John is writing to followers of Christ, “I am writing to you little children” -( 1 John 2:12)…”little children,” is not speaking of small children, toddlers, in the physical realm, but in the spiritual realm to those who are young in their relationship with the LORD Jesus Christ.
“I am writing to you little children” -( 1 John 2:12)…Is used as a term of affection, endearment, to those who literally are “born ones” in this case born into the family of God….not by natural but spiritual birth through believing, entrusting themselves to Jesus Christ. “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ {the Messiah} has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves the child born of Him.”-{ 1 John 5:1.}. John says,“I am writing to you little children…”
“BECAUSE…”. This is as it were is “the bridge” the explanation, the reason why he was writing to assure them,
“…your sins HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN YOU.”
Note; not “might be, maybe sometime in the future” but “have been” it’s a done deal, no “if’s…but’s” about it. A divine certainty has been established for you! “You HAVE BEEN..! “Forgiven” means “to send away,” it speaks of SEPERARTION FROM SELF, includes PUTTING AWAY of our sins, guilt, defilement, penalty and this at the cross of Christ for you. This is beautiful, humbling and as the Holy Spirit teaches us of something of the immense love of God for us it is written in the “perfect tense,” which means this happened at a POINT IN TIME and CONTINUES… it REMAINS FOREVER. COMPLETE. “IT IS FINISHED.”
You have been forgiven at the cross and you stand before God today forgiven and should you awake in the morning your position before God is not one of condemnation but justification. You are forever forgiven! Glory!
CELEBRATION;
By God’s doing you Are in His family one of the “born again” not by creation but by the second spiritual birth into the family of God. For not all are children of God. We are all created by Him but only by the new birth are we adopted into the family of God! And as result are ones who have been forgiven completely and irrevocable by Him who stood in your place and as your Substitute, your Sinbearer, and God treated Jesus as if He were you on that cross and poured His wrath out on Him who knew no sin. He took your place, your guilt, your sin! And three days later He raised Him from the dead to show His approval of His sacrifice for you and now to all including you who have turned to Him, He treats you now as though you were Jesus! His righteousness accredited to your account and you by His doing stand forgiven both now as you read this and will forever stand forgiven before God where He will never treat you as Judge for your sins as He already judged all of them on Jesus! It is not based on how you “feel” but on what He did and says concerning you in His Word! It is fact over feelings. Truth over accusations and condemnation you may feel. Do we still sin? Yes, but God no longer treats us as Judge but as our Father! The penalty for our sins has once and for all ever been paid! We are no longer enemies of God but children of God adopted into the family of God! We have by His ding have a change in… relationship to God!
John writes to assure these dear ones in whom he uses two different words for “children” in 1 John 2:12 the first literally means “ born ones – small children-and used as a term of affection and endearment, and writes to ASSURE them from God’s perspective they are in a state of forgiveness both now and everlastingly so.
You could say it this way. I have been forgiven and I forever stand forgiven before God!
Jesus Christ stood in my place and God on the cross treated Jesus as though He had lived my life and Now treats me as though I had lived His righteous life, as His righteousness is accredited to my life! -” He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].-{2 Corinthians 5:21 Amplified Bible}
I now stand and am treated before Holy Sinless God with Christ as my Sin-bearer, and Advocate, my Righteousness, because of Him- totally forgiven! My sin was sent away paid in full at the Cross. And there is no record both now and forever more that can condemn and assign me to Hell because my sins all of them have been dealt with at the cross of Jesus Christ! Forgiven! That’s who you are! Forgiven! This is your spiritual position. As Paul said we “ stand in grace” in the Divine favor of Gid, as one man out it “the smile of God” upon us -(Romans 5:2)
GOD’S MOTIVATION;
And what is God’s Motivation for Forgiven them and you? Because He finds something attractive within us? Perish the thought for we were born sinners and practice sin and sin is an affront to Him but He freely chooses to forgive us based on the work of His Son and He gives us the answer why He forgives us in 1 John 1:12 as John writes to them,” For MY NAME’S Sake!” He does it for His sake, His fame on display, His reputation! The term spoke of the Representation of a Person! It reveals who He is! He forgives you for His sake! What mercy. His grace! What He has done. It truly is amazing, outlandish grace, kindness, mercy and love. So our “testimonies” should be filled with His fame, His Name, character lauded, made much of by us for after all we “in Christ” stand as recipients of forgiveness today “BECAUSE” of what He did and WHY He Did it “For His Name sake!” “so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”-(1 Corinthians 1:31)
In order to GROW we must KNOW!
Our Position before God and today you are affectionately, dearly loved by Him and the evidence? You are FORGIVEN!
Be encouraged, meditate upon 1 John 2:12. Celebrate Him and seek to encourage someone else today with the truth they are God’s beloved and are FORGIVEN…”FOR HS NAME’S SAKE!”
God bless
Aidan.’