Introduction We come to a pause or a parenthesis in our text. It is a pause with a purpose; John wants to reassure his readers about their own relationship and fellowship with the Lord. John also wants to warn counterfeit Christians about what constitutes real Christian growth. John addresses three groups twice; children (teknia); fathers (pateres) and young men (neaniskoi). In verses 12-13 John uses the present tense and writes; I am writing to you. In verse 14 John uses the past tense and writes; I have written to you. Who is John s audience and why does he change verb tenses in what seems like the middle of the exhortation? Is John speaking to different groups in the church; people in the children s ministry; people in the student ministries, people in adult ministries? I don t think so. I suspect John is addressing people in various stages of spiritual growth. John writes to new believers, mature believers and what we might call seasoned saints. How do I really know that I know God? How do I know that I have relationship with God and friendship with God? John invites the reader to take a test, really a series of tests. In chapter 2:3-5 it was the test of obedience, do I keep God s commandments? In verse 6 it is the test of your walk; do you walk like Jesus walked? Jesus walked in obedience to God, Jesus walked in humility; Jesus walked in love. In verses 7-11 it was the test of affection; do I really love my neighbor? Now there is another test; am I growing in Christ? In verses 12-14 John invites us to examine our own spiritual growth. I suspect this is the reason for the verb change in our text. I suspect in verses 12-13 John is in effect saying, I am writing this part of the letter and what follows so you will grow in Christ and continue to grow in Christ. In verse 14 he is in effect saying, I have written the next part of the letter so that you grow, and continue to grow in Christ. Experts in the field of early childhood development sometimes talk about a phenomenon known as developmental delay. Parents want healthy children. Child development refers to the process by which children change in skill development during predicable time periods called developmental milestones. Developmental delay occurs when children have not reached these milestones by the expected time period. For example, if the normal range for learning to walk is between 9 and 15 months, and a 20 month old child has still not begun walking, this would be considered a developmental delay. There are spiritual milestones among believers. Milestones about forgiveness, the character of God, overcoming temptation, faithfulness. We as parents look at physical 1
growth, speech and language, social and emotional behaviors to try to determine whether our children are at risk. John touches on some of the basics of Christian growth. Are you at risk? A Word To The Children (vv.12; 13c) "I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name s sake (1 John 2:12, NKJV) Who are the children? In one sense it applies to all believers. The Greek word John uses is teknia. John sometimes uses the phrase to include all who are in the family of God; all of those, but only those who are in the family. I believe John is referring to newborn Christians. Many times we have all heard the expression, "Aw, grow up!" When growth is retarded, we are all properly alarmed. Parents expect their children to develop physically, mentally, and socially. Paul wrote to the Ephesians about growing up in Christ and coming to maturity in him. Every Christian needs to know your sins are forgiven you for His name s sake. The word forgiveness is apheimi; the word meant to send away, to send from one s self; the idea being the transgression of the sin is sent away or gone away. The verb is in the perfect tense, which tense speaks of a past completed action having present and in some instances, permanent results. Our sins were put away at the Cross, with the result that they are never more remembered against us. 1 What does that mean? Minimum it means God has declared you not guilty and you do not have to worry about going to hell. You will no longer be judged for sin, or condemned for sin. You will not be eternally punished for sin. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NKJV) You have trusted Jesus Christ the Lord. He is your sin bearer. You are cleansed and forgiven for His name s sake. 1 Wuest, Kenneth S.: Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English Reader. Grand Rapids : Eerdmans, 1997, c1984, S. 1 Jn 2:12 2
