I am writing to you, little children, that your sins have been forgiven because of his name.
I am writing to you, fathers, that you have known him who has been from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young people, that you have conquered the evil one.
I have written to you, children, that you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, that you have known him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young people, that you are strong, and the word of God resides in you, and you have conquered the evil one. 1Jn2:12-14
The apostle John writes about spiritual progression in 1 John, chapter 2. All of us come into the Kingdom, like babes, believing the Word which we received with joy, and this begins a journey with God where He begins to build character in us.
The first stage of salvation, is where we respond to the message that Jesus Christ, God's Son, who as John writes is from the beginning, died on a cross, and we have remission for our sins though His blood. These are the children that John refers to in verses 12 and 14. All of us have to come to the realisation that through Jesus Christ all our sins are forgiven, past, present and future.
In chapter 1, John introduces this theme of sin in our lives and contrasts the light of God with spiritual darkness.
This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don't tell the truth. 1Jn1:5-6
Once we walked in darkness but those who have received Jesus now walk in the light, even as Jesus in is the Light. Our past sins are washed away by His blood as far as East is from the west, never to be remembered any more by God. What amazing good news! We, however, live in the now, and until spiritual growth occurs, we can find that we still sin. Our thoughts, motives and actions can still be influenced by darkness as we go through the process of renewing our minds. But the good news is, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us, because of Jesus Christ. And Jesus' blood stills cries out, testifying to the great and final sacrifice that He accomplished on the cross for us. He pleads for us before the Father.
My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. 1Jn2:1-2
This foundational truth of the forgiveness of sins is paramount to our relationship with God. Shame causes us to hide and if we do not believe that we are fully forgiven when we confess our sin to God, we will draw away from Him. I had a conversation with someone who was checking my skin for sun damage and he was very concerned with something on my face that had been previously cut out. He asked me to find out what it was as this type of cancer on the face, and particularly where it was, could be too close to a nerve that could carry the disease to the brain. I said to this doctor that I had nothing to be afraid of, for the worst that could happen to me would be to die and go to heaven. He replied, "I'm not sure." I quizzed him on this as to whether he was concerned on my behalf or his. He replied his because of the things he had done. I told him that the blood of Jesus was more powerful than any sin we could have ever committed. We must remember that Christ died for the sins of the world and He calls the whosoevers to believe and repent. If we do not believe and receive this forgiveness available through Jesus, we will walk around with guilt and fear.
A friend of mIne confessed her sin to me saying that she had asked God for His forgiveness but she still needed to go back get on her knees and keep on repenting. I told her, "don't you dare do that for you are in effect saying that the cross was not enough." This type of wrong thinking also affects our relationship with Father. We must live by the word and not our feelings. The bible is clear that as soon as we confess, we receive forgiveness, for God is faithful and just to forgive us. We do not need to try and make up some sort of penance to help pay for our wrong doings. No, we humbly accept what the cross has done for us with gratitude and joy for the wonderful gift, given by the Saviour and move on with Him, all the more determined to learn from and not repeat our sins for His glory.
This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. 1Jn2:2
John addresses the children again who he has written to, because they know the Father. Spiritual maturity begins with knowledge of the character, grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father and the keeping of His commandments. His unconditional love for us is a fundamental truth that will also affect our relationship with God. When we sin, God is not waiting to send a lightning bolt from heaven to shock us into submission. As a Father, He will lovingly correct us and we are to confess our sins to have His forgiveness. When we know how much He loved us to sacrifice His one and only Son, we respond to His love and obey His commands which shows that we belong to Him. Learning about, and believing we belong to Him, we are His beloved children, gives us security and stability in our walk with Him. Sonship is one of the building blocks towards us acting more like Jesus. We are children of the One and only true Living God, royal princes and princesses. So we progress to the "young" stage.
But whoever keeps his word, God's love has most certainly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him: he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked. 2Jn2:5-6
He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him. 2Jn2:10
As growing youngsters, we begin to get ready to flex our spiritual muscles. We recognise that we are in a spiritual war but that we have the victory through Christ. We begin to walk in the authority of sons and daughters of God, being obedient and loving, which are keys to spiritual warfare. So we walk in the light of His presence and are led by the Holy Spirit. We are living in the Word and wielding it as our spiritual sword against satan, binding and loosing, extending the Kingdom of God on earth. We understand the power in the blood of Jesus and the name that is above all names and we can discern lies that oppose truth.
You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I have not written to you because you don't know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 2Jn2:20-21
As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don't need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him. 2Jn2:27
With zeal we stand firm on the truth and chase after bigger things then what the world can offer us. We learn to stay on the attack so that we don't come under the attack as my favourite preacher Joyce Meyer says. Young ones are confident in their God given authority believing that the anointing that abides in them will work though them to a hurting world. (Just as God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good healing all who were oppressed by the devil for God was with Him. Acts 10:38). They have already made up their minds that God wants to and will use them, even though unworthy, His blood has made us worthy. We are not focused on our inability but His ability, knowing that apart from Him we are nothing, but with Him, guiding and leading, we will see fruit from our lives for His glory.
