The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 1 John 2:12-14,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
I write to you, dear children,
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
I write to you, fathers,
because you have known him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, dear children,
because you have known the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you have known him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
Here, cast in a poetic rhythm of thought, John gives his readers a set of two triplets of encouragement. “Dear children”, “fathers” and “young men” are thought by many commentators to address believers of either gender, the “fathers” and “young men” being a distinction between the spiritually mature and newer believers, the “dear children” referencing the fellowship as a whole.
The important aspect of this passage for me is that, as these false teachers were attempting to draw followers after themselves from within the ranks of the fellowship of believers, John encourages them with the reality that they have no need of anything anyone else might have to offer. Just look at what John tells them:
“Your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.”
“You have known him who is from the beginning.”
“You have overcome the evil one.”
“You have known the Father.”
“You are strong.”
“The word of God lives in you.”
What “special knowledge” might these false teachers have that any believer would need, who already possesses these wonderful things John mentions? So it is with us today!
Just look at what our loving heavenly Provider has bestowed on us!
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
I write to you, fathers,
because you have known him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, dear children,
because you have known the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you have known him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
Here, cast in a poetic rhythm of thought, John gives his readers a set of two triplets of encouragement. “Dear children”, “fathers” and “young men” are thought by many commentators to address believers of either gender, the “fathers” and “young men” being a distinction between the spiritually mature and newer believers, the “dear children” referencing the fellowship as a whole.
The important aspect of this passage for me is that, as these false teachers were attempting to draw followers after themselves from within the ranks of the fellowship of believers, John encourages them with the reality that they have no need of anything anyone else might have to offer. Just look at what John tells them:
“Your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.”
“You have known him who is from the beginning.”
“You have overcome the evil one.”
“You have known the Father.”
“You are strong.”
“The word of God lives in you.”
What “special knowledge” might these false teachers have that any believer would need, who already possesses these wonderful things John mentions? So it is with us today!
Just look at what our loving heavenly Provider has bestowed on us!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment