Life happens in Three's

“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. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. 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.” 1John 2:12-14

In these three verses, John addresses three different types of Christians. I use the word “types” loosely, as John is speaking to different maturity levels in Christians, stating the purpose of the epistle for each “type” of Christian: little children (spiritual babies), fathers (the spiritually mature), and young men (the bold and brave – or the spiritual teenagers who usually leap before they think about the jump).

Each “type” is addressed twice. In Hebrew, the number two means “witness.” Another way of looking at that is that John is repeating himself, basically saying, “Hey, listen up. I’m talking to you for different reasons. Pay attention, will you?!” The only “type” of person repeated verbatim is the group known as the “fathers” (which is the spiritually mature.)

We will also find that each group relies more heavily on a separate aspect of the tri-un Godhead. "Little Children" rely on the Father. "Fathers" rely on Christ. "Young Men" rely on the Spirit. And now, let's break it down.

I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake.

Typically, little children are innocent; they have not been spoiled by experience and knowledge. They are ignorant to the perils and evils of the world. They live their lives blindly trusting their parents to guide them, care for them, provide for them. Little children do not understand right from wrong until they are taught what right is and what wrong is. “For where there is no law, there is no transgression.” Romans 4:15b. A sin is not a sin if there is no knowledge of sin.
The word tells us that we were given the law, not to demonstrate our righteousness, but to demonstrate our sinfulness. If we were never given the Ten Commandments, and the Levitical Law, we would not know that it was wrong to lie, steal, cheat, kill, etc. And so, God forgives the spiritual babies, not for their righteousness’ sake, but to display the goodness of his own name. And why? Because the spiritual babies have not learned enough to know that they are breaking the law. And to display that this life is not about us; this life is about the Lord and our need to place our complete trust in Him.

I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning.

John establishes the father’s dependence on someone wiser than the “spiritually mature.” Who is this someone? Christ. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” John 1:1-2. As fathers are wise and lead their families, their dependence on one wiser is a prerequisite. Knowing Christ, who is wiser than the spiritually mature, enables them to lead with wisdom.

I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one.

In the original Greek, the word “overcome” literally means subdued. So, these “strong, brave” men and women of faith have not only overcome the wicked one, but they have subdued him in the process. But how did they overcome? The answer is: the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enables us to overcome and subdue and have victory. If we do not walk by the Spirit, we do not walk in Christ’s purpose for our lives; therefore, we do not have victory. The young men are strong, valiant, brave, etc…but they are victorious only when they walk/battle in the Spirit. “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” 2Cor 10:3-5

If they are outside of God’s will, if they war according to the flesh, if they lean on their own abilities and understanding instead of the Lord’s, they cannot succeed. John is commending them for being “in Christ” and walking, not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. “For as many as are led by the Spirit, these are the sons of God.” Rom 8:14

I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.

It is enough for the little children that they have a daddy; they don’t need to understand him. This is all they need to make them content, safe, secure: to know the Father. Know him and their needs are met. Know him and they are protected and cared for. Know him, come to him, rest in him and they want for nothing else. And this is what the Lord wants from us: to come unto him simply because he is the Father so that we might be blessed by His touch and His presence. “Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, ‘Let the little children come unto Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.’ And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.” Mark 10:13-16. (Cross reference the same story in Matt 19:13-16, and Luke 18:15-17).

I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning.

This copies the first address almost verbatim. John changes the “little children” address and the “young men” address slightly, but this charge is verbatim. The only change he makes is in the first phrase. Initially, he wrote: “I write to you,” (this denotes a present tense.) The second time he wrote: “I have written to you,” (this denotes a past tense. It is almost as if John is saying, “I have written to you in the past, and I write to you now for the same reason: because you have known Him who is from the beginning. My reason for writing you has not changed.” To me, this seems like John is screaming “Pay Attention, will you! I wrote to you in the past and I write to you now because you know there is one who is wiser and smarter, and more lasting than you; the eternal God, Christ Jesus. All things are known to him, and to know him is your greatest wisdom. And I’m writing because you know Him." John doesn’t write the spiritually mature to display that his wisdom or his words are even more mature or more wise than theirs. He doesn’t write this letter in selfishness or pride. He writes these spiritual elders because they understand there is one greater, wiser, more lasting than themselves. It is their acknowledgment of this that makes them mature and wise.

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.

In this final charge, John lists three reasons why he has written the “young men.” Let’s look at each reason individually.

1. Because you are strong. So, John writes to the strength of these young men. What is their strength, though, that he should write to them? The Lord is their strength. He is the one who enables them to be strong because they put their faith in Him.
“The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Ps 27:1b
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him and I am helped” Ps 28:7
“The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” Ps 118:14

2. The word of God abides in you. John writes to them because the Word abides in them. And, what is the word but Christ Jesus? John 1:1 tells us that the Word was in the beginning with God, and John 1:14 tells us that the word became flesh and dwelled on earth. John writes them because the Word abides in them. “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing…If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you…as the Father loved me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” John 15:4-5, 7, 9-10

Webster’s definition of abide is this: to remain; continue; stay. To have one’s abode; dwell; reside. To continue in a particular condition, attitude, relationship. To endure, sustain, or withstand without yielding or submitting. To wait for. (And my personal favorite) To accept without opposition or question.

The Lord desires us to make our residence in Him, to endure, to continue in Him, to accept Him without opposition or question. If we abide in Him, He will abide in us. We will know Him as He knows us, as the Father has known Him. These “young men” were abiding in Christ; that was why they were strong, why they were brave, because Christ was their habitation. What a beautiful promise, that we will be strong and brave if we abide in Him!

3. You have overcome the wicked one. This is how they overcame: the Lord was their strength and they dwelled in him. They had not power of their own to overcome, but they were victorious because they trusted in the Lord. 1John 5:5 says this about those who overcome: “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

Friends, if we believe in Christ Jesus as the Son of God and Savior of the world, then we fit into one of these three categories. We are either “spiritual newborns” who need only the assurance that our Father loves us and cares for us, or we are “spiritual elders” who have come to the realization that the one who is eternal is in control and thus we have no reason to fear or stress, or we are “spiritual youths” who stand tall and brave and fight with the able bodies and strength with which the Lord has blessed us.

Life Happens in Threes: infancy, youth, and maturity.

In whatever category we reside, the most important thing for us to know is that trusting the Lord is the only victorious course of action. So, Trust the Father, who will supply your every need. Trust Jesus Christ, the one through whom all things were made and established. Trust the Spirit to lead and guide you in your warfare against the enemy of your soul. Trust that the Trinity is the only thing in the world worth trusting in.