John reminded his readers of their spiritual blessings to motivate them to cultivate intimate fellowship with God.
"Because his readers are Christians and have in part experienced the power of their faith he moves them to nobler efforts; his object is that their joy may be fulfilled' (cf. 1. 4)."73
This pericope contains two series of three sentences. Each sentence begins, "I am writing to you . . . because . . ."
2:12-13b Who did John have in mind when he addressed his readers as little children, fathers, and young men? Perhaps he meant those who physically fell into these categories. If he did, what about his female readers and others who were not in these categories? Perhaps he was thinking of those in his audience who were in their spiritual development children, men, and youths.74If this is what he meant, why did he address them in this unnatural order? We could ask the same question about the first possibility also. Perhaps John addressed all his readers as little children (cf. John 21:5) and then spoke more specifically to the more mature or older (fathers) and then to the less mature or younger (young men).75Yet what he said to the three groups is so parallel that it seems more likely that he was addressing three distinct groups. It seems best to conclude that John used these three stages of life to describe qualities typical of each age group that ought to characterize all believers.76
Another problem is whether John meant that he was writing becausethe stated condition was true of each group or so thatthe condition might become true of them. The Greek particle hotican have either sense: causal or declarative, and John could have intended both meanings. However the causal meaning seems a bit stronger.77
As children John's readers had known forgiveness by their heavenly Father (cf. 1:5-2:2). As fathers they had experienced fellowship with God through Jesus Christ (cf. 2:3-11). As young men they had known some victory over their spiritual adversary, Satan (cf. 2:15-23). John mentioned these three experiences in their proper experiential sequence in the Christian life. "Him who has been from the beginning"(v. 13a) is Jesus Christ (John 1:1).
2:13c-14 John then proceeded to point out other characteristics of his readers again using the same three stages of life to illustrate their progress. Perhaps John repeated the cycle of descriptions to assure his readers that he was aware of their growth and strength in the faith.
In the first series of three (vv. 12-13b) we have the minimal spiritual experience for each stage of spiritual life. In the second series of three (vv. 13c-14) we have the maximal spiritual experience for each stage. Little children spiritually all know that God has forgiven their sins, but they can advance to intimate knowledge of the Father. Both statements about fathers are identical because there can be no variation here. When one knows the eternal God the only thing one can do to advance is to continue to know Him better. John initially said the youths had defeated the evil one, but he said nothing of their condition after gaining the victory. They could be weak and vulnerable. However the second statement about them adds that they are strong and God's Word continues to abide in them. This is a more robust spiritual condition.
John strengthened the sense of progress in these verses. He used present tense verbs in the first set of sentences (vv. 12-13b) that emphasize ongoing action. Then he used aorist tense verbs in the second set (vv. 13c-14) that point to the end product, spiritual maturity.
"In all the main Johannine writings--Gospel (John 16:33), First Epistle (1 John 4:4; 5:4-5) and Revelation (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 5:5; 12:11; 15:2; 21:7) alike--the theme of overcoming is present, and in all it is through Christ, the supreme Overcomer, that His people overcome."78
In this section John was not saying that his readers were all immature or all mature. He was acknowledging their spiritual development to encourage them to press on to know the Lord better and to have more intimate fellowship with Him.
A popular interpretation of 1 John that many commentators have advocated is that John wrote this epistle to enable his readers to determine whether they were true believers. The questions John raised throughout the epistle, they say, were "tests of [the presence of spiritual] life."79However in the verses just considered (vv. 12-14) John did not say he was writing to test his readers' salvation. He said he was writing to them because they were genuine believers. John presented tests of fellowship rather than tests of life.
"It would be hard to devise an approach to John's first epistle more hopelessly misguided or more completely self-defeating [than the tests of life' approach]. If the premise on which this approach is based were true, it would be quite impossible for either the original audience of 1 John or any of its subsequent readers to possess the assurance of salvation. Since the writer repeatedly enjoins the abiding' life marked by obedience to Christ's commands, one cannot really be certain until the end of his earthly experience whether he has abided or persevered in the requisite obedience. Meanwhile, one must entertain the possibility that he is a suprious Christian!
"Few errors of contemporary exposition are more blatant than this one. Not only does John notsay that he is writing to test' whether his readers are saved or not, he says the reverse [in 1:3-4]!"80
