I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake assures little children that their sins are forgiven for Christ's name's sake through Christ as the righteous Advocate and propitiation, given with the call not to sin and the promise of His advocacy when they do sin. Little children does not mean children in years but children in experience, numbering those obedient to His commandments with the family of God as God's property, and meaning believers as God's little children including those newly come to the faith and youth and children as newborn children of God. They are distinct from fathers, who have known Him from the beginning, and from young men, who have overcome the wicked one because they are strong and the word of God abides in them, and who have also known the Father. Knowing God is shown by keeping His commandments, and keeping His word perfects the love of God and proves abiding in Him by walking even as Christ walked, so abiding in the light means loving the brother without occasion of stumbling while hating the brother is remaining in blinding darkness. Sins are forgiven and souls cleansed by confession and repentance in confessing and forsaking sin, which must be personally known and struggled for without giving up until assurance is reached, and forgiveness does not permit continuing in sin but calls the forgiven to keep God's commandments and reject the world and its lusts.
Recipients and Forgiveness Promised
The promise is written to little children that their sins are forgiven for His name's sake, and that forgiveness rests on Christ as the righteous Advocate and propitiation for sin. It stands alongside the call not to sin and the pledge that when they do sin they have Jesus Christ as Advocate with the Father. It belongs to an encouragement to believers whose surrounding lines speak of knowing God and overcoming the wicked one, calling them to keep God's commandments and to walk even as Christ walked, so it does not leave them free to continue in sin.
Little children are addressed as distinct from fathers, because fathers have known Him from the beginning, and as distinct from young men, because young men have overcome the wicked one. Young men overcome because they are strong and the word of God abides in them, and they too have known the Father. Their overcoming is the overcoming of the folly and wickedness prevailing in the world, and God will watch over them and give them strength for this grand work if they put on every piece of the armor and stand ready to resist the tempter when he seeks to lead them astray. They strive for heaven, for a life that measures with the life of God, with eyes fixed on the author and finisher of faith, and this strength requires constant study of the Bible instead of spending time on magazines and novels, in order to meet and overcome many temptations, to proclaim a great truth, and to stand worthy of being trusted with sacred responsibilities. Little children who are forgiven and who have known the Father are set within the same call to walk even as He walked in pity, tenderness, and compassion, to keep His commandments, to love the brother and abide in the light without occasion of stumbling, to be strong through God's word abiding in them and overcome the wicked one, to reject the world and its lusts, and to stand firm in the last time.
The name little children does not mean children in years but children in experience. It is written to those obedient to His commandments, and it numbers them with the family of God in heaven as God's property, whose sins are forgiven.
The name also identifies believers as God's little children, including those newly come to the faith. All who are forgiven for Christ's sake are little children who must keep working and learning to live useful, helpful lives without asserting authority to rule or control another person's mind, because every person is accountable to the One who gave His life for the world. His whole work was compassion for perishing souls and His life is the example of what His followers must be in practical life, so position does not qualify anyone to devise and plan for others or to set himself up over them. Forgiveness is a precious treasure of truth and grace to those who believe, so new believers in the army of the Lord have a right to ardent faith and joy in the Lord, to joy in the God of their salvation, and to hearts aglow with the love of God. To keep their first love fresh and strong they must give to others not in the faith the knowledge they have received, trading on the Lord's goods at home, in the neighborhood, and in the church. Youth and children are addressed as little children whose sins are forgiven for His name's sake, and they must be taught consecration and the full use of their powers for God. The newborn child of God in first love is a sweet fragrance to God, and their simple testimonies, cheerful service, and grateful thanks are acceptable to Him, while their growth shows decided advancement toward the freedom and liberty of the children of God.
The chapter gives practical instruction for living in trustful dependence on God rather than following human judgment. Chapter 2 is to be read with 1 John 1:1-10 for walking in the knowledge of the truth and partaking of the divine nature, for true understanding of what Jesus presents in His teachings, and for obtaining the genuine experience of walking humbly with God.
Obedience, Love, and Victory
Knowing God is shown by keeping His commandments, and keeping His word perfects the love of God in the keeper and proves abiding in Him. Abiding in Him requires walking even as Christ walked, in pity and tenderness and compassion. The old commandment heard from the beginning is made new because the darkness is past and the true light now shines. Abiding in that light means loving the brother, and in such love there is no occasion of stumbling.
Hating the brother is remaining in darkness and walking in blinding darkness. The love that abides in the light loves God supremely and the neighbor as self, without compromising with sin. Hatred proves that darkness still blinds the eyes, because the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness have never shone into the heart and into the chambers of the mind.
Forgiveness for Christ's name's sake rests on Christ as the righteous Advocate and propitiation for sin, and it does not permit continuing in sin. It places the forgiven under the call to keep God's commandments and walk as Christ walked. It calls them to reject the world and its lusts and to stand firm in the last time.
