Daily Thoughts from 1 John: Stage of Life (2:12-14)

Daily Thoughts from 1 John: Stage of Life

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.  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.  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.  (1 John 2:12-14 ESV)

John seems to switch into a more poetic mode at this point, as reflected in the ESV.  There are two stanzas, so to speak, with an address in each to three categories, using the present tense (“I am writing”) in the first stanza and in the second stanza the aorist tense (a Greek tense that conveys the action as a singular point rather than a continuing action, hence “I write” or “I wrote”).  John loves repetition and altering what he repeats in slight ways, so we shouldn’t look for a big distinction in the use of tenses here.  But what is he getting at overall?

The ESV Study Bible gives the two main interpretations:

“Some view (little) children, fathers, and young men as symbolizing the stages of spiritual maturity in a Christian’s life. Others think “little children” refers to all of John’s readers (cf. note on v. 1), while “fathers” refers to older believers and “young men” to those newer in the faith.”

In favor of the first is that he mentions three stages of life, childhood, young adult and mature adult.  But he mentions them out of order, which could suggest the second view.  In either case what he writes is an assurance that he believes his readers are true believers who have a saving relationship with God.

Knowing that our sins are forgiven is an incredible assurance and is, perhaps, the very first thing we focus on as new believers.  We now know the Father, we are in His family, never to be forsaken.  On the other end of the spectrum of age, though we never stop rejoicing in forgiveness nor doing battle with the enemy, there is a settled and intimate relationship with the Creator.  In the middle is the warrior focus on gaining strength from God’s word and overcoming the evil one in battle as we live out the loving life of Jesus Christ.

Which stage are you in?  Do you value every stage?  I’m thankful that God has a place for each of us at whatever stage we’re in.