Daily Devotions – You have overcome

Daily Devotions – You have overcome

 

 

Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:

1 John 2:12-14 (NIV)

Reasons for Writing

12 I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. 14 I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

These were the three verses I skipped over in last Sunday’s reading. Here John is taking a break to offer a personal encouragement to children, fathers, and young men. These are people who are at three different places in their Christian faith. The “children” are new to the faith. They begin by knowing God through experiencing God’s forgiveness (vv. 12, 14). Fathers represent the older leaders of the church. They have a more complete understanding of Jesus (knowing that he is “from the beginning.”). Finally, the “young men” are those mature Christians who are in the prime of life, where they can serve God’s Kingdom with both skill and energy, overcoming “the evil one.” John’s words help us see that people in every season of faith have value to the church and to God.