1 John 2:14: What Does It Mean to be a Man or Woman of God?

1 John 2:13.. "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. I write to you, children, because you know the Father."

Spiritual maturity is something that is rarely accurately defined. If I were to ask you what it meant to be a man or woman of God, how would you respond? Would you have an answer? If so, great! But I guarantee you that oftentimes you still question what it truly means to be a man or woman of God. John addresses this concept in 1 John 2:13. Let us turn here this morning to find our what it means to be spiritually mature.

In 1 John 2:13, John lists three seperate levels of spiritual maturity: children, young men, and fathers. The lowest level is the spiritual children who John says "know the Father." These are the Christians who simply have a knowledge of God as Father, but not much else. The middle level is the spiritual young men (or women) who John says "have overcome the evil one." These are the Christians who have a great enough knowledge of God that it abides in them so that they are strong (1 John 2:14) and therefore able to overcome temptation. The highest level is the spiritual father (or mother) who John says "know him who is from the beginning." These are the Christians who know God not merely as a Father or as one who helps fight temptation, but as the eternal God who was, and is, and is to come. They have a fullness of knowledge about God, not because they know everything about him, but because they have grown in spiritual maturity for so long that they have seen the eternal nature of a God who keeps his promises, even from the beginning.

To put it in simpler terms, the three levels of spiritual maturity are father-knowledge, fighter-knowledge, and forever-knowledge. Spiritual children have father-knowledge of God. They see him as a father who has saved them and is caring for them and teaching them how to live. Spiritual men have fighter-knowledge of God. They see him as a figher who gives him knowledge of the truth that he might be strong amidst the lies and deception of the devil. Spiritual fathers have a forever-knowledge of God. They see him as the forever, eternal God in all of his beauty, splendor, and glory.

Notice that although these three ranks of spiritual maturity all have to do with knowledge of God, it is not merely a head knowledge, but a heart knowledge that leads to faithful response. The spiritual child has a knowledge of God as Father, so he seeks God to protect and provide. The spiritual man has knowledge of God as Fighter, so he seeks God to give strength and overcome. The spiritual father has knowledge of God as Forever, so he seeks God to fulfill his promises both in life and in death. Spiritual heart knowledge is the determiner of Christian maturity, but spiritual knowledge that is mere head knowledge that doesn't lead to faithful response is the determiner of unbelief.

So, are you a spiritual child, man/woman, or father/mother? Notice that wherever you are, it is totally okay, that is, as long as you're seeking growth. Some of you might be new believers who don't feel as if they are spiritual men or women yet--that's okay. The goal is to get there, and it won't happen overnight. "Be faithful this day to your Creator," and watch the Lord turn you from a child into a spiritual man or woman, and eventually into a spiritual mother or father.