Fatherhood: See Jesus, Who is From the Beginning

"I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning." (1 John 2: 13-14)

In the Word of God, fatherhood is not defined by how many children you have, or even how well you raise them.

Fatherhood is defined by how you see Jesus.

In the second chapter of John's first epistle, John outlines three stages of life, so to speak.

In the first stage, the young children, John writes:

"12I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake." (1 John 2: 12)

Then there are young men:

"I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one." (1 John 2: 13)

It is not enough for us to know that our sins are forgiven. We need to realize, also, that not only our sins are forgiven, but that the law, the old covenant, is no longer in effect:

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2: 1-15)

When Jesus died on the Cross, He not only paid for all our sins -- all of them --  but He also rendered inoperative the Old Covenant, the "ordinances" against us, i.e. the  Ten Commandment. Verse fifteen points out that Jesus spoiled, or disarmed evil powers by doing this, for Satan is above all "The Accuser or the Brethren" (Job 1; Zechariah 3: 1-2; Revelation 12: 10)

We are more than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8: 37) because we are freed from all our sins, redeemed from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13), and then we can become fathers:

"I  have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning." (1 John 2: 14)

When John writes about :him from the beginning", he writes about Jesus:

"1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (John 1: 1-5)

When we see that it's all about Jesus, that without Him, we can do nothing (John 15: 5), and that we are nothing without Him (1 John 4: 17), we are fathers in the faith, and we can train others in the Way:

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22: 6)

Reading this verse in the Light of Him who has been from the beginning (John 5: 39; 8: 12), we receive the truth that Jesus is the Way (John 14: 6), and in Him we do not stumble, either.

To be a father, see more of Jesus, and see that He is, and He has been from the beginning!