The Christian Lifecycle

Introduction

Last week we discussed an old, but not really old and new but not really new commandment.

1 John 2:7–11 TLV

Loved ones, I am not writing a new commandment for you, but an old commandment—one you had from the beginning. This old commandment is the word you have heard. Yet I am writing a new commandment for you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining. The one who says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in the darkness. The one who loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He doesn’t know where he is going, because the darkness has made his eyes blind.

As John continues in the very next passage he takes some time to address his target demographic groups.

1 John 2:12–14 TLV

I am writing to you, children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of His name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known the One who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have known the One who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Remembering that 1 John was written by a Jew, this section is actually considered to be strong evidence that this epistle was originally written in Hebrew, not Greek as it employs some uniquely Hebrew literary techniques. It is rhythmical, almost lyrical, and it repeats itself using different phrasing and terminology to elucidate and emphasize its main thesis. I does so by raising a number of questions:

Why did John use the present tense, "I write" , in the first three clauses, and later, "I have written", in the second three?

To what writing does he refer in the first instance vs. the second?

What is the meaning of the word "children" in the first clause of each of the divisions?

Why did he use two different words for children (coincidentally in both Hebrew and Greek)?

In what sense is the reference to "fathers, children, young men" to be taken, literal or figurative?

Why even ask these questions? Do they matter? Well, because John is using a Hebrew literary technique to convey his message here, we must understand how this technique is used elsewhere in scripture. Since examining all these other passages as a way to illustrate the point would detract from the message John is trying to convey, let’s simply assume these literary devices are used elsewhere. Once we discuss it here, you may want to look at other passages that use these devices in the light of what we cover here.

We have here a simple form of Hebrew parallelism, where the same thing is being said for the sake of emphasis

In both instances, the writing to which John refers is this very epistle

Unlike 1Jn 2:1,18,28; 3:7,18; 4:4; 5:21 where "children" appears to be a term of endearment for all believers, in 1Jn 2:12,13 "children" seems to refer to a specific class of Christians

Any distinction between the two different words being used here is likely not significant, since John uses both as terms of endearment in this epistle when speaking of all believers.

Taken literally, the terms "fathers, children, young men" would leave out many Christians (old men, old and younger women); therefore, I think it’s safest to take the terms as being figurative.

With this understanding, I believe we find John addressing three basic groups of Christians, who are at different stages in their Christian life. So what are these stages?

Infancy

Christians as “Little Children”

Both terms used by John normally refer to small infants

Those who are new Christians, or immature Christians, are thus spoken of as "babes in Christ" -

1 Corinthians 3:1 TLV

And I, brothers and sisters, could not speak to you as Spirit-filled but as worldly—as infants in Messiah.

Galatians 4:19 TLV

My dear children! Again I suffer labor pains until Messiah is formed in you.

Hebrews 5:12–13 TLV

For although you ought to be teachers by this time, again you need someone to teach you the basics of God’s sayings. You have come to need milk, not solid food. For anyone living on milk is inexperienced with the teaching about righteousness—he is an infant.

This can be a difficult time, in which a Christian...

Is still more carnal than spiritual as in:

1 Corinthians 3:1 TLV

And I, brothers and sisters, could not speak to you as Spirit-filled but as worldly—as infants in Messiah.

or it can be a source of anxiety for those trying to lead them along -

Galatians 4:19 TLV

My dear children! Again I suffer labor pains until Messiah is formed in you.

Little children need to focus on the "milk" of the Word.

Hebrews 5:12–13 TLV

For although you ought to be teachers by this time, again you need someone to teach you the basics of God’s sayings. You have come to need milk, not solid food. For anyone living on milk is inexperienced with the teaching about righteousness—he is an infant.

Little Children can take comfort from John

Because their sins have been forgiven in Christ! -

1 John 2:12 TLV

I am writing to you, children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of His name.

Forgiveness is not based upon maturity or perfection

But upon the blood of Jesus, and upon our willingness as Christians to confess our sins -

1 John 1:9 TLV

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Because they have "known the Father"

1 John 2:13 TLV

I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known the One who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.