Augustus Toplady wrote; Not the labor of my hands Can fulfill Thy law s demands; Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears forever flow, All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone. If you are going to be saved, God must do it, and God will do it in Christ if you believe and receive the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord God forgives you for Christ s sake. The angel told Joseph in Matthew 1:21; And she shall bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS; for He shall save His people from their sins. Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:32; And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ s sake, has forgiven you. Does God love you? Yes but the basis of God s not guilty vote comes from Christ. God forgives you on the basis of what Jesus has done. Jesus obeyed and fulfilled the will of God perfectly. Is it safe to say you have not obeyed God nor fulfilled His will perfectly? All believers must remember that their sins are forgiven them. Your forgiveness is exhaustive and complete. John does not tell us are sins are forgiven to make us feel better about ourselves, but that we might know and experience truth that is authoritative and complete. Assurance limits vulnerability to the doubts and disasters that plague your life. Do you live in constant fear that your sins are not forgiven? Then you are experiencing Christian developmental delay. Are you born again? Then you are forgiven; not for any thing you have done or any merit you have obtained, but because of Christ alone. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father. " (1 John 2:13, NKJV) Now John uses a different word for little children. The word is paidia. Vincent says: Compare teknia (τεκνια) little children (v. 1), which emphasizes the idea of kinship, while this word emphasizes the idea of subordination and consequent discipline. Hence, it is the more appropriate word when spoken from the standpoint of authority, than of affection. 2 We might think of little children under instruction. 2 Wuest, Kenneth S.: Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English Reader. Grand Rapids : Eerdmans, 1997, c1984, S. 1 Jn 2:13 3
A Word To The Elders (vv.13a; 14a) "I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning... " (1 John 2:13, NKJV) Who are the fathers? Once again I believe John is making reference to the spiritually mature; those who have a long, rich knowledge of God and who have walked with the Lord for some time. These are not old-timers or geezers in Christ. The fathers John addressed, therefore, were believers who had a permanent, personal experience with the Lord. Their maturity was marked by their knowledge of Christ. Their lives were centered in a Person; they were occupied with Him (Paul R. Van Gorder; In The Family; Studies in First John; p.75). "I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning..." (1 John 2:14, NKJV) Maturity in Christ is defined by preoccupation with Christ. Paul wrote; Gal 2:20-21; I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" (NIV) "Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death," (Philippians 3:8-10, NKJV) A.W. Tozer in his book The Pursuit of God wrote; As we begin to focus upon God, the things of the Spirit will take shape before our inner eyes...a new God-consciousness wil seize upon us and we shall begin to taste and hear inwardly feel God, who is our life and our all. The elders, the fathers, those who are mature in the faith have known Him since the beginning; they have a spiritual maturity and experience that stretches back over the 4
years. In their seasoned wisdom, and in their seasoned experience, they know they can trust God in present circumstances. A Word To The Youth (vv.13b; 14b) " I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one " (1 John 2:13, NKJV) Who are the young men? Again I suspect these are mature believers. 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." (1 John 2:14, NKJV) The first two verbs, I write, are in the present tense, referring to the apostle s immediate act of writing. The last is in the aorist tense, which in the indicative mode usually refers to a past act. But this verb in that tense and mode and in a context like this is called an epistolary aorist, by which a writer looks at his present act of writing as the recipient of his letter will look at it when he receives it, as a past event. John uses the epistolary aorist twice in verse 14. The words standing on his neck in the following translation are used to indicate the present result of the past action of the perfect tense. Ancient kings stood on the necks of the captives whom they conquered as a sign of the victory they gained over them. Translation. I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know experientially the One who is from the beginning, and as a present result are possessors of that knowledge. I am writing to you, young men, because you have gained the victory over the Pernicious One and as a present result are standing on his neck. I write to you, little children under instruction, because you have come to know the Father experientially, with the present result that you are possessors of that knowledge. 3 Do some people experience stunted growth? Yes. But sometimes we fail to see or adequately measure the real spiritual growth that has taken place in our lives. John is reminding them and encouraging them to remember just how far they have come in their spiritual journey and in their walk. You ve come along way baby! You have fought many battles. You have overcome the wicked one. Spiritual warfare is real. There is a real devil, and there is a real war that we must wage against our enemy the Devil. Do you still continue to fight battles with wicked and immoral thoughts? Do you still look and lust; are you still getting drunk, are you still using drugs, are you still stealing, 3 Wuest, Kenneth S.: Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English Reader. Grand Rapids : Eerdmans, 1997, c1984, S. 1 Jn 2:13-14 5