Overcoming the wicked one means overcoming the folly and wickedness prevailing in the world. God will watch over those engaged in this grand work and give them strength if they put on every piece of the armor and stand ready to resist the tempter when he seeks to lead them astray. They strive for heaven, for a life that measures with the life of God, with eyes fixed on the author and finisher of faith. Their strength to overcome is that they are strong because the word of God abides in them, which requires constant study of the Bible instead of spending time on magazines and novels. In this way they meet and overcome many temptations, proclaim a great truth, and stand worthy of being trusted with sacred responsibilities.
All who are forgiven are little children who must keep working and learning to live useful, helpful lives. They must not assert authority to rule or control another person's mind, for every person is accountable to the One who gave His life for the world. Christ's whole work was compassion for perishing souls, and His life is the example of what His followers must be in practical life. Position does not qualify anyone to devise and plan for others or to set himself up over them.
Assurance and Daily Experience
Sins are forgiven and souls are cleansed from sin by confession and repentance. Each soul must confess and forsake his own sins, do diligent work for repentance, criticize self instead of exalting self and disparaging others, and set the heart in order. This work is urgent because of living in the great day of atonement, with souls in peril and not a moment to lose to be ready for the Lord's appearing.
Forgiveness because of Christ must be personally known and struggled for without giving up until assurance is reached. That means breaking with Satan, returning to first love, submitting to God, dying to self, confessing wrongs done, and making a radical change through the grace of Christ with thorough repentance. Continuing to choose self-will and doing despite to the Spirit of grace leaves the soul deceived by the enemy in peril of being lost. Confession puts a barrier behind so Satan cannot gain access so easily again to lead over the same path of error to wound and bruise the soul, destroy influence, and wound the cause of God.
Forgiveness is a precious treasure of truth and grace for those who believe. New believers in the army of the Lord have a right to ardent faith and joy in the Lord, to joy in the God of their salvation, and to have hearts aglow with the love of God. To keep their first love fresh and strong they must give to others not in the faith the knowledge they have received, trading on the Lord's goods at home, in the neighborhood, and in the church. Youth and children addressed as little children must be taught consecration and the full use of their powers for God. The newborn child of God in first love is a sweet fragrance to God, and their simple testimonies, cheerful service, and grateful thanks are acceptable to Him, and their growth shows decided advancement toward the freedom and liberty of the children of God.
I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake assures little children that their sins are forgiven for Christ's name's sake through Christ as the righteous Advocate and propitiation, given with the call not to sin and the promise of His advocacy when they do sin. Little children does not mean children in years but children in experience, numbering those obedient to His commandments with the family of God as God's property, and meaning believers as God's little children including those newly come to the faith and youth and children as newborn children of God. They are distinct from fathers, who have known Him from the beginning, and from young men, who have overcome the wicked one because they are strong and the word of God abides in them, and who have also known the Father. Knowing God is shown by keeping His commandments, and keeping His word perfects the love of God and proves abiding in Him by walking even as Christ walked, so abiding in the light means loving the brother without occasion of stumbling while hating the brother is remaining in blinding darkness. Sins are forgiven and souls cleansed by confession and repentance in confessing and forsaking sin, which must be personally known and struggled for without giving up until assurance is reached, and forgiveness does not permit continuing in sin but calls the forgiven to keep God's commandments and reject the world and its lusts.
Recipients and Forgiveness Promised
The promise is written to little children that their sins are forgiven for His name's sake, and that forgiveness rests on Christ as the righteous Advocate and propitiation for sin. It stands alongside the call not to sin and the pledge that when they do sin they have Jesus Christ as Advocate with the Father. It belongs to an encouragement to believers whose surrounding lines speak of knowing God and overcoming the wicked one, calling them to keep God's commandments and to walk even as Christ walked, so it does not leave them free to continue in sin.
Little children are addressed as distinct from fathers, because fathers have known Him from the beginning, and as distinct from young men, because young men have overcome the wicked one. Young men overcome because they are strong and the word of God abides in them, and they too have known the Father. Their overcoming is the overcoming of the folly and wickedness prevailing in the world, and God will watch over them and give them strength for this grand work if they put on every piece of the armor and stand ready to resist the tempter when he seeks to lead them astray. They strive for heaven, for a life that measures with the life of God, with eyes fixed on the author and finisher of faith, and this strength requires constant study of the Bible instead of spending time on magazines and novels, in order to meet and overcome many temptations, to proclaim a great truth, and to stand worthy of being trusted with sacred responsibilities. Little children who are forgiven and who have known the Father are set within the same call to walk even as He walked in pity, tenderness, and compassion, to keep His commandments, to love the brother and abide in the light without occasion of stumbling, to be strong through God's word abiding in them and overcome the wicked one, to reject the world and its lusts, and to stand firm in the last time.