I.e., they have fellowship with the Father, which is John's definition of "eternal life" -

John 17:2–3 TLV

Even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, so may He give eternal life to all those You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Yeshua the Messiah, the One You sent.

They may be "babes", but they have "eternal life" in Christ!

1 John 5:11–12 TLV

And the testimony is this—that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. The one who has the Son has life; the one who does not have Ben-Elohim does not have life.

And John wants them to continue to believe!

1 John 5:13 TLV

I wrote these things to you who believe in the name of Ben-Elohim, so you may know that you have eternal life.

When a "babe in Christ" feeds upon the milk of the Word, making good use of the cleansing power of the blood of Messiah, remaining in fellowship with the Father and sharing in "eternal life", it will not be long before they enter the next phase in the life cycle:

Youth

Christians as Young Men

As explained previously, I take the expression "young men" figuratively. It refers to all, male or female, young or old chronologically, who are "strong in the Lord". In other words,, all "who have overcome the wicked one" -

1 John 2:13–14 TLV

I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known the One who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have known the One who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Not that they are perfect, or without sin -

1 John 1:8 TLV

If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

But that their faith has had time to be tested, and they have demonstrated that they are truly "born of God" .

1 John 4:4 TLV

You are from God, children, and you have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

1 John 5:4–5 TLV

For everyone born of God overcomes the world. And the victory that has overcome the world is this—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world, if not the one who believes that Yeshua is Ben-Elohim?

Their Strength Comes From the Word of God

Only as the Word of God "abides" (remains) in them are they strong

1 John 2:14 TLV

I have written to you, children, because you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have known the One who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Even as David saw the value of letting the Word of God abide in his heart -

Psalm 119:11 TLV

I have treasured Your word in my heart, so I might not sin against You.

For this reason, then, we need to heed the admonition of Peter

1 Peter 2:2 TLV

As newborn babes, long for pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow toward salvation—

As one demonstrates time and again that they are strong in the Lord, they progress to the final stage of the Christian life...

Maturity

Christians as Fathers

Again, we need to look at this term "fathers" figuratively. It likely refers in this passage to Christians, male and female, who have reached the highest stage of the Christian life.

The term "fathers" suggests they have had experience, having progressed through earlier stages of the Christian life (infancy, strength) and that they have even produced spiritual offspring, by leading others to Christ.

1 Corinthians 4:14–15 TLV

I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to warn you as my dearly loved children. For though you may have ten thousand guardians in Messiah, yet you do not have many fathers. For in Messiah Yeshua, I became your father through the Good News.

They have known Yeshua

The reference is likely to Jesus, who "was from the beginning"

1 John 1:1 TLV

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life—

John 1:1–2 TLV

In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Is there a distinction being made by John?

"Little children" have known "the Father"

1 John 2:14 (TLV)

I have written to you, children,

because you have known the Father...

"Fathers" have known "the Son"

1 John 2:13 (TLV)

I am writing to you, fathers,

because you have known the One

who is from the beginning...

If so, perhaps it is this:

As babes in Christ, it can be said that even in our infancy we can "know" the Father, that is have an intimate relationship with Him and experience the eternal life which He gives

But only with time, and with opportunity to "walk just as He walked" (1Jn 2:6), can it be said that one has truly come to "know" Jesus

Therefore the admonition of Peter to "grow in the... knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" -

2 Peter 3:18 TLV

Instead, keep growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity! Amen.

Which knowledge comes only as we develop the Christ-like graces found in

2 Peter 1:5–8 TLV

Now for this very reason, making every effort, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly love; and to brotherly love, love. For if these qualities are in you and increasing, they keep you from becoming idle and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

Conclusion

The Christian life has much in harmony with physical life. There are definite stages in life. Only through "growth" does one pass from one stage to the other, so when growth does not occur, that is a sign of a serious illness!

There is a major difference:

Physical growth usually occurs without much effort on our part

Such is not the case with spiritual growth!

These verses that have served as the basis of our text, while they are difficult in many respects, they ought to clearly impress upon our minds several truths:

There are different stages in the Christian life

In each stage there are blessings to be enjoyed

But little children need to become young men, and young men need to become fathers

May God grant us the grace needed to grow as we should, and enjoy the full blessings in each stage of the Christian life!/