lying, cheating? Are you still filled with pride and arrogance and conceit? Are you still wanting more and more of what you already have enough of? Do you continue to hoard your stuff, gossip about your friends, neighbors, loved ones, enemies? Do you continue to harbor hatred and bitterness? Do you still love money more than you love the Lord? Does the wicked one continue to attack? Are the attacks becoming more frequent or less frequent? Are you losing more battles than you are winning? Satan is desperate that you retain your loyalty to sin. It is never easy to die to self. We seldom completely deny self and embrace Christ s mission. Satan wants to cause God as much pain as possible. This is why after you receive Christ as your Savior Satan mounts a vicious attack to try to get you to embrace all the old habits, and sins that kept you enslaved. But the mature believer overcomes temptation. Satan does not relent. The attacks continue. How do believers overcome Satan? James reminded the early Christians the way to overcome Satan was to draw near to the Lord, to pray, to ask for wisdom, to submit to God and resist the devil. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5, NKJV) "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7, NKJV) We submit to the Lord. We resist the devil. If you fail to submit to the Lord, you will not resist the devil. Peter was no stranger to the attacks of Satan. "then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment," (2 Peter 2:9, NKJV) We overcome Satan by the Word of God and the testimony of our faith. "And Jesus answered and said to him, Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve. " (Luke 4:8, NKJV) We overcome Satan by refusing to yield our bodies as instruments of sin; "And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God." (Romans 6:13, NKJV) 6
We overcome by putting on the full armor of God. We overcome by being on guard. We overcome by refusing to give in to anger and refusing to give the devil a place. We overcome by refusing the solicitation of sinners; "Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil. " (Proverbs 4:14, NKJV) "My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. " (Proverbs 1:10, NKJV) Have you heard the sinners voices trying to entice you? Oh come on, you know you want me. You know want it; just once, just a taste. Go on line, no one will know, its just a picture on the screen, what harm will it do? Go ahead, indulge your fantasy, no one will ever know. NO WE OVERCOME by not entering into the path of the wicked. John has told the young men, I have written to you because you are strong. The word strong means powerful or able. The young men were characterized by power, energy, ability. Where do you suppose they got their strength? Do you think it was by virtue of their youth? Look again in verse 14; I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you. Conclusion Does the Word of God live or dwell in you? The presence of the Word of God in the individual believer is a spiritual milestone. This is a key if you value health and growth and Christ. Do you read your Bible? Do you study your Bible? No matter what a person may feel or think or say, there is little or no spiritual growth apart from the Word of God in the life of the believer. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15, NKJV) "as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." (1 Peter 2:2-3, NKJV) We grow up by growing down! We grow up into Christ by growing down into lowliness.... Off-loading our fantasies of omnicompetence, we start trying to be trustful, obedient, dependent, patient, and willing in our relationship to God. We give up our dreams of being greatly admired for doing wonderfully well. We begin teaching ourselves unemotionally and matter-of-factly to recognize that we are not likely ever to appear, or actually to be, much of a success by the world's standards. We bow to events that rub our noses in the reality of our own weakness, and we look to God for strength quietly to cope.... 7
It is impossible at the same time to give the impression both that I am a great Christian and that Jesus Christ is a great Master. So the Christian will practice curling up small, as it were, so that in and through him or her the Savior may show himself great. That is what I mean by growing downward. J. I. Packer in Rediscovering Holiness. Christianity Today, Vol. 38, no. 13. -- mission statement of Belmont Church Nashville, Tennessee. The Belmont Church exists to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, rejoicing in him, as we bring believers to maturity, draw people to Jesus, equip them to serve, and become a reconciling force in the body of Christ. Our cell-based church is to be a place where every member: (a) is cared for and grows to maturity, (b) is equipped to serve and finds his/her place of service, (c) is praying for and seeking the lost, and, (d) is under authority and walking in authority. 8