Growing in the LIGHT  

• 1^st – Growing up… vs. 12-14
  • Do NOT be immature…
    • In the LIGHT…
      • Having stated God is LIGHT – and in Him is NO darkness at all – I John 1:5 – John 8:12
      • If we are in His LIGHT – our SINS will be revealed – so they can be FORGIVEN – I John 1:9
      • And having given us the THREE tests to PROVE we are in the LIGHT…
      • John is now going to focus on the importance of GROWING in the LIGHT!
    • Growing in the LIGHT…
      • Hebrews 5:12 – “Though by this time you ought to be teachers – you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God. And you have come to need milk and not solid food.”
      • The Author was NOT writing to kids – he was addressing grown men and women…
      • People who should not just UNDERSTAND – they should be able to TEACH…
      • But – they needed someone to TEACH them AGAIN…
      • The First PRINCIPALS – literally the ABCs of the FAITH – the most BASIC ideas!
      • It is cute to bottle feed a young infant – no surprise – when they mess their diapers…
      • But it is NOT cute – when a grown adult is still on the bottle – still wearing diapers!
      • When we first come into the LIGHT – we are going to be like LITTLE children…
      • We are going to make LOTS of mistakes – and struggle to overcome our SIN…
      • But we should NOT stay that way – as we are in the LIGHT – we should GROW…
      • Becoming MATURE in the Lord – as we exercise our FAITH – get to KNOW our God!
    • THREE seasons…
      • John is going to describe THREE seasons all of us should go through in the LIGHT…
      • Little CHILDREN – YOUNG men – and FATHERS…
      • For each of them he will give TWO descriptions – defining that SEASON of our life!
  • 1^st – Little Children… vs. 12-13
    • I write to you little children!
      • The FIRST category of those who are in the LIGHT – is little CHILDREN…
      • Little CHILDREN [τεκνίον] – 7x in this letter – someone who is NEW to the FAITH…
      • It is a term Jesus first used to describe the DISCIPLES – John 13:33
      • When we FIRST come into the LIGHT – put our FAITH in Jesus…
      • We are Little CHILDREN – NEW believers – like infants in our relationship with God! 
    • Because your sins are forgiven you for His names sake – vs. 12
      • The FIRST description of the WALK of a Little CHILD – is WHAT they know…
      • FORGIVEN [ἀφίημι] – to be SENT away – never to be seen again – Hebrews 10:17
      • How have we been FORGIVEN – through [διά] ONE name – Jesus!
      • EVERY sin we have every – or will every [perfect] commit – Romans 5:20
      • Has been PAID in full on the CROSS – I Peter 1:18-19
      • Not because of anything WE did [passive] – it was all done for us by Jesus…
      • And we can have ABSOLUTE confidence [indicative] we are SAVED…
      • But note – this is not the END of our journey – it is just the BEGINNING! 
    • I write to you little children – because you have known the Father – vs. 13
      • Little Children [παιδίον] – 51x in NT – meaning a newborn infant…
      • The SECOND description of the WALK of a Little CHILD – is WHO they know…
      • KNOWN [γινώσκω] – to have a RELATIONSHIP with God the FATHER…
      • The ONLY way to KNOW [perfect] someone is to CHOOSE [active] to spend time with them…
      • But how can we spend time with someone who we cannot TOUCH – SEE – or HEAR…
      • Philip had this same question – and asked Jesus to SHOW them the FATHER!
      • John 14:9 – “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.”
      • How do we KNOW the Father – by coming to Him through Jesus Christ…
      • We can TOUCH – SEE – and HEAR the Father – by coming to His WORD [λόγος]
      • The more time we spend in the WORD – the better we will know the FATHER!
      • John 14:6 – “I am the way – the truth – and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
  • 2^nd – Young Men… vs. 13-14
    • I write to you young men!
      • The SECOND category of those who are in the LIGHT – is YOUNG men…
      • YOUNG men [νεανίσκος] – 10x in NT – we might say a YOUNG adult…
      • A YOUNG man – or woman – is someone who has matured in their walk…
      • They have grown up in the LIGHT – but do not necessarily have a LOT of experience yet!
    • Because you have overcome the wicked one – vs. 13
      • The FIRST description of the WALK of a YOUNG man – is WHO they have overcome…
      • THE [definite article] WICKED [πονηρός] – a reference to our enemy – Satan…
