Page 121 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 23
P. 121

I hope that doesn't sound arrogant, but the sins of    Since children are not explicitly addressed anywhe-
        transgression in words, thoughts and deeds, as         re else in the New Testament, it can be assumed
        Mar�n Luther put it, are no longer                     that it is not meant literally here either, but rather
        the primary problem for me, although the Holy Spi-     to refer to spiritual growth stages or phases. We
        rit also repeatedly puts his finger on such sins.      find four terms in the basic Greek text: Babies,
        What really burdens me are the sins of omission.       children, young men and fathers or parents. Before
        If, for example, I am preparing a seminar – and my     I describe their characteris�cs, four points are im-
        experiences here go back over 30 years – I s�ll con-   portant to me:
        centrate on good content and on methodical pre-
        senta�on, at the same �me praying that the par�ci-     •   This is not about a judgment that one phase is
        pants will be blessed. But the �me I spend prepa-          “be�er” than the other.
        ring “my” love for them is prac�cally nil. Of course,  •   They are all present at the same �me, but with
        even in this failure I know I am held by God's grace,      different weigh�ngs.
        but I experience this state as a catastrophe a�er ha-  •   This division helps us to understand each other,
        ving experienced God's love for so many years! At          especially where one stage dominates: I am a
        the same �me, I am happy that God hears this cry           different Chris�an today than I was twenty-five
        of my heart. Something will change! I am certain of        years ago, I have different priori�es today.
        that.                                                  •   Somehow �me / age plays a role in this.
        But there will always be smaller or larger steps of
        conversion to follow, because we are designed for      The following characteris�cs are men�oned:
        spiritual growth. Paul was not spared this either, as  Baby, toddler, infant (paidion): "because you know
        the following text makes clear:                        the Father".
        The church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria       Children, by descent (teknion): “because your sins
        was now experiencing a �me of rest and peace. The      are forgiven”.
        Chris�ans were strengthened in their faith and         Young men (neaniskos): “because you have con-
        lived in awe of the Lord. And because the Holy Spi-    quered the evil one”, “because you are strong; the
        rit was at their side, the church con�nued to grow.    word of God is alive in you and abides in you”.
        (Acts 9:31)                                            Fathers, mothers, parents (pateres) “because you
                                                               know Him who was there from the beginning”.
        Here, the important thing for me is the �ny word
        “now”. They were now experiencing a �me… What          I have the privilege of believing that God is a Father,
        had happened? Paul had been taken away to Cae-         of believing that my sins are forgiven, of believing
        sarea, for his own safety, a�er he had delivered a     that I am strong because the word of God remains
        fearless address. It is not possible to work out retro-  in me and that I have defeated the evil one. I am
        spec�vely when Paul returned to the “biblical sta-     enalbed to believe that I know the one who was
        ge”, but even he had to grow and fewer.                there from the beginning. All of this already played
                                                               a role at the beginning of my life of faith, all of it
        Babies, children, young people and fathers             should remain alive and vital, but the focus has
        John speaks about the various stages of maturity:      shi�ed.
        I am wri�ng to you, li�le children, because your       Recognizing God as Father like the prodigal son and
        sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. I     then finding inner peace and reconciled rela�ons-
        am wri�ng to you, fathers, because you know Him        hips through forgiveness were highlights of the first
        who has been from the beginning. I am wri�ng to        decade. Being strong in faith probably dominated
        you, young men, because you have overcome the          my second decade of faith. As a mature Chris�an,
        evil one. I have wri�en to you, children, because      my amazement at the greatness of God, who was
        you know the Father. I have wri�en to you, fathers,    from the beginning, the creator of the whole world,
        because you know Him who has been from the be-         who sustains everything through his word, who is
        ginning. I have wri�en to you, young men, because      love, to whom my present and future belong above
        you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,     all. All of these are the great themes of faith in my
        and you have overcome the evil one.                    life, which I want to and should put into prac�ce
        (1 John 2:12-14)                                       every day.


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