25. 1 Jn2_12-14 Word to the Younger

1 John 2:13,14 Words to the Younger

We are back in 1 John chapter 2. So far we have seen in chapter 1 In the first 4 verses we have the foundation of our fellowship with God and with those who hold to that which the Apostles preached in the gospel concerning Christ. To combat the Gnostic heresy of the day he then puts forth tests of the faith with the thesis statement being that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. Verse 5-10. Beginning in Chapter 2 he addresses specifically Christians who hold to the true gospel in his appeal to them as ‘my little children’. He holds forth Christ as our Advocate and the propitiation of our sins and presents the tests of fellowship. Verses 1-10. Ater which John breaks from his line of thought, which is difficult and may have left many of them wondering if they were really Christians at all. John pauses his line of though to encourage and assure them. This is where we pick up our text this morning but for the sake of context, I will read from verses 7-17.

Before we read the text it is important to call to mind why or the purpose of Johns letter. The purpose of Johns letter is two-fold. 1) I write these things to you so that you may not sin 1 John 2:1 and 1Jn 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

He isn’t worried that they have fallen into false teaching and sin as a result of that false teaching, rather he is warning them of it and by way of encouragement strengthening them against it.

1Jn 2:7-17 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. (8) At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. (9) Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. (10) Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. (11) But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (12) I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake. (13) I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. (14) I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. (15) Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. (17) And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

By way of reminder the structure of verses 12-14 is composed of two triplets: children, fathers, young men, children, fathers, and young men. He uses different Greek words for children. In verse 12 the term teknon is used to refer to all the believers John is writing to and indicated the familial relationship of them to God the Father by means of adoption. In verse 13 John uses the term paidion and that term refers to a child under authority. Again, this would refer to all the believers that John is writing to as we all are always under the authority of God our Father. John is addressing 2 groups. The mature Christians and the younger Christians.

Fathers is a term that refers not only to those who are more mature in the faith, but of those mature Christians who have taken up the mantle of the apostolic example of being disciple makers. And we saw previously that this is not only the duty of more mature Christian men but that of more mature Christian women. Titius 2:3-5

This morning we will look again at verses 13 and 14 as John addresses the younger men. The Greek word indicates that it is younger both in faith and in age. In verse 13 he is writing because they have overcome the evil one.

A general observation of ‘the evil one’. John has identified the one whom Christians have overcome. It is not a spirit of evil or some nebulous idea of idea of evil, but a person. He is referred to as the devil in Ephesians 6. John uses the word PONEROS the root word of it is derived from the word to work. I am not implying that work is evil. But John is saying that the devil is not passively evil but he is active, he toils and labors at it in the same way a woman labors in child birth. This is one of the biblical terms for the devil and depicts his nature as vicious, injurious, and destructive. Devoid of any good he is a murderer and the father of lies. He is that roaring lion that prowls about seeking whom he may devour. He schemes against you and would take your life if he was able. Understanding the term sort of gives you pause in the same way that a violent person does. And we know that the evil one uses people to accomplish his purposes.

1Jn 2:15-18  Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  (16)  For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.  (17)  And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.  (18)  Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.

1Jn 4:1-4  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.  (2)  By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,  (3)  and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.  (4)  Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

You can almost imagine the look on the faces as they heard the letter being read out loud. I am writing to you younger because you have overcome the evil one. Not only the evil one but all of his subordinates.

There are 3 Points this morning.

I. A surprising statement - You have overcome the evil one

After the series of tests that John has given, which frankly, would leave anyone a little shaken, because who at some point hasn’t questioned their salvation due to failure in walking as we should in this life of faith in Christ; makes the statement You have overcome the evil one. We don’t particularly feel like victors, or overcomers but here it is

Overcome literally means to conquer; to vanquish; to subdue; as, to overcome enemies in battle. The verb in the perfect tense meaning that it was accomplished in the past with present on-going consequences. It speaks to the permanence of this victory. John uses this word 6x in this letter. There is no other letter that uses it more except Revelation (also written by John). Victory, sweet victory. There is nothing in and of ourselves that grants this overcoming the evil one. For how can one who is sold into bondage of sin break away the shackles by which we are bound: We can’t. But the foundation of our victory is Jesus Christ. Rev 12:11  And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Jesus is our federal head. All that He has done has been credited to us. Thank God for such a Savior, with such power to overcome and win the victory for all of His people.

Joh 12:31  Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.

Col 2:9-15  For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,  (10)  and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.  (11)  In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,  (12)  having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.  (13)  And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,  (14)  by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.  (15)  He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

(4) Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world

Though we (through Christ) have overcome the evil one it does not mean there are no more battles to be fought. It only means that the outcome has been assured. We have overcome the Tempter but still deal with temptation day by day. Our foe has been vanquished, there is no weight to his accusations because Christ our advocate stands before the righteous judge of all the earth making our case on the basis of His shed blood for our sins.

And though this world, with devils filled,

should threaten to undo us,

we will not fear, for God has willed

his truth to triumph through us.

