A Letter to the Children  (Part 5)

What Does it Mean to Be a Child of God?

© 2025 by C. O. Bishop

1^st John 2:12-17

Introduction: Bible Terminology Regarding the Children

I thought I remembered that the Greek word in 1^st John, translated as “little children,” was “nepoi” but I was mistaken. The word “nepoi,” means “babies who can’t talk yet,” and it is always translated “babe,” “child,” or “childish.” But that word is not used in 1^st John at all.

The word translated as “little children,” here in verse 12, and back in verse 1, is “teknia.” “Teknon” (singular) or “teknia” (plural) means “offspring:” it literally means “born-ones.” We are now the legitimate children of God…His offspring, born of Him! That is a positional truth: we are permanently “in Christ,” and forever His “born-ones.”

But, at the end of verse 13, the word translated as “little children” is “paidia,” meaning “toddlers: little children.”

Earlier in verse 13, the word translated “young men” is “neaniskoi.” “Neaniskos” (singular) or “neaniskoi” (plural) simply means “young man” or “young men” and that is the only way it is translated in the Bible.

And, at the beginning of verse 13, God used the word “pateres” which is the plural of “pater.” It is virtually always translated as “fathers.”

God uses these four words to describe the relative levels of maturity among believers.

The Letter to the Children

¹² I write unto you, little children [teknia], because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.

Again, this is positional truth: If you have been born again as a child of God, then your sins have already been forgiven for the sake of the name of Jesus. Your position in Him guarantees a number of “positional” truths. Some of those are listed in Ephesians 1:3-14.

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

⁴ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

⁵ Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

⁶ To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

⁷ In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

⁸ Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

⁹ Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

¹⁰ That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

¹¹ In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

¹² That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

¹³ In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

¹⁴ Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Positional Truths

• God has already blessed you with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, in Christ.
• You were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world.
• You are holy and blameless before him, in His Love.
• You are predestined to be recognized as a full heir of God.
• You are predestined to fulfill the good pleasure of His will
• You are predestined to be to the praise of the Glory of His Grace.
• You are already accepted in the beloved (Christ.)
• You already have been redeemed through His blood.
• You already have full forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His Grace.
• God has already abundantly blessed you in His wisdom and prudence.
• He has made known unto you the mystery of His will…one piece at a time.
• Your inheritance in Him is secure.
• You will eternally be to his glory and praise.
• Your position in Him is sealed by the Holy Spirit.
• The indwelling Holy Spirit is the “down payment” of the rest of the glorious inheritance promised to you. You are absolutely secure in Christ because He says so, and because the Holy Spirit is your guide, and your guard; and He seals you in Christ until the redemption of the purchased possession.

If you have trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior: If you have placed your faith in His shed blood at the Cross, then every single thing in that passage is true of you as a believer, regardless of how you are behaving today. Your position (“In Christ”) is perfect.

Condition, in Contrast to Position

But your condition could be terrible. You could be wallowing in sin and self-pity, or giving in to every desire of your old sin nature. That sin, given time, will ruin you! But you are still safe, under the Blood of the Cross. You are losing eternal reward, through self-indulgence, and apathy. But the fact is, once Jesus takes hold of you, He never lets go!

Fathers and Young Men

¹³ I write unto you, fathers [pateres], because ye have known him that is from the beginning.

This distinction seems not to be based only on the length of time a person has been a believer: The word translated “known,” here, is the ginosko form of knowledge, just as in chapter one. It implies that the ones whom God calls  “fathers” have been in an ongoing, growing relationship with Jesus for a long time. It seems to imply a level of maturity and stability, based upon a long-term, experiential relationship with the Lord Jesus.

Does “time in service” necessarily produce wisdom? No! There are people who spend their whole lives striving to follow God in their own strength, and never tap into His wisdom and power. So, because they have not been in an “ongoing, growing relationship” with the Person of Christ, effectively, they have just been “practicing religion.” As a result, they remain carnal and spiritually unwise. These are not the ones God calls “fathers” in the faith.

 I write unto you, young men [neaniskoi], because ye have overcome the wicked one.

The “young men” are the growing, strong believers who are learning to overcome by faith, and have learned a habit of obedience to Christ.

Back to the Children

 I write unto you, little children [paidia], because ye have known [ginōskō] the Father.

The relationship between the new believers (toddlers) and God, their Father, is fertile ground for growth. A receptive heart for His Word is expected in them, so they can feed on His Word and grow, spiritually. 1^st Peter 2:2 says, “as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby.” This is part of that personal, experiential knowledge of God in which we are called to immerse ourselves.

¹⁴ I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

Notice that the reason the young men have become strong is that the Word of God abides in them. And the result of that strength, based upon an active relationship with God’s Word, is that they have overcome the wicked one. That should be adequate motivation for us to choose to soak up God’s Word, and let it richly abide in us as well.

What About the World Around Us?

¹⁵ Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

This is a command to not Love! How do we reconcile John 3:16 “For God so Loved the World…” with this command, telling us (seemingly) to do the opposite?

First, we want to notice that the “things in the World,” according to verses 15 and 16 are not the same as the people of the World…the lost sinners Jesus came to save. The sinners Jesus came to save are ensnared by the sins and lusts of the “World System of thought, values, and behavior.”

Positionally, they, too, are enemies of God, according to Romans 5:10 (“¹⁰ For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”)

And they all were born as children of wrath according to Ephesians 2:1-3, (“¹ And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; ² Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: ³ Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”)

But God still sees them as the precious souls for whom He died. He wants them to be saved.

World System of Thought and Values

In contrast, the World system of ungodly thought, forever at odds with all of God’s righteousness, is an enemy that cannot be saved. God loves the sinner, but He condemns the sin.

He came to save sinners, according to 1^st Timothy 1:15. “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” But God is not attempting to “rescue” the pattern of rebellion and idolatry and violence that is in the World System of values.

Three Weapons Satan Has Used throughout History

God reveals the true contents of the World System of Values:

¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

• The Lust of the Flesh,
• The Lust of the Eyes, and
• The Pride of Life.

Think back: where did we first see those three weapons used on a human? It was in Genesis chapter three, where the woman saw:

• That the fruit was good to eat (lust of the flesh)
• That it was pleasant to the eyes, (lust of the eyes) and
• That it was to be desired to make one wise. (Pride of life.)

Where else did we see them used? It was in Matthew chapter four, where Satan tested Jesus in the desert. He said,

• You’re hungry! Turn these rocks into bread! (The lust of the flesh.)
• Look at the glory of the World! I will give you all this wealth! (The lust of the eyes.)
• Prove yourself! Throw yourself down, and make the angels save you! (The pride of life.)

Modern Experience

All that sort of thinking (“Follow your heart!” “Take care of number one! “Pay yourself first!”” “If it feels good, do it!” “Name it and Claim it!” “Keep up with the Joneses!” “Impress your friends and neighbors!” “Toot your own horn: No one else will do it for you!” “You deserve a break today!”)  All of that is easily recognized as a ploy of the enemy, and a trap, once you recognize it as his handiwork.

But all those values are temporary: They have zero lasting value. The toys and joys of this life are fleeting, at best. The decisions and choices we make will either have eternal value, building an eternal reward … or they will not.

Learn to recognize Satan’s sneak-attacks: In contrast, learn to seek and find the leading of God. There is a spiritual war in progress, and the outcome will have eternal results.

Lord Jesus, teach us to follow You faithfully, and to become the Men and Women of God You have called us to be. Make us alert against the attacks of our enemy, and guard our hearts against him. Teach us to see the works of the flesh as evil, and the wisdom of the world as a trap. Teach us to walk in the light with You.