WEDNESDAY 15th
1 John 2:12-14
‘I am writing to you’.
I have just extracted from the verses the words ‘I am writing to you’, and then will enlarge in the devotion, firstly who he is writing to and secondly why he has written.
In verses 12 and the second half of verse 13c it is ‘I am writing to you, little children’.
In verses 13a and 14a it is ‘I am writing to you, fathers’.
In verses 13b and 14b it is ‘I am writing to you, young men’.
Three categories of believers, little children, fathers and young men. I am not so much going to concentrate on these three categories, but rather in what he says to them, put together he is expressing what the gospel has achieved, what has happened now they have come out from the darkness of sin and are walking in the light, in truth.
Here is the list:
Your sins are forgiven for his names sake
You know him who is from the beginning
You have overcome the evil one
You know the Father
You are strong and the word of God abides in you
What a difference the gospel makes to a person’s life, whatever the age group or category we might slip ourselves into, we were all sinners, we were all walking in darkness but because Christ was made manifest (1 John 1:2) and carried out his Father’s will in going to Calvary we have been brought into fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
Look again at the list, remembering that John was writing to them, in this devotion I as the pastor at Emmanuel Pentecostal Church use John’s letter and I write to you and will follow each of the statements with the words of a hymn. Be encouraged.
Your sins are forgiven for his names sake. ‘My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought—my sin-not in part-but the whole is nailed to his Cross: and I bear it no more: praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.’
You know him who is from the beginning. ‘Thou art the everlasting Word, the Father’s only Son; God, manifestly seen and heard, and heaven’s beloved one. Worthy, O Lamb of God art thou, that every knee to thee should bow.’
You have overcome the evil one. ‘We never need be vanquished, we never need give in, though waging war with Satan, and compassed round by sin. Temptation will beset us, allurements oft assail, but in the name of Jesus we shall, we must prevail. Victory in Jesus’ name, Victory our hearts proclaim, Victory, glorious victory.’
You know the Father. ‘Father of all, with praise and thanks to you we come, for though our sins had driven us far your love has brought us home.’
‘Father in heaven how we love you, we lift your name in all the earth, may your kingdom be established in our praises, as your people declare your mighty works.’
You are strong and the word of God abides in you. ‘Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed! I, I am thy God and will still give thee aid: I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.’
‘Standing on the promises that cannot fail, when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail by the living word of God I shall prevail, standing on the promises of God.’