IT is among the praises of any aged saint, " having known Him that is from the beginning" (1 John 2:13,1413I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. (1 John 2:13‑14)), to rest in Him, have Him as the refuge, from which they see all above, all around, all within, and all below.
Grace which has forgiven the sins of all of the household of the Father (v. 12); of fathers, young men, and babes; names, in addition to this universal characteristic of the family, three others distinctive of the three several classes in the family, thus: " The fathers have known Him that is from the beginning." " The young men have overcome the wicked one." " The babes have known the Father." Then the Spirit goes on to the practical exhortative part. But the fathers' herein is practically knowing Him that is from the beginning (v. 14), and the young men have their reminding, cheering, and exhortation (vv. 14 and 17), and the babes too. (vv. 18-27.)
All sins forgiven to all. But the aged having learned in the nursery, and in the battle of life according to the privileges and experiences of the family, now "have known Him that is from the beginning." What a rest to those, that prove they are of this class, by being practically shut up therein. All the subtle guile and antichristian workers, all the liars denying the Father and the Son; the unction of the Holy One and the eternal life, and the teaching of the Spirit, shown to them as babes, made the abiding in Him to be safety. The young men's lessons too, different from the babes, they had learned. And their distinctive privilege and lesson was, having known Him that is from the beginning.
As one thing after another arises from Satan, or from our darkness within; from around us in the world, or from our own unrestrained energy, the test, " Is this of Him that is from the beginning?" " What place has He relatively to this?" gives light. And if I am in Him that is from the beginning, and know Him, it marks my path for me; and truly a most blessed path is that which has Him that is from the beginning, for the beginning, middle, and end of it, and of all the circumstances by the way, and of one's own self too. Gracious the love that has made it mine; may I walk and abide in it.