Little Children, Fathers, and Young Men (1 John 2:12-13a)

“I write to you, little children,
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
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 wicked one.” (1 John 2:12-13a NKJV)

There are three stages of growth, little children, young men, and fathers. There are three stages of bearing fruits, thirty times, sixty times, and a hundred times (Matthew 13:8). There are three stages of reward, praise, honor, and glory (1 Peter 1:7). There are three visibly observable points in growing seed, blade, head, and grain in the head (Mark 4:28). There are milk drinkers and solid food eaters (Hebrews 4:12).

Here, John describes the result of growth for each stage and later explains the progress to reach to the goal. These three stages of Christian growth are not chronological order nor by age. It could be possible for young men to be spiritually fathers and for old men to be spiritually little children.

Who are little children? They are new born Christians because their sins are forgiven for His name’s sake. Anyone who receives Christ Jesus as Lord is welcomed by the Father because he is cleansed and washed by the blood of the Son. The new born Christians unquestionably experience exquisite joy and freedom because their sins are forgiven. They have been delivered and liberated from the slavery of the evil authority.

The new born Christians feel like everything is over and alright from then on. The impact of liberation is so powerful and convincing that it may give an illusion that the battle is over. Soon or later, they encounter the old habits of sin one way or the other even if not worse than in the past.

But one thing is still true despite of failures and errors after the conversion experience. That is they are still the children of God whom the Son Jesus Christ cleansed their sins. Young Christians do sin and yet are forgiven their sins for His name’s sake. God knows that they are going to fail down the road. So, what they need to do is to grow in Jesus Christ. That’s all.

Fathers indicate mature Christians which God intended men to be. This is what our God is after. God is not interested in outward rituals and religious activities even if they are expressed and presented excellently in the human eyes. The primary concern of God is the transformation of our hearts by the revelations and knowledge of God who He is and what He is.

What is it that they know about God? First and foremost of all, they know that God is the Father who cares dearly and faithfully of His children. They also know that why God sent His begotten Son Jesus Christ to die, that He is the giver of eternal life, that He sent the Spirit into their hearts forever, and that He chose them in love to be holy and blameless before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4).

Although God is not visible, mature Christians know that there is He everywhere in heavens and on earth as many patriarchs of faith did like Abraham, Moses, King David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Hosea, and on and on. They know that God is immortal and eternal and praiseworthy with glory and honor forever and ever (1 Timothy 1:17). They fix their eyes upon Jesus Christ whom God sent and pay heed to whatever He says.

They know that God is the ultimate ruler of all the human events and incidents and there is nothing happening without Him. They know that there is nothing for them to contribute to earn the righteousness of God which is solely given by the faith in the Son Jesus Christ. They also know that they have nothing to depend on themselves but solely and entirely rest on God to live a life of faith.

There is another stage in Christian growth, young men. They are the one who overcome the wicked ones, the prince of dark world. They are tempted and pressed and tested in the world as Christians in all ways, materially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. But they endure and hang on tight all the pressures as Jesus Christ overcame the world.

They understand that Christianity is not a picnic but a fierce battle. They are the veteran fighters who know how to fight against the evil ones. They know that the battle is guaranteed for victory for the Lord Jesus Christ paid the price with His blood by laying down His life unto us on the cross. They know that they wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, authorities, and all the powers of evil ones (Ephesians 6:12).

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Ephesians 6:10-20 NKJV)