The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 John 2:12-17, “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake.
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.
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 abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”

The Apostle John was quite elderly when he wrote this first of three epistles. Don’t mistake “elderly,” however, to mean senility. John was well equipped both mentally and spiritually to address any church of the LORD Jesus Christ. Many, if not most, Christian Churches submitted to some creeping paralysis of doctrinal error soon after their founding. Converts from Judaism and paganism impregnated the early churches; thus, John is here addressing relevant issues those churches then faced.

John severely denounced the teachings that denied the humanity of Christ Jesus (4:2-3). The Gnostics (“knowing ones”) avowed that they alone possessed the “true knowledge,” and looked down upon those who embraced the faith of the Apostles of Christ. John, on the other hand, allowed that Christians possessed knowledge from spiritual revelation. He uses the word “know” some 32 times in this epistle alone. John emphasizes Love, Sin and the New Birth. These obviously derive only from the LORD!

This prompts John to write of the Joyful Life (1:1-10), of the Victorious Life (2:1-17), the Guarded Life (2:18-4:6), and the Life of Knowledge (4:7-5:21) –each of which comes from the spiritual life of the Father and is dispensed freely to those, who through faith, become His children. Have you exercised faith in Jesus Christ? If not, please read this First epistle of the Apostle John. He is the same person who wrote the Gospel of John. Just trust the LORD Jesus Christ. He is the Savior of many and worthy to be trusted. That’s how I came to know Him. How about you?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom