Lesson for June 12, 2024

Book of I John

I John 2: 12-15

Verse 12

^“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you on account of His name.”

John wrote to these believers as a father to his children. Perhaps John had personally led some of these believers to faith in Christ, and for others he had become their spiritual father as a pastor and an apostle. “Little children” is a term of affection. This same Greek word was used by Christ to His twelve disciples, just before His death. John was reminding these believers that they were secure in their relationship with Christ. This would become important as John continued to warn against the false teachings of the Gnostics, warned against Satan’s world system, and encouraged these believers to live within God’s power system.

Jesus Christ has been given a name by God, that is above all names. His name entails the Hypostatic Union, the Virgin Birth, His sinless life, His substitutionary spiritual death, His physical death, the Resurrection, the Ascension and the Session. In the future, every knee will bow to Him because of what His name encompasses. Everyone will eventually acknowledge Christ as God. (Philippians 2:5-11; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:13-14)

Verse 13

^“I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.”

The word for fathers in Greek is “pater” and refers to those (male or female) who had known Jesus Christ for a long period of time. The One Who they knew was the Eternal Son of God (Him), co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for beginning is “arche,” and is better translated “a beginning which was not a beginning.” (John 1:1-3)

I am writing to you, young men. John was probably speaking of those in the congregation who were young spiritually (male or female). Perhaps these were those who were “second generation” believers, having trusted Christ a relatively short time ago, compared to the “fathers.” Young is the Greek word “neaniskos,” and means a youth. 

Overcome is the Greek word “nikao,” and means to prevail. How had these believers overcome? They had overcome by their faith in Christ. (I John 5:4-5; Revelation 12:11) No believer has the power to overcome Satan (the evil one) apart from the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. The evil one is “poneros,” which was obviously a reference to Satan.

I have written to you, children. John now used a new word for children, which is the Greek word “paidion.” This word means a very young, immature child. Metaphorically, John was referring to immature Christians (male or female) who were “babes in Christ.” This was not to be construed as a negative term, but as a reality within the local churches. By using this word, John had now addressed everyone in the church (the spiritually mature, the maturing, and the immature). 

Because you know the Father. They had come to know God the Father as a result of their faith in Christ. Know is the Greek word “ginosko,” meaning academic knowledge. This word in no way implies that these immature believers had come to know all about God, which would be the Greek word “epignosis,” meaning full knowledge.

Verse 14

^“I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”

Anytime a phrase or concept is repeated in a passage, it is done so by the writer (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) for emphasis. Such is the case in this verse. John was emphasizing to the spiritually mature believers (fathers) that they knew Jesus Christ in an intimate way. This reassurance of their relationship would be important when John began the next verse.

Interestingly, John adds two phrases to verse 14: “because you are strong” and “the word of God remains in you.” It seems clear that John was referring to those who were growing strong through the teaching of Bible doctrine. This doctrine gave these maturing believers the ability to overcome Satan and his world system. Notice that John did not tell them that they had overcome Satan by their own strength. They had overcome Satan because they were strong, which was a reference to spiritual strength, not human strength (physical or mental). They had become strong through the Word of God (Bible doctrine), which was circulating in their souls.

The Greek word for strong is “ischuros” and means powerful or mighty. It is used here, and in I Corinthians 4:10, metaphorically, for spiritual strength. Remains is the Greek word “meno” and means to dwell, to tarry, to continue, to abide, or to stand. All of these meanings help us understand that John was saying that God’s Word continued to reside in their souls. The result was overcoming Satan, experientially.

Verse 15

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world.”

We immediately see why John had previously given these believers plenty of assurance of their salvation and reminded them that Jesus Christ had forgiven them. When a person believes in Christ for eternal salvation, they are not immediately taken to Heaven. They must continue to live in a world that is no longer their “home.” As a citizen of Heaven and a member of the Royal Family of God, a believer is going to face a spiritual battle. At times a believer will fail through committing personal sin, and it is at this moment that they must remember their relationship with Christ and Rebound. Recall and application of doctrine is the key to not loving the world system or the things that are in it.

World in Greek is “kosmos,” a system. Things is the Greek word “pragma,” and means that which is being done or the matters of a certain thing. In this case, the things can be thoughts, attitudes, or actions that align with Satan’s world system. By loving the matters of the world system, a believer is saying they love the things of Satan’s world system.