I am writing to you who are God’s children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.
I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one.
1 John 2:12-13 NLT
There’s a quiet assumption in the modern church that spiritual growth means moving forward — more activity, more visibility, more noise. But John doesn’t talk about movement forward here. He talks about depth, identity, and abiding.
Maybe we’ve been measuring growth horizontally…
when heaven is inviting us to grow vertically.
We’re not ground cover.
We’re trees.
Trees with deep roots, wide branches, and room for fruit to develop as we lift up the name of Jesus.
I have written to you who are God’s children because you know the Father.
I have written to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I have written to you who are young in the faith because you are strong. God’s word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one.
1 John 2:14 NLT
Written to All — But Speaking to Each
John does something beautiful here. He writes to children, young believers, and the mature — and yet the instruction is the same.
Different stages.
Same foundation.
Same invitation.
“I am writing to you… because you know…”
Notice that word: know.
Not perform.
Not prove.
Not pretend.
Just… know.
This is the apostolic rhythm of the Kingdom — not climbing ladders, but growing deep roots of intimacy with the Father.
Children: Rooted in Identity
“Your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.”
Before you ever do, you are forgiven.
This is where roots begin. Not with striving, but with rest. Not with earning, but with receiving. Not with accomplishment, but with identity.
The enemy loves to keep believers circling the same question: “Am I really forgiven?”
John answers that with a settled yes. God’s grace is sufficient. Even for you.
Young in the Faith: Strength Comes from the Word Living in You
“You are strong… God’s word lives in your hearts…”
Strength doesn’t come from hype. It comes from habitation.
The Word isn’t meant to visit occasionally — it’s meant to move in, rearrange the furniture, and take up residence. When the Word lives in you, the enemy loses his leverage.
You don’t fight for victory. You fight from it.
And that strength? It’s not loud bravado. It’s quiet authority that flows from knowing who’s really fighting the battle.
Mature: Knowing Him Who Was from the Beginning
“You know Christ, who existed from the beginning.”
Maturity isn’t complexity — it’s clarity.
The longer you walk with Him, the simpler your gaze becomes. You stop chasing trends and start treasuring Presence. You don’t need new revelations when you’re rooted in the Eternal One.
Deep roots produce wide branches.
And wide branches create space for others to rest, heal, and grow.
The Warning: Don’t Fall in Love with What’s Fading
“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you…”
John isn’t anti-Creation — he’s anti-distraction.
The world offers:
- craving without satisfaction
- yearning without relief
- success without substance
It’s a cheap substitute for glory.
Let’s be honest — the world doesn’t need more Christian noise. It needs people who carry Kingdom weight because they’ve been hanging out with Jesus.
Moving Up Requires Going Deeper
We don’t mature by accumulating activity. We mature by increasing intimacy.
Roots go down before branches go out.
And when we lift up the name of Jesus, we don’t inflate our egos — we rise in alignment.
This is the upward call:
- Deeper roots support
- Wider reach that yields
- Truer fruit
Not striving. Not grinding. Not performing. Just abiding.
And the fruit will show in season.
Trust. Listen. Obey.
Trust that what God planted in you is enough.
Listen for the voice that calls you deeper, not louder.
Obey the next small yes — because obedience grows roots you can’t see yet.
This world is fading. But those who do the will of God live forever.
Prayer
Father in Heaven, bring us back to simplicity. Strip away our love for what fades and increase our hunger for Your Presence. Forgive us for chasing success without substance and mistaking activity for intimacy. Teach us to abide. This world is fading, but Your Word endures forever. Anchor us in what lasts, for Your glory. Amen.
Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.
For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
1 John 2:15-17 NLT
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