“I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.” I John 2:12.
These verses in 1 John 2:12-14 are parenthetical because they fall between passages concerning how to know you are in the light, and how to stay in fellowship in the light.
How to know you are in the light is described as follows.
“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” I John 1:5-7.
“He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” I John 2:9-11.
The latter, how to stay in fellowship in the light, will be covered in the next entry.
The opening phrase here in verse 12, “I write to you, little children…” uses the same word for little children as the first phrase in this chapter, “My little children…” 1 John 2:1, this is what a teacher would affectionately call his students; teknion, little children, which is not the same usage as we will see in 1 John 2:13c later in this post.
With this in mind it is easy to see that John is addressing everyone who has accepted Christ as their savior and are walking in the light.
It is his expectation that we have all examined ourselves by the information given to us by him and can honestly say either, “I am a child of God walking in the light” or “I now see that I am not walking in the light and am unsaved”.
Those who are saved can say, “…your [our] sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.”
This is who is addressed in this parenthetical statement.
“I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning.” I John 2:13a.
Try not to think on terms of fathers, young men and children, these terms do not represent a persons physical age, rather it is representative of a person’s maturity in Christ.
For that reason a newly saved 70 year old could be called a babe in Christ. By the same token a father may not have any children at all.
“I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.” I Corinthians 4:14-17.
By this passage written by the Apostle Paul we can see that it is possible to be a father, not necessarily with children, yet having many children in Christ.
A father then is someone who is mature in the faith, wise in the Scriptures, humble, and perhaps one who has been in the church many years; though there are Christians, who in spite of age and longevity of church membership, are still babes in Christ.
So fathers is a good name for those who have through many trials, tribulations, and intense Bible study, come forward and taken their place as fathers to new and young Christians, both as an example, and caring for them much as they would their own children.
Also fathers in Christ need not be aged as in sixty or eighty years; some men get saved and hit the ground running, these can achieve much in a short amount of time.
Whether Timothy would be considered a father or a young man in his pastoral ministry in Ephesus is unknown, see First and Second Timothy, but you can see from the Apostle Paul’s instructions here that he was entrusted with great responsibility.
“These things command and teach. Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” I Timothy 4:11-13.
A wise or fervent young man does not always mean that he would make a good father.
One of the advantages of getting older is that many things have to be learned through experience, not just book learning. This, as J. Vernon McGee used to say, “Is where the rubber meets the road”.
“…because you have known Him who is from the beginning”, this phrase indicates an intimate knowledge of both God the Father and the Lord Jesus.
The Father is shown from the beginning in the first sentence of the Bible, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1.
The Father is also referred to as follows.
“I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.” Daniel 7:9-10.
“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.’” Isaiah 44:6.
“Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:22.
Jesus, God the Son is referred to in this manner.
“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.
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Colossians 1:15-17.
“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:9-10.
Fathers are well aware that when the Scripture says, “In the beginning God…” it means that God was there before the beginning. He is the Ancient of Days; from everlasting to everlasting the eternal God and the Scriptures are His words to us.
Fathers are also rooted and grounded in the word of Christ.
“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” Colossians 2:6-8.
“I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one.” I John 2:13b.
These young men have been Christians for a while and have stuck with the battle and have come to understand the opposition.
“Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.” I John 3:13.
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” John 15:18-20.
Young men are strong and they know the adversary.
“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.” Ephesians 6:12.
Many persevere and many fall in battle and do not get up; all revel in their strength, and all need to remember that the battle is the Lord’s and not their own, lest when they win, they are lifted up in pride, or if they lose, they give up.
“…Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6b.
“He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy.” Psalm 147:10-11.
“I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.” I John 2:13c.
The word for children is different here from the opening of this address in verse 12, where it is meant to include all of John’s Christian readers.
The word for children in this verse means those who are like children where the use of the mind is required. In other words, babes in Christ who have accepted Christ as their savior, but have little or no Bible knowledge.
As stated before these children may be just that, children, or they may be eighty years old. All have one thing in common; all have to grow into mature adult Christians.
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Hebrews 5:12-14.
Parents and grandparents in particular love their babies and toddlers, and almost wish it could last forever because they are so cute. Still everyone’s desire is that they grow up, because it is an indication that something is not right if they do not.
There is something not right when the babe in Christ does not grow up too; either they have become content within their comfort zone, or the church has failed to teach them, or someone has failed to mentor them.
All of these children, both real children and babes in Christ have one thing in common, if you do not train them or guard them, they are open to error and predators.
“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” I Corinthians 3:1-3.
“I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. “ I John 2:14a.
Other than having been written in the past tense, this sentence is the same as the first time fathers are mentioned.
Having established that these are mature Christians the reason this may have been repeated verbatim is for the purpose of emphasis.
John may be speaking to fathers who have been injured by the church, and have started to feel somewhat useless, or have been distracted by worldly things.
The emphasis is to remind them of how much they are needed and to motivate them to return to the fray and use their knowledge to train up more young men and fathers.
As long as they are living a godly life and rightly dividing the word of truth in a loving manner, there is no expiration date on these guys.
“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.” I John 2:14b.
The first time young men were mentioned it was because they, “…have overcome the wicked one”, the wicked one being Satan.
Now it is added that they are strong, and the word of God abides in them. This indicates spiritual growth, these men have not only done battle and persevered, being strong, and they have now hid the word of God in their hearts.
“How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statues. With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.” Psalm 119:9-16.
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7.
“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…” Ephesians 6:13-18.
Children Your Sins Are Forgiven, 1 John 2:12-14 taken from godisrevealed.com posted on 11-12-11, updated on 5-18-18.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version, copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission, all rights reserved.