“My dear children, you know Me as the Father who has made the way for you. I’ve forgiven your sins through my Son, Jesus. Mature children… those who have experienced the divine life… you know the King who is from the beginning. Younger children… those who have put their faith in the Son… you have overcome the evil one! You are strong and my Word lives in you! Dear children… young and old… you know Me, now live a victorious life!”
The apostle John wrote plainly about living an authentic life of faith. There’s one little section in I John where he addresses fathers and young men. Our son, Taylor, was home from college this past weekend. I look at him and think back to when I was twenty-three years old… then I pray: “Lord, please give him wisdom. Lord, guard him from evil. Lord, make him your man!”
“I write to you fathers, because you have known Him from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one… I write to you fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” (I John 2:13-14)
What is John saying here? Why does he repeat himself? Is this the truth?
“Dana, I want you to know what you’ve been given. This is what you have to offer your children: you know Me! You’ve experienced the joy of happy days and you’ve learned to persevere through tougher times. You can encourage the younger to trust the Master every day. You can proclaim my faithfulness. I never forsake my children.”
“Taylor, I want you to know what you’ve been given. You’re a victorious champion… not because of your own doing… but because of Jesus. Because He is strong, you are strong. Because He overcame the evil one, you have overcome the evil one. The chains are broken! Never forget this: My Word lives in you!”
As parents, don’t we repeat what we want our kids to remember? Isn’t this one way we stress the important things? John has shared some pretty blunt things about knowing God (see below), but here he encourages with repetition. “Keep this in mind. Know this is true. Notice what is emphasized. The Holy Spirit wants this to sink in.”
“Lord, help it sink in!”
“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for all our sins, and not only for ours but for all the sins of the whole world. We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did…
I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of His name.
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 evil one.
I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father.
I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.” (I John 2:3-14)