      • OVERCOME – from the root word NIKE [νίκη] – to conquer – to have victory…
      • Do not think of YOUNG men being overcoming because they have the right shoes [Nike]
      • OVERCOMING [perfect] – means to WIN a LEGAL case in a COURT of LAW!
      • Picture a courtroom setting – we are the ones on trial…
      • The DEVIL [διάβολος] – used 38x NT – is there to PROSECUTE us…
      • He seeks to ACCUSE us – wants to see us condemned to HELL – Revelation 12:10
      • He has all the EVIDENCE he needs – all our SINS – our immoral thoughts…
      • But Jesus is our DEFENDER – He is there to keep make sure we get to HEAVEN…
      • He DESTROYED the power of satan – so that he has nothing to ACCUSE us of…
      • All our sins were paid for in full on the cross – we are untouchable in Jesus!
      • Colossians 2:13-16 – “Having forgiven you all trespasses – having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us – which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way – having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers – He made a public spectacle of them – triumphing over them in it.”
    • I have written to you young men – because you are strong – and the word of God abides in you…
      • And you have overcome the wicked one – vs. 14
      • The SECOND description of the WALK of a YOUNG man – is HOW they overcame…
      • WRITTEN [aorist] – note the CHANGE in tense – from PRESENT to PAST…
      • This was NOT the first time John had written to them [unlike for the LITTLE children]
      • YOUNG men – or women – are those who are STRONG – by ABIDING in the WORD…
      • ABIDING [μένω] – to stay put and not leave – the WORD is a part of who they are…
      • As a RESULT of ABIDING in the WORD – they are able to OVERCOME the wicked one!
      • If we do NOT abide in the WORD – make reading the Bible a part of our daily lives…
      • It is far too EASY to convince ourselves we are OK with God – when we are NOT…
      • But when we are in the WORD – in the LIGHT – our SINS are revealed…
      • Which allows the LORD to deal with our SIN – giving us VICTORY over it…
      • The Bible will keep us from sin – but sin will keep us from the Bible!
      • Psalm 119:11 – “Your word I have hidden in my heart… I might not sin against You!”
  • 3^rd – Fathers… vs. 13-14
    • I write to you fathers!
      • The THIRD category of those who are in the LIGHT – is FATHERS…
      • FATHERS [πατήρ] – here used to speak of someone who is MATURE in their FAITH…
      • A FATHER – or MOTHER – is someone who has been saved for MANY years…
      • They are WALKING in the LIGHT – and have GROWN in the LIGHT! 
    • Because you have known Him who is from the beginning – vs. 13
      • The FIRST description of the WALK of a FATHER – is WHO they know…
      • KNOWN [γινώσκω] – to have a RELATIONSHIP with Him…
      • WHO was in the BEGINNING [ἀρχή] – the origin of everything – Jesus Christ!
      • John 1:1 – “In the beginning [ἀρχή] was the Word… and the Word was God.”
      • It is POWERFUL to note – those who are MATURE in their walk…
      • Are to be identified by the same thing that STARTED our walk – KNOWING Jesus!
      • What is the POINT of the Christian WALK – what is the reason for this life…
      • There is ONLY one – we are called to have a RELATIONSHIP with our God!
      • John 17:3 – “This is eternal life – that they may know You – the only true God – and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
    • I have written to you fathers – because you have known Him who is from the beginning – vs. 14
      • The SECOND description of the WALK of a FATHER – is still WHO they know…
      • WRITTEN [aorist] – note the CHANGE again in tense – from PRESENT to PAST…
      • John is SAYING – this is something you have heard BEFORE – maybe MANY times…
      • But it does NOT change – and it needed to be said again – KNOW Jesus!
      • You may have noticed that the Bible often repeats itself…
      • The same message given in many ways – it is ALL about Jesus – Hebrews 10:7
      • The reason is because often we do not HEAR it – or does not SINK in – the FIRST time…
      • The Bible tells us over and over in the HOPE we will eventually get it…
      • It is too IMPORTANT for us not to get – we must REPEAT it as many times as needed!
      • Philippians 3:1 – “I never get tired of telling you these things – I do it to safeguard your faith.”

