Three categories of believers

Topic: Maturity
Passage: 1 John 2:12–14

October 20, 2021

Commentary

In our text today, John points out three categories of believers. We see in these categories three stages of spiritual development in our quest for spiritual maturity. The three stages of Christian growth are children, fathers, and young men (vv. 12-14). I do not believe these categories have anything to do with age or gender. It is possible for someone to be seventy years old and still be a spiritual babe. Perfection is not the goal, progress is. We don’t want to be at the same place as we were last year, we want to be moving upward. John is addressing and classifying these various stages of spiritual growth. Each group (stage of growth) is mentioned twice with two reasons for writing attached to each. By grouping them together we observe the following:
“I write unto you, little children (that is new Christians), because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake” (v. 12). “I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the father” (v. 13).“I write unto you, fathers (spiritual mature with a deep rich knowledge of God) because you have known Him that is from the beginning” (vv. 13, 14).“I write unto you, young men, (mature believers) because you have overcome the wicked  one,” (v. 13); “because ye are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you” (v. 14).

Application

The Bible clearly teaches that the goal of every Christian believer is to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and into full Christian maturity. The question I need to ask myself is where am I in this quest for maturity in Christ?

1 John 2:12– 14 (NET)

12 I am writing to you, little children, that your sins have been forgiven because of his name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, that you have known him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young people, that you have conquered the evil one. 14 I have written to you, children, that you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, that you have known him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young people, that you are strong, and the word of God resides in you, and you have conquered the evil one.

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