1200-1 Believer

1 JOHN 2:12-14
B. Maturing in Christ, because ye have overcome c. Young men: You have
2:12-14 the wicked one. I write unto overcome—through
you, little children, because God Himself (implied)
ye have known the Father.
14 I have written unto you, 2 Step 2: Confirm who you
1 Step 1: Remember your 12 I write unto you, little fathers, because ye have are—your great relation-
spiritual growth children, because your sins known him that is from the ship to God—over & over
a. Children: You are for- are forgiven you for his beginning. I have written un- again
given for God’s name’s name’s sake. to you, young men, because
sake 13 I write unto you, fathers, ye are strong, and the word
b. Fathers: You have because ye have known him of God abideth in you, and ye
known God Himself that is from the beginning. I have overcome the wicked
who is eternal write unto you, young men, one.

BELIEVER’S LIFE & WALK: BASIC ESSENTIALS

B. Maturing in Christ, 2:12-14

(2:12-14) Introduction: note that three groups of people are addressed by John—little children, fathers, and young men.
Note also that each one is addressed twice. In verses 12-13 John uses the present tense and says “I am writing to you.” In
verse 14 he uses the past tense and says, “I have written to you.” Two questions immediately arise: Who are these people and
why does John change tenses?
1. First, who are the people John is addressing? Is he addressing the various age groups in the church: the children, the
aged fathers, and the young men? Or is he talking about stages of spiritual growth? Now note a significant fact: there are
within the church other adults other than fathers and young men. There are full grown men who are aged and there are wom-
en. It is doubtful that John would be referring to the various age groups within the church and addressing only the fathers and
young men among the adults. This points rather strongly to John’s classification being the stages of spiritual growth.
2. Second, why does John change tenses from “I am writing” (v.12-13) to “I have written to you” (v.14)? For empha-
sis: John is driving home the point that believers must grow in Christ. They must confirm their growth in Christ, confirm
their great relationship with God over and over again. To stress the point John says...
• “I am writing this part of the letter and what is to follow so that you will grow and grow in Christ.”
• “I have written the first part of the letter so that you grow and grow in Christ.”
The following chart will help us to grasp what John is doing. (Note: the idea of this chart was stirred by the chart of A.
Plummer. The Epistles of St. John. “The Pulpit Commentary,” Vol.22, ed. by HDM Spence and Joseph S. Exell. Grand Rap-
ids, MI: Eerdmans, 1950, p.23.)

I AM WRITING this part of the letter... Reasons for writing

• To the little children among you, • Because your sins are forgiven
that is, the newborn Christians
• To spiritual fathers among you, • Because you have known God and have
that is, the spiritually mature with been faithful from the beginning
a deep and rich knowledge of God
• To the young men among you, • Because you have overcome the wicked
that is, the mature believers one

I HAVE WRITTEN the first part of the letter... Reasons for writing

• To little children among you, • Because you have known the Father
that is, the newborn Christians
• To spiritual fathers among you, • Because you have known God and have
that is, the spiritually mature with been faithful from the beginning
a deep and rich knowledge of God
• To the young men among you, • Because you are strong, have the Word of
that is, the mature believers God abiding in you, and have overcome
the wicked one

Now, to the discussion of the passage. Remember the overall subject that John is discussing: How do we know if we real-
ly know God? (See note—1 Jn.2:3-6 for introductory discussion.) There are seven tests that will show us. This passage cov-
ers the third test, a test that shows us beyond any question whether or not we know God. It is the test of spiritual growth.
⇒ Do you remember your spiritual growth?
⇒ Do you remember how you have grown in Christ from the beginning of your conversion?
⇒ Do you remember how God has grown and matured and developed you in Christ?
If you really know Christ, then you have grown in Christ; you have developed and matured stage by stage. Have you
grown in Christ since you professed Christ? If you have grown, then you know God. You are a child of God. If you have not
grown in Christ, you do not know God. Once a person is truly converted he grows in Christ. That is what conversion means:
to convert over; to change over; to become a new person; to be born again; to exchange the old life without Christ for the
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