CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY (4 OF 15)
Scripture: 1 John 2:12-17
This content is part of a series.
Climbing the Mountain of Spiritual Maturity (4 of 15)
Series: Through 1 John
James Merritt
1 John 2:12-17
Introduction
1. The apostle John begins by addressing his readers as little children. The Greek word teknia literally means born ones, it is a generic term used by John for all believers. He is calling all born again Christians ''little children.'' these are all of the people who have been born again into the family of God and qualify as his children.
2. There are those who say that we are all God's children. They teach the universal fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man. That is God is every man s father and we are all equally brothers. But that simply is not true. God is not the father of every man. He is the creator of every man but he is not the father of every man, the only way God is your father is if you are his child. And to be his child you must be in his family and to be in his family you must born into his family. And only those who have been born again into the family of God are God's children. Or are we all brothers. Jesus said only he who does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and my sister.
3. Now in one sense we ought to remain as children, for example in the area of faith we ought to always be childlike. Like a child trusts his father so should we trust God. In fact you cannot even enter into the kingdom of God unless you come in like a child, Jesus said in matt 18:3, ''truly I say to you unless-you are- converted and become like children you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.
4. But in another sense we are not to remain children. Immediately after a man is born again he should begin to grow. Peter says in ii peter 3:18, ''grow 2 in the grace and knowledge of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ.'' just as you want your children to grow up. God also wants his children to grow up. We are told in Luke 2:52, ''and Jesus kept growing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men. That is Jesus ...
Series: Through 1 John
James Merritt
1 John 2:12-17
Introduction
1. The apostle John begins by addressing his readers as little children. The Greek word teknia literally means born ones, it is a generic term used by John for all believers. He is calling all born again Christians ''little children.'' these are all of the people who have been born again into the family of God and qualify as his children.
2. There are those who say that we are all God's children. They teach the universal fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man. That is God is every man s father and we are all equally brothers. But that simply is not true. God is not the father of every man. He is the creator of every man but he is not the father of every man, the only way God is your father is if you are his child. And to be his child you must be in his family and to be in his family you must born into his family. And only those who have been born again into the family of God are God's children. Or are we all brothers. Jesus said only he who does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and my sister.
3. Now in one sense we ought to remain as children, for example in the area of faith we ought to always be childlike. Like a child trusts his father so should we trust God. In fact you cannot even enter into the kingdom of God unless you come in like a child, Jesus said in matt 18:3, ''truly I say to you unless-you are- converted and become like children you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.
4. But in another sense we are not to remain children. Immediately after a man is born again he should begin to grow. Peter says in ii peter 3:18, ''grow 2 in the grace and knowledge of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ.'' just as you want your children to grow up. God also wants his children to grow up. We are told in Luke 2:52, ''and Jesus kept growing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men. That is Jesus ...
There are 17356 characters in the full content. This excerpt only shows a 2000 character sample of the full content.
Price: $5.99 or 1 credit
