I teach an Adult Bible Community at Thomas Road Baptist Church called the G.A.P. (for Graduates and Professionals), and each week I post the outlines and discussion questions from my lessons on the G.A.P. page on Facebook. A while back I started posting these notes on the blog too. So, here is the outline and questions for our meeting on September 12, 2010. A couple of weeks ago, we started a new series on 1 John entitled "Theology Matters." This lesson looks at 1 John 2:12-14 and discusses the need for Christians to grow through the stages of Christian life on their way to maturity. If you have any questions or would like to add a comment or two, that would be great!
Three Stages of Growth: Growing on to Maturity
Theology Matters Series
1 John 2:12-14
Introduction
Our study of 1 John has focused several times on fellowship
We have talked about fellowship with God, fellowship with Christ, and even fellowship with one another
Fellowship requires relationship—there can literally be on “communion” or fellowship where there is no relationship
Today’s passage takes this idea into account and offers for us three stages of growth in our relationship with God
1. Being Children
2. Being Youth
3. Being Fathers
1 John 2:12-14
Relationship is a process
The process of Christian growth results in maturity
Let’s grow to maturity
1. Children
1 John 2:12, 13c
Teknia—infant, baby, refers to relationship by birth
Paidia—a half grown child, a child under instruction (Gal. 2:24—Law as a tutor to lead us to Christ—”tutor” is paidagogos)
Characteristics of “children”
a. Sins are forgiven on account of Jesus
This is the “little child” stage in the family of faith. All of us begin here—our sins are forgiven because of what Christ has accomplished (1 John 2:1-2; 1 John 1:7-9;
The basic Christian position is one of having received forgiveness of sins. It is the starting place of our salvation experience.
b. Know the Father
This is the reason our sins are forgiven, i.e., because we know the Father
We have come to God as to a Father, not a stern Judge or a sentimental and libertarian Grandfather
As children, we have a Father, a Daddy, an Abba (Gal. 4:6; Romans 8:15)
John 17:2-3—eternal life is defined as knowing the Father through Jesus
We start as children who love “Daddy”
The danger of immaturity (Heb. 5:12-13)
Little boy who fell out of bed: “I guess I fell asleep too close to where I came in.”
Remaining an infant is hard to live with on a permanent basis, isn’t it?
Little children can be rude, lazy, even selfish, but they know their Daddy
There must be a beginning to the Christian life, but we should not end there.
The goal should be maturity. Just as we expect an infant or a toddler to grow, so we should expect a new Christian to mature (2 Peter 3:18)
We must grow out of childhood
2. Youth
1 John 2:13b, 14b
Characteristics of the “youth”
a. Overcome the evil one
b. Strong/Vitality
c. Word of God abides in them
The first two items above are a bit more “militant,” i.e., they describe a youth who is battle ready. They are strong and ready to fight and win.
These are Christians whose faith has been tested and found to be solid (1 Peter 1:6-9; James 1:2-4)
They have wrestled with the evil one and won
Their eyes are open to the true nature of the conflict (Eph. 6:12ff)—we wrestle not with flesh and blood
The immature Christian tends to look at other people as the source of their problems
Those who have overcome the evil one know better
The battle is in the mind and in the heart, with attitudes, temptations, and spiritual assaults
They have learned to live in fellowship with God through Christ—God’s strength is their armor (Eph. 6:10)
They know that they cannot win the battle alone—they need God and they need brothers and sisters (i.e., “a band of brothers” or “comrades in arms”)
They have learned to walk in God’s Spirit
Youth glory in their strength or accomplishments
The source of their strength and training is found in the last item—it is the Word of God
a. They have a hunger and a thirst for God’s Word
b. They don’t simply read or study it, they “abide” in it
c. They pitch their tent in its regions, they listen to its instructions, they act on its advice
d. They realize that their orders and their training are found only in this one source—God’s Word
e. This is a reference, of course, to both the written Word and the incarnate Word of God
f. We need God’s instruction (the Bible) and God’s incarnation (Jesus Christ)
These Christians are a bit further along in spiritual growth than the “little children,,” yet they are not quite mature
All they lack to be “mature” is experience
We must press on to adulthood
3. Fathers
1 John 2:13a, 14a
Characteristics of the “mature”
a. Know him who has been from the beginning
b. Got in on the ground floor
c. Know the One who started it all
These “fathers” or “mature” are the ones who have been there since the beginning of the Christian movement. They may well be John’s disciples
These are those Christians who have progressed through the earlier stages of Christian growth. They have probably even produced spiritual offspring
These individuals have “known him who was from the beginning”: a possible reference to 1 John 1:1 and the Incarnation
Spiritually mature folks don’t forget their foundation
By long experience, these folks have come to know God with a deep intimacy
They have a personal acquaintance with the Father through Jesus that has spanned a long time and many hardships
It is a close relationship, like a married couple who have been together for decades
They have become like the One they love—they are Christ-like
1 Cor. 13:11—they have put away childish things
They are no longer juvenile in their attitudes
They are no longer unstable, flippant, or petty, but they are dependable, faithful, competent, and thoughtful
These people are mature
They walk in forgiveness (both receiving and giving it), they resist/overcome the evil one, they know the Father, they act like the Son, and they walk in the Spirit
Spiritually mature people become like Jesus/We must grow to maturity
Application
The family of Christ includes many followers at different stages of Christian life and discipleship
There are those who are just starting out or learning to walk in the faith
There are those who through diligent study and application of God’s Word have become strong warriors in God’s family
There are those who by long experience and intimacy with God have become mature leaders and parents for others
The application then becomes clear—God intends for us to grow on to maturity in our walk with Christ. We cannot risk the danger of remaining children or youth in our faith forever. We must continue to grow.
This week:
1. Take time to evaluate your spiritual growth chart. Like those charts our parents used to chart our height or growth as children, so do we need to take stock of where we are. How long have you been a follower of Christ? How far have you come? Are you still in infancy? Young adulthood? Are you mature? Make an honest assessment.
2. Make time to get familiar with God and his Word this week. If the youth gain their strength and vitality against the evil one by abiding in the Word, then we need to learn to do this as we mature in our faith. Read 1 John and the Gospel of John. Act on the commands.
3. Make time to relate to your brothers and sisters. Are you in an accountable relationship? Do you have a group of people who regularly challenge you to grow and to do the things God has called us to do? If not, find a group. Motivation is important in Christian growth, and we should motivate one another. How can you motivate your brothers and sisters? How do you need motivation?
4. Make time to show God’s kindness to others.
We must move on to maturity
Will we?
Discussion Questions
1.Motivation is important in Christian growth, and we should motivate one another. How can you motivate your brothers and sisters? How and where do you need motivation?
2. Why is knowing forgiveness so basic to the Christian life (see 2 Pet. 1:9)? Is there a danger of abusing this truth? Where do you need forgiveness? Where do you need to give it?
3. What areas need to change so that you can grow on to maturity?
4. Where has God worked maturity in you? How did he do it?
5. In what ways are you like Christ? Where do you need to change?
6. How can you help others grow on to Christ-like maturity?
7. Who do you know that needs to start a relationship with God? How can you introduce them to Christ?
Thanks for reading!
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