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A STUDY OF 1 JOHN (15)
John Describes His Readers
1 John 2:12-14
Victor M. Eskew
The situation which John was confronting in his first epistle was of utmost importance. John wasted no time immediately confronting the false teaching that was being foisted upon Christians that John knew and loved. There was no salutation to open the letter. John did not name himself as the author. John did not name those to whom he was writing. He desperately wanted his readers to maintain their fellowship with the Father and Son. In so doing, they would maintain their fellowship with him.
When we get to 1 John 2:12-14, we finally get a glimpse of John’s readers. In these three verses, the apostle describes them in several different ways unto us. His description lets us know that he knew these Christians well. Too, it appears that he had known them for quite some time. Some individuals believe that this section of Scripture contains too much repetition to be part of the original text. In reality, there are only two statements that are repetitive. In one of these, John expands his first thought when he repeats it the second time. It is not uncommon for a writer to repeat himself. John knows the brethren well. If he repeats himself, it is because that trait he sets forth was deeply appreciated by the apostle.
John addresses three groups of people in three verses,: “little children,” “young men,” and “fathers.” The words “little children” could be translated infants. John, however, is not addressing small children. He writes to people who can read and understand his words. When he describes these little children he notes that their sins had been forgiven them. Infants and small children do not have sin. John uses the words “little children” to affirm his relationship with them. He is an older man at this point in his life. He may have been responsible for the conversion of many of these Christians. He viewed himself as their father. To him, they were his little children. This group of individuals was composed of both men and women who had obeyed the gospel. A second category of individuals John refers to as “young men.” Most congregations of the Lord’s people have a group of men who are young and energetic. These men carry the weight of the responsibilities within the local congregation. These are the ones who can be counted on when things need to be done. The third category of people addressed by John are called “fathers.” John does not use this word as a religious title to be worn (See Matt. 24:9). These are simply the older men of the congregation. They have been Christians for quite some time. Some of them may have been elders. They were the wise and experienced members of the church.
The first readers John addresses are the “little children.” He said that he wrote unto them “because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake” (1 John 2:12). The church is the family of God. In order to get into this family, individuals must be “born again” (John 3:3, 5). This born again process involves the forgiveness of one’s sins. On the day of Pentecost, Peter told those who inquired about what they needed to do to be saved the following: “…Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). Those who gladly received his word were baptized (Acts 2:41). These individuals came forth from the watery grave of baptism new creatures in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 3:27). They arose from baptism to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-4). They became children of God. God forgave their sins for His name’s sake. Long ago, He had promised to bless all the families of the earth through Jesus Christ. God is always faithful and true to his promises.
John addresses the “little children” again at the close of verse 13. He tells them: “I write unto you, because ye have known the Father.” They had known the Father because they were obedient unto His commands. Remember, John had addressed this point previously in this letter. “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3). John’s readers did not need some special knowledge to know God. They came to know Him when they trusted and obeyed His Word.
The second group John appealed to was “the fathers.” Both times he addresses them, he writes the same statement. “I write unto you, fathers, because ye have know him that is from the beginning” (1 John 2:12, 14). The words “him that is from the beginning” are important. The Gnostics did not worship Him that was from the beginning. The God who was all spirit was too pure in their eyes to have created and interacted with fleshly man. John knew that thinking was false. He knew his readers had known the one, true and living God. It was He, and not some emanation, that had created the heavens and earth and all that in them is. John’s readers knew “him that is from the beginning.”
The third group John writes to are the “young men.” He tells them: “I write unto you, young man, because ye have overcome the wicked one.” When these young men obeyed the gospel, they ceased being servants of sin and became the servants of righteousness (Rom. 6:17-18). They because victorious over the devil in so doing. Too, they lived their lives in such a way that they were overcomers every day. John reveals how they did this in 1 John 2:14. “I have written unto you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.” These young men did not forsake the truth. They fed upon the Word and were made strong. This strength enabled them to stand against the wiles of the devil. They, like Jesus, opposed him by saying: “It is written” Matt. 4:4, 7, 10).
John knows his readers well, He has a close relationship with them. He loves them. He is concerned about them. He does not want them to be led astray by the antichrists who have come among them. Thus, he wrote to them. Six times in these three verses John writes either: “I write unto you because,” or, “I have written unto you because.” This is an apostle who knows the blessings his readers have in Christ. He wants them to remain in the truth so they can continue their fellowship with God. To cease to know God involves being cast out of fellowship with him. Those who are not in fellowship with Him are in darkness. Those who are in darkness will be lost on the last day.