows with God we mature and continue maturing until we reproduce disciples.
Those who become mature “have known Him who is from the beginning.” [In the light of 1 John 2:3-6, this implies] they have truly experienced salvation and true fellowship with God. They have been walking in the light with God. Their experience with God has not been simply of the flesh, but out of an authentic born again experience. They have continuously demonstrated their love and relationship through their child like faith and obedience. Eventually they begin to reproduce new believers and disciple these converts into growing believers.
Such spiritual growth and fruitful maturity doesn't just happen. It's not an afterthought It must be your number one priority and the consuming passion of your life. Is it? It is for spiritual fathers- parents.
STAGE IV. SPIRITUAL GROWTH’S OUTCOMES, 13c -14.
The spiritual attainments of the readers are then reiterated in the last part of verse 13 and in verse 14 and then conclude with the instrument or means that caused their spiritual growth. “I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.” (14) “I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been 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 evil one.”
[Although there are four stages in our physical life (childhood, youth, adulthood, and, “My, you’re looking wonderful”), John tells us there are three stages of spiritual life: little children, young men, and mature fathers.] By repeating the three stages or categories under which he here addressed his audience, John suggested not only that they possessed spiritual attainments worthy of being called children, young men, and fathers but also that they grow in these attainments by abiding in the Word of God. [Walvoord, John & Zuck, Roy. The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983, S. 890]
The first stage of spiritual attainment is desiring the milk of the Word after we are born again into spiritual life. Two ideas are characteristic of little children. First as toddlers (teknia, v. 12) they realize that “their sins are forgiven” (v. 12), and then they grow into “children”(paidia, v. 13) who “know the Father” (v. 13). While this is an excellent starting point, the child must go on to become a young man-adult.
The young man in the faith not only knows the Father and knows his sins are forgiven, but he has overcome the wicked one (v. 13). How? By the Word of God (verse 14). After Jesus was ready for ministry God sent Him into the wilderness to be tested. It wasn’t simply by quoting the Word three times Jesus that defeated the Enemy. It was by His submission to it.…
• When Jesus said, “It is written that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Therefore He would not turn stones to bread, but will live by God’s Word (Matthew 4:4).
• When Jesus said, “It is written that thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” Therefore He would not jump off this pinnacle and tempt His Father to save Him but by His willingness to live by God’s Word (Matthew 4:7).
• When Jesus said, “It is written that thou shalt worship the Lord thy God.” Therefore, He would not bow down to Satan, but will worship His Father exclusively (Matthew 4:10).
Notice it’s not merely the quoting of the verse, but rather submission to the Father that overcomes the Enemy. The wicked one flees when he hears a man or woman say, “I don’t care what my fleshly tendencies are, here’s what God’s Word says—and with His help and by His grace, His Word is what I choose to follow.” [Courson, Jon: Jon Courson's Application Commentary. Nashville, TN : Thomas Nelson, 2003, S. 1619]
As James (4:7) says, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
The third category of spiritual life is that of “fathers,” or mature ones. Like little children, fathers know their sins are forgiven and understand the nature of their Father. Like young men, they overcome the wicked one by being submitted to the Word. And as a result, they have a simple, singular passion: To know Him that is from the beginning (verse 13)—to know Jesus (John 1:1). Reception of God’s Word is the source of spiritual strength and loving obedience to it leads to spiritual maturity.
As you walk with Jesus, spiritual life gets simpler and simpler because the longer you walk with Him the closer and dearer He becomes. As I have grown older the more I say, “Jesus, You’re my life. I love being with You. I love talking with You. I love serving You. I just simply love You.”
That’s when you know you’re reaching the state of spiritual fatherhood. And God is reproducing His life in you and you are reproducing your life in others. In the office, on the campus, around the neighborhood, others sense the Lord in you and are inspired to follow in your footsteps. [Courson, p. 1619]
We’re all in a battle. It is spiritual battle. The object of the battle is the control of our minds and wills, and thus our lives. God wants to control your life, and Satan wants to control your life. Satan uses force, deceit, and guile, to try to bring you into bondage to him. God uses a love relationship. Through a maturing relationship with Him He bring us out of our bondage to Satan and into His glorious light. Are you walking with Him? You will either be a growing servant of God or a servant of Satan.
The best weapon we can have in the spiritual battle for our wills and mind is the Word of God. As we hide His Word in our hearts, we can have victory over sin (Ps. 119:11). [Paying attention to His Word cleanses our way (Ps. 119:9). When Jesus was tempted by Satan, He relied on the Scriptures to overcome the devil.] We become strong when the Word of God abides in us, and as we obey the Word we overcome the Wicked One.
Children, young men, spiritual fathers, John commends them all to the Word of God. Are you walking in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?
IN CLOSING
John assured his readers of the faithfulness of the way of light. He assured them of the reality of forgiveness, the reality of their relationship with Jesus Christ, and of the fact that because of the Word of God which abides within them they have overcome the evil one.
Overcoming the evil one is always and only accomplished through Jesus Christ, the supreme Overcomer. Are you becoming obedient to Him?
We are invited into God’s fellowship, but the decision is yours to make. We are challenged to choose for ourselves the way of light, to confess our sins, to keep God’s commandments, to love our brother and grow in to Christ-likeness by continuing in God’s Word.
Do you want it to be? Do you want to be a spiritual parent? You come as the Spirit leads.
[God is so sure of Himself that He is not threatened by our freedom. The mystery of the existence of “the wicked one” shows that God has allowed that same freedom in the heavenly order. For when the New Testament mentions the devil, it refers to the real existence of moral, personal will against the will of God in the heavens. John warns his readers of the existence of this evil, but the warning is notably without any sense of panic or terror. He is not afraid of the evil (wicked) one. Because of the Word of God that dwells within the disciples we have overcome the evil one. Jesus Christ is our authority and power over all evil, even the devil. [Palmer, Earl. The Preacher's Commentary Series, Vol 35: 1, 2 & 3 John / Revelation. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1982, S. 42.]
[How can you know - that you know God intimately? It's like a good marriage: two people fall in love and become so close that each one knows what the other is thinking and feeling without a word being spoken. But such intimacy is not developed overnight. It's the product of time spent together - and commitment! Paul speaks about, "Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him. For to us God revealed them through His Spirit” (1 Cor. 9 -10 NAS). The mature follower of Christ sees things the human eye can't see and hears things the most acute ear can't hear. And they have thoughts they didn't originate on their own. That's because God's indwelling Spirit"is helping them to think God's thoughts. What an advantage!
You'll know you are spiritually mature when God lets you pick up on thoughts and insights from His Word that go far beyond what someone told you, or what you heard in a sermon. That's because the Holy Spirit is now free to send His message clearly and directly to you. In other words we will "know the things freely given to us by God" (l Cor. 2:12 NAS). But that means we have to be dose enough to hear God speaking to us. Such intimacy doesn't just happen. It's not an afterthought It must be your number one priority and the consuming passion of your life. Is it?
