The book of First John

A Verse by Verse Study
Text 1st John 2:12 – 17

 

A. We now come to spiritual growth.

     1. We have learned the first step to maturity or Christian Growth is love.

          a. If loving our brethren is not there then the rest is useless.

          b. V. 11 “But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.”

          c. V 10 “Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.”

     2. We will see four points of Christian growth in this passage of scripture.

           a. V. 12 “I write unto you, little children,” this is from the Greek word Teknion or tek-nee'-on it means an infant or new born baby.

          b. V. 13 “I write unto you, fathers,” This word means a parent figure like an older wiser one.

          c. V. 13 “I write unto you, young men,” This word means a youth (under forty)

          d. V. 13 “I write unto you, little children,” This Greek word is paidion - pahee-dee'-on  which is defined as a childling or an immature Christian. I would classify it as between an infant and a young man.

           e. All four of these classes have nothing to do with earthly age but rather Spiritual age.

     3. Now John classifies it all.

          a. V. 12  “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.” This means they are the very youngest Christians and knows nothing except how they were saved.

          b. V. 13 “I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.” These know the Father and some about His grace and mercy and workings but not much else.

          c. V. 13 “I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one.” These have step up another notch, they know Christ and the Father but also know much more. They know how to be soldiers for the Lord; they are battlers for the Lord and the church. Satan is their largest enemy and they understand what they fight for and how to battle the evil one. V. 14 “I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”

          d. V. 13 “I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning.” This parent figure is older in the Lord; they are not as much warriors because they have fought the good fight. These are the ones who give support to the younger to mature and step up from one are to the other. They are like unto generals in the army.

     4. While the Lord ranks us from infants, to teen, to middle age, to adult this growth is all about maturity not on age.

          a. Example one could be saved for 40 years and still be in the second class.

          b. The different stages of maturity come because we have worked to earn the next step.

 

B. The Lord now explains about maturity.

     1. V. 15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.”  What does God mean by world?

          a. The word world means orderly arrangement. This world is not ours to enjoy. This has to be one of the utmost things we must learn. We do not fight for this world, we fight for the Lord and the world to come.

          b. Notice “neither the things that are in the world.” None of it is eternal; therefore it is not worth losing spiritual blessings over.

          c. Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

          d. Matthew 16:26 “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

           e. Galatians 4:3 “Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:”

     2. V. 15 “If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

           a. What the Lord is saying is this world hates God so how can we love a God hating world and love God too.

          b. James 4:4 “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

          c. Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

          d. Galatians 1:10 “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

     3. V. 16 “For all that is in the world,” The world system is anti-God and it is designed to be anti-God.

           a. “the lust of the flesh,” We are no more fleshly but spiritual, Ephesians 4:31 “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:”

          b. “and the lust of the eyes,” that is great things of this world, cars, homes, money, drinking, adultery, and ECT.

          c. “and the pride of life,” that would be like doctors, lawyers, judges, President, and ECT.

          d. “is not of the Father, but is of the world.” These are earthly things, spiritual things Are like teachers, pastors, workers, witnesses, and ECT.

 

     4. One day this world will be gone and all that it has accomplished. “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:” V. 17

     5. However, the things of the Lord will eternally remain. “but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

          a. Matthew 7:24 “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:”