FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE
1 John 2:12-14 & 1 Cor. 13:13
INTRODUCTION
The three stages of the Christian Life is seen in the three abiding things that Paul mentions in First Corinthians 13, faith, hope, and love. Is it not true that to the new Christian, faith is the pre-eminent thing he is concerned with? It is the elementary factor in Christian living, believing God and doing what he says. But as the Christian goes on, hope lays hold of his heart. He sees the possibility of fulfilling all that he dreamed of being and doing. He realizes that, in Christ and by means of the life of faith, there is a way of entering into all the promises of God, and that hope makes him strong, as a young man should be. But as he goes on he discovers that the one thing, above all that marks him as Christ’s and fills his own heart with satisfaction making him easy to live with, is the pouring forth of love. "So abides faith, hope, and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love," {cf, 1 Cor 13:13 RSV}.
I. FAITH STAGE (vv.12,13c).
A. All Believers are God’s Spiritual Children (v.12).
1. There are two different Greek words for "children" in this passage. In v.12 the word is teknion, a common word referring to a child. It could be literally translated "birthed ones." Jesus said to Nicodemus in Jn.3:3, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
2. We are all God’s children because our "sins are forgiven for His name’s sake." It is by Jesus that our spiritual birth occurs.
3. Even though we are in different stages we are all God’s children. Some of you have adult children but they are still your children even though physically they are adults. We are all God’s kids.
4. The first memory of salvation is the forgiveness of our sins. Do you remember that wonderful feeling of having the guilt of your sin removed? It was like a load off my back. I will never forget the delicious joy of knowing I was free from guilt and penalty of sin.
B. Some Believers are Spiritual Infants (v.13c).
1. A different word for children is used in v.13. Paidion means an immature child, "a child under instruction." It can refer to infancy through pre-adolescence. Teknion refers to relationship being in the family, paidion refers to subordination, being under the training and discipline of the family.
2. In The Last Days Newsletter, Leonard Ravenhill tells about a group of tourists visiting a picturesque village who walked by an old man sitting beside a fence. In a rather patronizing way, one tourist asked, "Were any great men born in this village?" The old man replied, "Nope, only babies." We are all born again as babies!
3. They have "known [have come to know] the Father." The first expression of a child is the recognition of his parents.
4. When my kids were infants, they didn’t know much. They knew when they were hungry. They knew when they needed new diapers. What endeared me to them the most was that they knew me. They said, "Dada." They say "Dada" we say "Abba Father!"
5. The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit causes all God’s kids to know him. Gal 4:6 says, "And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father!" (Cf. Rom.8:15-16). Jesus taught His disciples to pray, saying "Our Father in heaven…" (Mt.6:9).
6. When you are an infant it is perfectly appropriate to only be able to say, "Dada." However, a 21-year-old who can only say "Dada" is a tragedy. A Christian who has not matured beyond just the ABC’s of the faith is a tragedy too.
7. When a child is born he already has his arms, eyes, tongue, nose, ears. He doesn’t get them later. He just has to learn to use them! If you have been saved for a long time and you are still a baby, it is your fault. When you were born again, God gave you everything you needed to grow and be all He wants you to be.
8. C.S. Lewis once wrote, "You cannot go on being a good egg forever. You must either hatch or rot."
C. Five Characteristics of Spiritual Children.
1. First, both physical and spiritual babies are NEEDY. They can’t help others because they themselves need so much help. Heb.5:12 is a parental rebuke for some Christians who should have grown in the Lord but remained babies, "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food."
Betty and I enjoyed our kids when they were babies, but we celebrated when they were both out of diapers. Some of you have little ones that have to be fed during the night. You have to change their diapers and clothes constantly. They demand your attention. You delight in them but look forward to when they are not so maintenance intensive!
2. Second, both physical and spiritual babies are LAZY. What do babies do? They lay about the house and scream whenever they want something. This is understandable in a 6-month-old infant. It is intolerable in an 18-year-old!
3. Third, both physical and spiritual babies are RUDE. Little ones are completely self-absorbed. They don’t care if you are inconvenienced. They want their needs met and met now.
4. Fourth, both physical and spiritual babies are IGNORANT. Most children are not stupid. They are merely ignorant. They have not learned much about the reality of life. So it is with spiritual children. They are ignorant concerning God’s Word and don’t know how to apply it to their lives. Heb.5:13 says, "For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe."
5. Fifth, both physical and spiritual babies need to LEARN. They need to be taught wrong from right, good from evil. They often do what they want to do even when they know they are wrong. They are like the toddler who wants to touch a hot stove. His mother warns him, "No, hot!" But, he touches it anyway and gets a painful burn. Spiritual children have to constantly be warned about the painful results of sin, but often plunge in anyway.
II. HOPE STAGE (vv.13b,14b).
A. Spiritual Adolescents Understand the Battle (v.13b).
1. The difficult time between childhood and adulthood is called adolescence or the terrible teenage years. Adolescence is all about breaking the ties of dependence and moving toward independence. Spiritual teenagers are moving away from dependence on the flesh toward independence in Christ.