Instead growing in the LOVE of God – knowing we will ABIDE with Him Forever!

2^nd – Growing apart… vs. 15-17

1^st – Do not LOVE… vs. 15

Do not love the world or the things in the world!

Part of GROWING in the LIGHT – maturing in our walk with Jesus…

Is GROWING apart from this WORLD – learning to not LOVE this LIFE!

LOVING [ἀγαπάω] this WORLD – or the THINGS in this world – will keep us from Jesus…

If we LOVE [ἀγαπάω] the DARKNESS of this world – we will reject the LIGHT – John 3:19

If we LOVE [ἀγαπάω] the PRAISE of men – we will not confess Jesus Christ – John 12:43

If we LOVE [ἀγαπάω] anything more than Jesus – we will NOT mature in our FAITH!

HATE everything else…

Luke 14:26 – “If anyone… does not HATE … his own life also – he cannot be My disciple.”

In order to GROW in the LIGHT – we must HATE – everything but Jesus…

This is meant to be a shocking statement – but it does not mean we should HATE…

It means our LOVE for this life – must look like HATE – compared to our LOVE for Jesus!

We might want to follow Jesus – but what if we want something else MORE…

Something has to be number ONE in our lives – will it be the world – or Jesus…

Growing in the LIGHT – means following Jesus – dying to self – choosing to live for Him!

Luke 9:23 – “If any man will come after me – let him deny himself – and take up his cross DAILY – and follow me.”

2^nd – Test of LOVE… vs. 15

If anyone loves the world – the love of the Father is not in him!

To LOVE [ἀγαπάω] the WORLD – means the LOVE [ἀγάπη] of the Father is not in us…

To be a FRIEND of the WORLD [κόσμος] – is to be HATED by God – James 4:4

The WORLD and the FATHER – are opposed to each other – they are opposites! 

Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters…”

Ultimately the only reason someone walks away from the LIGHT…

Is because there is something else that they LOVE more than God…

LOVE of the acceptance of people – family – making them unwilling to stand up for Jesus…

LOVE of drugs – alcohol – the love of pleasure – living for the moment…

LOVE of money – desiring the things of this world!

We all have to make a CHOICE – we cannot serve TWO masters…

Beware a divided heart – desiring to LOVE Jesus – but flirting with the WORLD…

Trying to LOVE this WORLD and the FATHER – is in essence cheating on God…

We have a simple choice – who do we CHOOSE to live for – who do we LOVE…

If we LOVE this world – then we are NOT going to be a friend of Jesus!

How we CHOOSE…

Where your treasure is there is your heart will be also – Luke 12:34

People do not choose where their heart is – they choose where we put their treasures!

We tend to think we invest in the things that are important to us – on our heart…

The truth is our heart follows our investments – our CHOICE dictate what our heart wants…

That is why we should never follow our heart – it is deceptive – Jeremiah 17:9

Instead we need to be wise where we CHOOSE to invest our time and treasures…

If we are spending all of our time focused on pleasure – we will LOVE this world…

In contrast if we are investing in the things of God – we will find we LOVE the Father!

How we KNOW…

John 15:18 – “If the world hates you – you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world – the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world – but I chose you out of the world – therefore the world hates you.”

The world hates Jesus because He convicts the world of sin and righteousness…

Because men LOVE sin – they hate the LIGHT that reveals their sinfulness – John 3:19-20

If we are Jesus FRIEND – because they HATE Jesus – they also HATE us…

Being the FRIEND of Jesus – means being an ENEMY of this world!

3^rd – Why not to LOVE… vs. 16

For all that is in the world – is not of the Father but is of the world!