The prince of darkness grim,

we tremble not for him;

his rage we can endure,

for lo! his doom is sure;

one little word shall fell him.

II. The Power for Overcoming – you are strong. This is in reference not to physical strength but spiritual strength. It isn’t potential it is actual. It literally reads ‘Strong are you’. Strength to overcome Satan is part of the salvation given to every believer. This word not includes the idea of power but also of vigor. The energy of activity which as an older guy hate admitting that in the natural order of things ebbs. Connie and I have spoken several times of the difference in energy levels between the time Bekah was born and Noah. We felt more tired with the waking up at night than we did with Bek.

But the blessing of being in Christ is that our strength is not a natural strength but a supernatural one that does not have to abate with the passing of time. No, as we learn submission, as we relinquish ourselves to the service of God and the authority of His word we open the tap as it were to the source of our strength.

We can be like Caleb.

Jos 14:6-12  Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me.  (7)  I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart.  (8)  But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the LORD my God.  (9)  And Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.’  (10)  And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old.  (11)  I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming.  (12)  So now give me this hill country of which the LORD spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the LORD said.”

Oh that we would all say ‘ Give me this hill country that we may set the banner of Jesus Christ at the top and lay claim of it for the kingdom of God!

III. The Means – The Word of God Abides in You

There is more information today about gaining strength that when I was a kid. You can literally read books upon books and articles upon articles about diet, exercise regime, rest, etc. When I was in high school it was lift and eat. To be honest there were some books beginning to come out. Arnold had really popularized body building but it was nothing compared to the volume of information now.

But the source of our spiritual strength remains the same. The Word of God abides in you. And connects their strength with the fact that "the Word of God abides in you." The source of their strength is not innate but has been imparted to them. "The Word of God" refers not to Christ but rather to the message of God as brought by Him and now embodied in the inspired Scriptures. Strength is imparted as God's Word "abides," is at home, in the mind and will and finds expression in daily conduct.

Now we begin to see the importance of this letter. The gnostics were attacking the veracity of the Word of God as given by the apostles through the inspiration of the Spirit. The very Word of God abiding in believers is the means of supplying spiritual nutrition for spiritual strength needed in this walk of faith.

1Pe 2:2 like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

Heb 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

To abide is to dwell or take residence in. To continue permanently in the same state. For the Word of God to abide in us we must make it a priority for it to be so. How familiar are you with the word of God? Is it your food and drink? We pour hours into various pursuits. What kind of time are we putting in when it comes to the Word of God.

I am not talking about books about the Bible. They are good and have their use but they are other peoples conclusions and opinions, learned as the authors may be. Which brings up a word of warning. Be careful of the cult of personality meaning that because a particular person says something we accept it without doing our due diligence in what they are asserting is correct. Always be a noble minded Berean with any book or sermon you read and hear and approach it with your Bible in your hand.

A proper question is how do I get the Word of God to abide in me. This leads us back to the spiritual discipline of Bible intact that we have spoken often before. The Navigators have a wonderful illustration for Bible intake called the hand: reading, hearing, studying, memorizing, and meditating on the word. The key is consistency. If you haven’t done this get a through the year Bible reading plan. There are many out there: chronological, others are broken down by genre, law, historical, poetry, wisdom, etc. This is a great way to get an overview of the entire Bible and you will see for yourself the unity of the Scriptures. Listening to sermons is a another means of Bible intact, and with technology today you can have the Word read to you will you drive or walk. Sermon audio is a great repository of sermons that you can access. Faithfully being in church listening attentively as your pastor proclaims the Word of God. Every Christian should be studying the Word of God. You do not need a seminary degree or be proficient in Hebrew and Greek to be able to come to right conclusions in studying God’s word. There are word studies, topical studies, inductive studies that help us to understand accurately what the word of God is saying. Let me encourage you to stay away from commentaries until after your study. As you look over the passage many times you will fins that you have begun to memorize it. The psalmist writes:

Psa 119:9  Beth How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

Psa 119:11  I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

There are many plans for memorization. I used the topical memory system by the navigators when I was in college. We would memorize two verses a week. After 52 weeks you would know 104 verses by heart. A friend and I memorized chapters on our commute to work. Whatever method you use memorization is key to having the word abide in your heart.

Meditating on God’s Word means filling our thoughts with it. It is not the emptying of your mind like in eastern meditation. It is the calling to mind Scripture and thinking about it for the purpose of greater understanding of it. We ruminate over it like a cow that chews the cud seeking to draw every last bit of nutrition from it.

Jos 1:8  This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

The verse gives us the reason and purpose for meditating on the Word of God. Psalm 119 uses the word meditate 6x.

There are a ton of excuses as to why we don’t pursue the intake of the Bible. But they are all weak. Do we have our eyes fixed on this life only? The bottom line is we make time to do what we want to do.

May God comfort us in the knowledge that in Chris we have overcome the evil one and may we, on our part, lay hold of the means of grace the God has given us to be strong and have His word abide in us.