2. John says, "You have overcome the wicked one." The chief characteristic of spiritual adolescence is being at war with the enemy. Spiritual babies don’t know enough to fight Satan. Spiritual fathers have already won these battles.
3. Spiritual adolescents understand that their fight is a spiritual fight, a fight against temptation and sin. Eph.6:12 says, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood…" They don’t blame people or circumstances but take their sin to Jesus (1:7,9,2:1).
4. They have learned to live in dependence upon the Father. They know they cannot defeat Satan by their own will or strength. They have learned to "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" (Eph.6:10).
B. Spiritual Adolescents Abide in the Word (v.14b).
1. John says, "You are strong, and the word of God abides in you…" Putting the Word to work in our lives enables us to defeat Satan. Ps.119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." V.11 says, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!"
2. This is why our enemy fights Bible study. You cannot become a mature Christian without learning your Bible!
3. He uses many methods to sidetrack us and divert us. He offers shortcuts to spiritual maturity. He tells us if we could pray for some supernatural gift or vision, we would be instantly mature.
4. Teenagers always look for instant maturity. They think if they had this type of clothing or that car, if they smoke or drink or whatever, they would be so mature. There are no shortcuts!
5. Jesus used the Word to defeat Satan at His temptation. Each time He said, "It is written…" Ja.4:7 says, "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." Tony Evans says when we are tempted we should have Bible study with the devil!
6. It is not enough to have a Bible we must use it! The devil is not Dracula. Holding up your Bible in front of him doesn’t scare Him!
7. Acts 19 records how an evil spirit attacked some Jewish exorcists who thought they could use the name of Jesus like a magic word. That’s holy hocus-pocus. It doesn’t work! The devil flees not because of our power but the abiding power of the Word.
8. Jude 9 says, "Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke you!"
III. LOVE STAGE (vv.13a,14a).
A. Spiritual Fathers have taken Time to Walk with God.
1. In both vv.13 and 14, John says "fathers" are those who "have known Him who is from the beginning." Children "have known Him," but fathers have "known Him… from the beginning." The difference between a baby and an adult Christian is time and obedience. Adults have spiritually developed.
2. Mature Christians have walked with God long enough that they consistently bring God to bear in their every day living.
3. A physical child is usually considered an adult after 18 to 21 years of growth. How long does it take for a baby Christian to become an adult Christian?
4. There is a precedent in Scripture that it should take 5 years for a new believer to become a mature believer. Paul first came to Corinth in 50 a.d. 5 years later he wrote in 1 Cor.3:2-3, "I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able for you are still carnal…"
5. If you have been saved 5 years, you ought to be a mature, full-grown adult Christian, a "father."
B. Four Characteristics of Spiritual Adults.
1. First, spiritual adults reproduce. Being a man doesn’t make you a father. Having children makes you a father. The first test for spiritual fatherhood is do you have any spiritual children? Have you led other people to faith in Jesus? Many Christians come to church, pray and study the Bible, but they are not mature because they are not spiritual parents. If you have not multiplied yourself then you are not mature.
2. Second, spiritual adults INSTRUCT. Paul says in 1 Cor.4:14, "I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you." Parents constantly teach and warn their kids when they are going astray. If you are a mature believer, you are giving God’s counsel instead of the advice of the world. What kind of advice do you give? Do you say, "This is what I think…" or "God says in His Word…"
3. Third, spiritual adults MODEL MATURITY. Paul says in 1 Cor.11:1, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." Spiritual fathers live an exemplary life. Someone might say, "I don’t follow people." Of course you do. The question is who are you following. I’m so thankful to have a multi-generational church where there are many spiritual adults who give great examples to follow. Do other believers call on you for counsel or to gossip?
4. Fourth, spiritual adults LOVE. In the introduction we compared "faith, hope and love" with the three spiritual stages. As new believers, we concentrate on faith. Later on we develop hope for what God will do. However, the great mark of maturity is love.
We have some older men and women in our fellowship that so clearly exhibit this. Though I love our people and try to be a godly leader, I must admit there are times I do my job because it is my job. At times like that I look around and I see some of these "fathers" serving at my side. I am humbled and shamed because while I am doing my job, they are serving in love.
Spiritual adults are never satisfied. They want to draw even closer to the Lord. The work of Japanese painter Hokusai spanned many years before his death in 1849 at age 89. But toward the end of his life, the artist dismissed as nothing all the work he had done before age 50. It was only after he reached 70 that he felt he was turning out anything worthy of note. On his deathbed Hokusai lamented, "If heaven had granted me five more years, I could have become a real painter" (Today in the Word, September 16, 1992).
CONCLUSION
The Chinese bamboo tree doesn’t seem to grow at all for the first 4 years after it is planted. However, during a 60-day period in the fifth year, it shoots up 90 feet! Isn’t it time to grow?