I am writing to you, fathers, that you have known him who has been from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young people, that you have conquered the evil one.
I have written to you, children, that you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, that you have known him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young people, that you are strong, and the word of God resides in you, and you have conquered the evil one. 1Jn2:12-14
The apostle John writes about spiritual progression in 1 John, chapter 2. All of us come into the Kingdom, like babes, believing the Word which we received with joy, and this begins a journey with God where He begins to build character in us.
The first stage of salvation, is where we respond to the message that Jesus Christ, God's Son, who as John writes is from the beginning, died on a cross, and we have remission for our sins though His blood. These are the children that John refers to in verses 12 and 14. All of us have to come to the realisation that through Jesus Christ all our sins are forgiven, past, present and future.
In chapter 1, John introduces this theme of sin in our lives and contrasts the light of God with spiritual darkness.
This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don't tell the truth. 1Jn1:5-6
Once we walked in darkness but those who have received Jesus now walk in the light, even as Jesus in is the Light. Our past sins are washed away by His blood as far as East is from the west, never to be remembered any more by God. What amazing good news! We, however, live in the now, and until spiritual growth occurs, we can find that we still sin. Our thoughts, motives and actions can still be influenced by darkness as we go through the process of renewing our minds. But the good news is, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us, because of Jesus Christ. And Jesus' blood stills cries out, testifying to the great and final sacrifice that He accomplished on the cross for us. He pleads for us before the Father.
My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. 1Jn2:1-2
This foundational truth of the forgiveness of sins is paramount to our relationship with God. Shame causes us to hide and if we do not believe that we are fully forgiven when we confess our sin to God, we will draw away from Him. I had a conversation with someone who was checking my skin for sun damage and he was very concerned with something on my face that had been previously cut out. He asked me to find out what it was as this type of cancer on the face, and particularly where it was, could be too close to a nerve that could carry the disease to the brain. I said to this doctor that I had nothing to be afraid of, for the worst that could happen to me would be to die and go to heaven. He replied, "I'm not sure." I quizzed him on this as to whether he was concerned on my behalf or his. He replied his because of the things he had done. I told him that the blood of Jesus was more powerful than any sin we could have ever committed. We must remember that Christ died for the sins of the world and He calls the whosoevers to believe and repent. If we do not believe and receive this forgiveness available through Jesus, we will walk around with guilt and fear.
A friend of mIne confessed her sin to me saying that she had asked God for His forgiveness but she still needed to go back get on her knees and keep on repenting. I told her, "don't you dare do that for you are in effect saying that the cross was not enough." This type of wrong thinking also affects our relationship with Father. We must live by the word and not our feelings. The bible is clear that as soon as we confess, we receive forgiveness, for God is faithful and just to forgive us. We do not need to try and make up some sort of penance to help pay for our wrong doings. No, we humbly accept what the cross has done for us with gratitude and joy for the wonderful gift, given by the Saviour and move on with Him, all the more determined to learn from and not repeat our sins for His glory.
This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. 1Jn2:2
John addresses the children again who he has written to, because they know the Father. Spiritual maturity begins with knowledge of the character, grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father and the keeping of His commandments. His unconditional love for us is a fundamental truth that will also affect our relationship with God. When we sin, God is not waiting to send a lightning bolt from heaven to shock us into submission. As a Father, He will lovingly correct us and we are to confess our sins to have His forgiveness. When we know how much He loved us to sacrifice His one and only Son, we respond to His love and obey His commands which shows that we belong to Him. Learning about, and believing we belong to Him, we are His beloved children, gives us security and stability in our walk with Him. Sonship is one of the building blocks towards us acting more like Jesus. We are children of the One and only true Living God, royal princes and princesses. So we progress to the "young" stage.
But whoever keeps his word, God's love has most certainly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him: he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked. 2Jn2:5-6
He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him. 2Jn2:10
As growing youngsters, we begin to get ready to flex our spiritual muscles. We recognise that we are in a spiritual war but that we have the victory through Christ. We begin to walk in the authority of sons and daughters of God, being obedient and loving, which are keys to spiritual warfare. So we walk in the light of His presence and are led by the Holy Spirit. We are living in the Word and wielding it as our spiritual sword against satan, binding and loosing, extending the Kingdom of God on earth. We understand the power in the blood of Jesus and the name that is above all names and we can discern lies that oppose truth.
You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I have not written to you because you don't know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 2Jn2:20-21
As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don't need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him. 2Jn2:27
With zeal we stand firm on the truth and chase after bigger things then what the world can offer us. We learn to stay on the attack so that we don't come under the attack as my favourite preacher Joyce Meyer says. Young ones are confident in their God given authority believing that the anointing that abides in them will work though them to a hurting world. (Just as God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good healing all who were oppressed by the devil for God was with Him. Acts 10:38). They have already made up their minds that God wants to and will use them, even though unworthy, His blood has made us worthy. We are not focused on our inability but His ability, knowing that apart from Him we are nothing, but with Him, guiding and leading, we will see fruit from our lives for His glory.
