Dear Children
Notes
Transcript
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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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.
Introduction
John has been emphasising the need for believers to live out their faith by being totally obedient to the commands of the Lord. He is going to continue in the same vein from v15. What he has and is going to say make proper, but difficult, demands on us.
These three verses, 12-14, are a necessary and encouraging reminder of what is true of every true Christian believer.
What is important to us is that we understand what John means by ‘little children, fathers and young men’. John is not differentiating by age or gender but by Christian experience.
Little (dear) Children - the whole congregation
Fathers - the more experienced members, maybe elders.
Young men - those younger in the faith who faithfully servin 00 g the Lord.
John is not leaving female members out. (misogamist)
26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
Also it would seem that John in stating that he is writing 6 times is emphasising that they must always remember what they are as believers.
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1. First Encouragement v12-13a
1. First Encouragement v12-13a
1 John 2:12–13 (ESV)
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.
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a. Little Children v12
a. Little Children v12
12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.
...a person of any age for whom there is a special relationship of endearment and association
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i. Sins Forgiven
i. Sins Forgiven
In the house of Simon the Pharisee
44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
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The Christian is not a person who is seeking forgiveness, or who is hoping to be forgiven. The Christian is not a person who is uncertain about forgiveness or who prays for it or tries to merit it. No, Christians are people who know that they are forgiven. Martyn LLoyd-Jones
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ii. For His Name’s Sake
ii. For His Name’s Sake
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Christians have certain objective grounds for their assurance of forgiveness of sin. Let me summarise them again. It is ‘for his name’s sake.’ What makes me know my sins are forgiven is that the Lord Jesus Christ is standing there as my representative with God; it is for His sake, for His name’s sake, that I am forgiven. My sin has been dealt with in Him. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
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b. Fathers v13a
b. Fathers v13a
1 John 2:13 (ESV)
13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
John appeals to the fathers, because they have gained spiritual knowledge of and about Jesus Christ. In the course of time, they “have [come to know] him who is from the beginning.” They have an intimate knowledge of God’s revelation in Jesus Christ
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3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
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24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
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c. Young Men v13b
c. Young Men v13b
1 John 2:13 (ESV)
13 I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.
4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
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2. 2nd Encouragement v13b-14
2. 2nd Encouragement v13b-14
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1 John 2:13–14 (ESV)
13 ... 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
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a. Children v13b
a. Children v13b
1 John 2:13 (ESV)
13 I write to you, children, because you know the Father.
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6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
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1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
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This is the blessed knowledge that every Christian must have, a knowledge of God—not God as some great power, not as some great force, not someone who is opposed to us and hates us, imposing these commandments upon us—but God as Father, God who has loved us with an everlasting love, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
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b. Fathers v14
b. Fathers v14
1 John 2:14 (ESV)
14 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
The author repeats what he already has written in the preceding verse (v. 13). The repetition discloses the seriousness of the author’s appeal; that is, the fathers cannot afford to relax the process of their spiritual growth. Kistemaker
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c. Young Men v14
c. Young Men v14
1 John 2:14 (ESV)
14 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.
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i. Strong
i. Strong
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
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ii. The Word of God
ii. The Word of God
7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 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.
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17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
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16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
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15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
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iii. The Evil One
iii. The Evil One
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12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Conclusion
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22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
