Day 501: Progressing in the faith - I John 2 vs 7 - 14

7-8 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.  At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.  9-11 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in in the light there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

12-13 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. 14 I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. 1 John 2:7-14 English Standard Version

It's hard to think that the writer of this letter was the same man we read of in Luke's gospel many years earlier. Luke tells us that when Jesus ‘set His face to go to Jerusalem’, He sent messengers ahead to a village of the Samaritans to make preparations for Him. But the people didn't receive Him because His face was set towards Jerusalem. “When His disciples James and John saw it, they said, 'Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?' But Jesus turned and rebuked them.” (Luke 9:54-55) Now, in vs 1 of this Chapter John tenderly referred to his readers as 'my little children', and in vs 7 of today's reading he calls them 'beloved'. What do you think had changed in John? (vs 9-11)

John has moved out of the darkness that hatred brings - and into the light that love brings. But it's not not the ‘feelings’ type of love in the movies and pop songs. He speaks in vs 7-8 of an old commandment and a new commandment. What do you think that could refer to?

I suspect he had Jesus’ words in mind when He said to His first disciples: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35) Jesus is called ‘the light of the world’ in the gospel, and it's His amazing love for us that brings light to our souls. That's the sort of love Christians are called to show to one another. If anyone says they are a Christian, but doesn't love as Jesus calls us to love, John says they are still living in darkness. John had obviously grown tremendously in understanding how Jesus wanted him to live. Perhaps that’s what vs 12-14 are all about.

John speaks there of 'little children', 'fathers' and 'young men', and says certain things of them. The verses made me wonder if John had in mind the progression that should take place in our faith as followers of Christ. The little children could refer to those who were new and still young in the faith. Their great joy was knowing that their sins were forgiven and they had come to know the Father. It's where all Christians start the journey. Those who he calls 'fathers', who 'knew him who is from the beginning', probably refers to people who'd become Christians soon after Jesus returned to heaven. Some of them may've even heard Jesus preach in His lifetime. For them the journey might be almost over.

The ‘young men’ then would refer to Christians who were now well into the journey. They were strong, the word of God was abiding in them, and they had overcome the evil one. They had met up with the temptations and trials that come along the journey – but had stood firm in their faith. Now whether I've understood John correctly here or not, it is true that we need to make progress in our faith and in our walk with the Lord. And that progress comes from walking in the love He calls us to show.