In 1 John 2:12-14, John writes about three stages in the Christian life, spiritual babyhood, spiritual youth and spiritual maturity.
Babes are those who know only the forgiveness of their sins and that God has become their Father. These are two things that all babes in Christ must know. That is the foundation and the starting point of the Christian life. You can't grow if you don't start on this clear foundation. The next level of maturit is when we learn how to have God's Word abiding permanently in our hearts so that we are strong and can overcome Satan (2:13, 14). From there, we must grow and become spiritual fathers to others. They know God and His ways intimately - which is more than just knowing Him as their Father. When you become mature, you know God personally, the values He has and the principles by which He works, etc. Such fathers can guide other believers - and that is the greatest need of the hour in our churches today.
Those who only talk about the forgiveness of sins and how God is a good Father Who cares for all their earthly needs and heals their sicknesses and provides for them, are babies. They are like babies who keep saying, "Mamma, Dadda". We all begin there. But we must not remain in that state. We must grow up and learn how to fight Satan. Then we have to go beyond even that. We must go on to know God intimately. That is the greatest thing of all. Then we can be a blessing to many in the church as "fathers".
To all these believers who are at different levels of maturity, John gives an exhortation: "Don't love the world or the things in the world" ( 2:15). Do spiritual fathers also need an exhortation not to love the world? Yes. Even the most mature Christian in the world is in danger of loving the world at any time. So even he needs the exhortation, "Don't love the world. If you love the world, you cannot love the Father."
There are three things mentioned here that constitute what John calls "the world": the lust of the flesh - sexual passions, overeating, laziness; the lust of the eyes - the desire to buy everything that we see, which is related to the love of money; and pride - the greatest sin of all. These three things characterise this world system. Anyone who loves any of these things cannot love the Father. But all these and the world will pass away very soon. Only the one who does the will of the Father will remain forever (2:17). That is something we must always bear in mind
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Zac Poonen ( - Present)
God called brother Zac Poonen to a new work early on in his Christian experience. The movement is now called Christian Fellowship Churches where the New Covenant of New Testament Christianity is clearly preached.Brother Zac Poonen has written 25 books most of them being on the deeper Christian life. Many of these have been translated into a number of languages and have been circulated widely around the world. He clearly and passionately shares the narrow way of Christian discipleship that is neglected by so many modern preachers.
Recommends these books by Zac Poonen:
Through The Bible by Zac Poonen
The Final Triumph-A verse by verse study of the book of Revelation by Zac Poonen
Beauty for Ashes by Zac Poonen
Zac Poonen is a former Indian Naval Officer who has been in full time ministry in India for nearly 50 years as a Bible teacher and preacher. He holds responsibility for a number of churches in India and abroad. He currently pastors the Christian Fellowship Church in Bangalore, Karnataka.
He has written more than 25 books and numerous articles in English - which have been translated into many Indian and foreign languages. His messages are available on audio and video format.
Like the other elders in his church, Zac Poonen also supports himself and his family through what he describes as "tent-making" and does not receive any salary for his services. He does not receive any royalties for any of his books, CDs or DVDs, that are published by Christian Fellowship Centre, Bangalore.