The name little children does not mean children in years but children in experience. It is written to those obedient to His commandments, and it numbers them with the family of God in heaven as God's property, whose sins are forgiven.
The name also identifies believers as God's little children, including those newly come to the faith. All who are forgiven for Christ's sake are little children who must keep working and learning to live useful, helpful lives without asserting authority to rule or control another person's mind, because every person is accountable to the One who gave His life for the world. His whole work was compassion for perishing souls and His life is the example of what His followers must be in practical life, so position does not qualify anyone to devise and plan for others or to set himself up over them. Forgiveness is a precious treasure of truth and grace to those who believe, so new believers in the army of the Lord have a right to ardent faith and joy in the Lord, to joy in the God of their salvation, and to hearts aglow with the love of God. To keep their first love fresh and strong they must give to others not in the faith the knowledge they have received, trading on the Lord's goods at home, in the neighborhood, and in the church. Youth and children are addressed as little children whose sins are forgiven for His name's sake, and they must be taught consecration and the full use of their powers for God. The newborn child of God in first love is a sweet fragrance to God, and their simple testimonies, cheerful service, and grateful thanks are acceptable to Him, while their growth shows decided advancement toward the freedom and liberty of the children of God.
The chapter gives practical instruction for living in trustful dependence on God rather than following human judgment. Chapter 2 is to be read with 1 John 1:1-10 for walking in the knowledge of the truth and partaking of the divine nature, for true understanding of what Jesus presents in His teachings, and for obtaining the genuine experience of walking humbly with God.
Obedience, Love, and Victory
Knowing God is shown by keeping His commandments, and keeping His word perfects the love of God in the keeper and proves abiding in Him. Abiding in Him requires walking even as Christ walked, in pity and tenderness and compassion. The old commandment heard from the beginning is made new because the darkness is past and the true light now shines. Abiding in that light means loving the brother, and in such love there is no occasion of stumbling.
Hating the brother is remaining in darkness and walking in blinding darkness. The love that abides in the light loves God supremely and the neighbor as self, without compromising with sin. Hatred proves that darkness still blinds the eyes, because the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness have never shone into the heart and into the chambers of the mind.
Forgiveness for Christ's name's sake rests on Christ as the righteous Advocate and propitiation for sin, and it does not permit continuing in sin. It places the forgiven under the call to keep God's commandments and walk as Christ walked. It calls them to reject the world and its lusts and to stand firm in the last time.
Overcoming the wicked one means overcoming the folly and wickedness prevailing in the world. God will watch over those engaged in this grand work and give them strength if they put on every piece of the armor and stand ready to resist the tempter when he seeks to lead them astray. They strive for heaven, for a life that measures with the life of God, with eyes fixed on the author and finisher of faith. Their strength to overcome is that they are strong because the word of God abides in them, which requires constant study of the Bible instead of spending time on magazines and novels. In this way they meet and overcome many temptations, proclaim a great truth, and stand worthy of being trusted with sacred responsibilities.
All who are forgiven are little children who must keep working and learning to live useful, helpful lives. They must not assert authority to rule or control another person's mind, for every person is accountable to the One who gave His life for the world. Christ's whole work was compassion for perishing souls, and His life is the example of what His followers must be in practical life. Position does not qualify anyone to devise and plan for others or to set himself up over them.
Assurance and Daily Experience
Sins are forgiven and souls are cleansed from sin by confession and repentance. Each soul must confess and forsake his own sins, do diligent work for repentance, criticize self instead of exalting self and disparaging others, and set the heart in order. This work is urgent because of living in the great day of atonement, with souls in peril and not a moment to lose to be ready for the Lord's appearing.
Forgiveness because of Christ must be personally known and struggled for without giving up until assurance is reached. That means breaking with Satan, returning to first love, submitting to God, dying to self, confessing wrongs done, and making a radical change through the grace of Christ with thorough repentance. Continuing to choose self-will and doing despite to the Spirit of grace leaves the soul deceived by the enemy in peril of being lost. Confession puts a barrier behind so Satan cannot gain access so easily again to lead over the same path of error to wound and bruise the soul, destroy influence, and wound the cause of God.
Forgiveness is a precious treasure of truth and grace for those who believe. New believers in the army of the Lord have a right to ardent faith and joy in the Lord, to joy in the God of their salvation, and to have hearts aglow with the love of God. To keep their first love fresh and strong they must give to others not in the faith the knowledge they have received, trading on the Lord's goods at home, in the neighborhood, and in the church. Youth and children addressed as little children must be taught consecration and the full use of their powers for God. The newborn child of God in first love is a sweet fragrance to God, and their simple testimonies, cheerful service, and grateful thanks are acceptable to Him, and their growth shows decided advancement toward the freedom and liberty of the children of God.