Babies, Beware!
Devotions for Growing Christians
Babies, Beware!
1 John 2:18 - Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour.
Read 1 John 2:18-27
When a healthy new baby is born into the world, there is great joy and excitement in the family. "So cute?" or "Look at those tiny toes!" But after the baby arrives home the hard work and important responsibility of teaching begins. Once the baby begins to crawl and then to walk around the house, it’s of utmost importance for give them course in "dangers." At this stage it’s important to teach toddlers not to touch hot stoves or electrical outlets, and not to go near stairs. “How to hold spoons properly” can come later!
It’s easy to see the parallel between this illustration and the new Christian. There’s great joy and excitement when a person is born into God’s family - on earth, as well as in Heaven. (See Luke 15:7.) But the very important task of teaching must begin immediately, and one of the first areas of learning for the new baby in Christ must involve the "bewares." Frequently, new Christians "get burned" or get hurt because they weren’t taught to avoid hazards.
In 1 John 2:18-27, new Christians are directly addressed. They’re told to be particularly aware of false teaching and false teachers. The fact that the word "children" is used indicates that recent believers are primarily in view (v18). This word for "children" is not the same word that is translated "children" throughout most of 1 John. In fact, the word for "children" in verse 18 is used only twice in 1 John (2:13, 2:18). The word signifies young child or baby, and it refers to new believers, in contrast to the "young men" or "fathers" - those who are more mature or longer in the faith (2:13-14).
The word that’s more commonly translated "children" in 1 John signifies the whole family of believers, regardless of growth or number of years in the faith. It refers to all persons who have been born into God's family. This more general term is used in 2:1, 2:12, 2:28, 3:7, 3:18, 4:4 and 5:21. Unfortunately, in our English translations the distinction between these words is lost, and it can be very confusing, especially since the more general term is sometimes translated "little children." But "little children" is not used in the sense of lack of growth, but rather in the sense of John's parental affection for the whole family.
In chapter 2 the whole family of believers is broken down into the three different growth categories: fathers, young men and babies (v12-13). The "young men" category of believers is specifically td not tolo love the world (2:14-17). Certainly this applies to all Christians, but it is particularly addressed in this context to the "young men."
This term, by the way, does not mean men in contrast to women, but rather the middle growth or maturity level of believers - of both sexes. This holds true for the word "fathers.” It is used here for the highest level of growth and maturity of both women and men. The "fathers" that John was addressing had come to know the Lord as many as 40 years earlier when the apostle Paul had evangelized the greater Ephesus area.
So that leaves many of us in the "young men" or "baby" categories! If you are not a brand new Christian, you’re in the "young men" category, and here you’re warned to watch out for the world. "Young men" level Christians are particularly vulnerable to falling prey to the values of this evil world system. Remember the three principles of operation of Satan's world system (2:16): appeals to the strong desires of the flesh (pleasure), appeals to the strong desires of the eyes (possessions), and appeals to the pride of life or vanity (power and prestige). Let’s not think that a few years as a Christian will make us immune to the attacks of the enemy. He knows that the "young men" category of believer is very susceptible to the contagious disease of worldliness.
Now let's return to the subject of “baby“ Christians (v18-27). Because new believers are especially vulnerable to false teaching, this section is a loud and clear "beware"! You see, new Christians are generally caught up in the joy and excitement of their new life in Christ, and they’re not usually hung up with worldliness. But often they haven’t yet learned much about the Bible, so they’re wide open to swallowing false doctrine!
This doesn’t mean that a new Christian isn’t spiritual. A baby Christian can be just as spiritual as a mature believer. Growth and spirituality are not synonymous terms. It is growth, not spirituality, that’s in view in the categorizing of believers here. Warning and protection from false teachers are of utmost importance to the proper growth of new Christians.
Just as young children must be protected from all the things that they try to put into their mouths, so baby Christians must be protected from imbibing false teaching. What a responsibility older brothers and sisters have to protect and teach the new members of the family. There are a lot of "wolves in sheep's clothing" around today, just waiting to feed poison to newly-awakened spiritual appetites. (See Matthew 7:15.) Are you a new Christian? Beware of false teachers and their false doctrine! Every so-called "spiritual leader" is not necessarily one of God's gifts to the Church!
How can false doctrine be detected? Is there any clue or signal or give-away that new Christians should watch for? Yes! Is it their constant smile? No! Is it their pushiness? No! Is it their pressure to read “their” books? No! Some true servants of God may exhibit all these signs.
The sure give-away sign of false teachers is their false doctrine of Christ. The core sign of false doctrine is the denial of Jesus Christ as fully God (v22). False teachers may say that Jesus is "divine" or "of God" or "a son of God," but they fall short of admitting that Jesus is God. Be on the alert for this subtle - but very obvious - clue! (For example, you will encounter this false teaching with Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Christian Science, and Unitarians and various cults.) Verse 23 indicates that all who deny the deity of Christ are not of God! In fact, they are antichrists (vs 18, 22). They may be very pleasant and upright, and people who teach this may even attend your fellowship, but, as in John's day (v 19), they are unbelievers. They are not Christians.
Has God given His children any safeguards against the dangers of false doctrine? Of course He has!. Our text informs us that the Scripture and the Spirit are given to protect us from the dangers of false teaching. Verse 24 refers to the safeguard of Scripture. John's warned them not to be taken in by the new teachings of deceivers (v26). They were to abide in the Word that they had been taught from the time they were came to know Jesus as Savior. The Word of God had been brought to them by the apostles, and they were to let that Word abide in them. And the new believer today needs this for protection from the almost overwhelming waves of false philosophies and insidious teachings that abound in the secular classroom - and in some church sanctuaries. How important it is to take time to teach baby Christians the Word of God!
The Holy Spirit is also a safeguard against false doctrine, and is referred to as "the anointing" (v20, 27). It’s important to note that this Scripture teaches that all believers have the Holy Spirit - regardless of growth level! These verses are particularly addressed to baby Christians, and yet verse 27 clearly indicates that they all had the Holy Spirit abiding in them. When John said, "You have no need for anyone to teach you" he didn’t mean that good Bible teaching is a waste of time! Of corse not! He meant they had no need for any "new” teaching - false teaching concocted by the deceivers (v26).
The Holy Spirit sounds a warning in the believer when the truth is attacked or distorted. The Word of God illumined by the Spirit of God preserves and protects believers of all maturity levels from false teaching.
- Dave Reid