John did not want to leave us guessing – what exactly should we not LOVE…

EVERYTHING [πᾶς] in this WORLD – because is NOT from the FATHER…

That is VERY broad – but there is a reason why EVERYTHING is included…

Because EVERYTHING in this world – has its ROOTS in THREE kinds of SIN!

The lust of the flesh…

LUST [ἐπιθυμία] – the desire of craving for something FORBIDDEN…

FLESH [σάρξ] – simply refers to our physical bodies…

We are made up of THREE parts – body [σάρξ] – soul – and spirit – I Thessalonians 5:23

We live in a BODY – have conscious MIND [ψυχή] – and have an eternal SPIRIT [πνεῦμα]

The question we face every day – WHAT controls our THOUGHTS [ψυχή]!

Galatians 5:27 – “The FLESH lusts against the SPIRIT – and the SPIRIT against the FLESH – and these are contrary to one another – so that you do not do the things that you wish.”

We make all of our decisions with our MIND [ψυχή]

But is our MIND is under the influence of either our BODY or SPIRIT…

If we are RULED by the LUSTS of our FLESH – then we are not GROWING in the LIGHT!

Romans 8:7 – “Because the carnal [σάρξ] mind [hates] God.”

The lust of the eyes…

LUST [ἐπιθυμία] – the desire of craving for something FORBIDDEN…

EYES [ὀφθαλμός] – simply refers to what we can SEE…

The WORLD is constantly trying to convince us it has what we need to be HAPPY…

We are SHOWN all kinds of things – and PROMISED they will SATISFY us!

John 4:13 – “Whoever drinks of this water [from the world] will thirst again…”

How many times have we SEEN something – and thought – this will make me be happy…

And when we get what we LUSTED for – we are happy for a moment – then we want more…

No matter how many times we drink from the water of the WORLD – thirsty again…

Those who LOOK for things in this life to SATISFY them – are not GROWING in the LIGHT!

John 4:14 – “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.”

We were not CREATED by God to be FULFILLED by the things of this world…

We were CREATED by God to KNOW Him – WORSHIP Him – John 17:3

And only when we use our life for the purpose God intended for it – are we SATISFIED!

And the pride of life…

PRIDE – 2x in NT – means empty boasting – James 4:16

What does it mean to be PRIDEFUL – it would seem thinking we are in CONTROL…

As if somehow we KNOW what will happen tomorrow – and do NOT need God!

James 4:14 – “[But] you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life – it is even a vapor…”

I often hear people make plans for the FUTURE – and treat them as if they are FACT…

But we do NOT see the FUTURE – so our plans tend to fall apart…

The only one who knows the FUTURE is the Lord – only He can SEE tomorrow…

It is PRIDE to think we do not need God – BOASTING to think we know the FUTURE…

Those who do – are not GROWING in the LIGHT – they LOVE this WORLD!

Proverbs 19:21 – “There are many plans in [our] heart – nevertheless the LORDS [plan] will stand.”

4^th – The CONTRAST… vs. 17

The world is passing away – and the lust of it!

The WORLD – and all of the LUSTS [ἐπιθυμία] that are in it – are PASSING away…

Meaning NOTHING in this life is going to LAST – it will all DISAPPEAR!

People strive their whole lives to find success – but what is success worth apart from God…

We might end up rich – but all we really get are things that do not LAST…

Therefore – do not miss the purpose of life by devoting TIME to something that is DOOMED…

How much better to invest our TIME and efforts into a Kingdom that will NEVER fade…

Invest is something that we can take with us to heaven – people we share Jesus with!

But he who does the will of God abides forever!

If we do the WILL of God – we will ABIDE [μένω] with Him FOREVER…

But HOW to we KNOW what the WILL of God is for our lives…

Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world – but be transformed by the renewing of your mind – that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

We do not want to just WALK in the LIGHT – we want to GROW in the LIGHT…

Knowing that we have been FORGIVEN – overcoming the WICKED one…

Having a lifelong relationship with our God – who is Jesus Christ…

By NOT falling in LOVE with the things of this WORLD – that will NOT last…