“I Write Unto You, Young Men”

Young Men,

We wrote earlier that we hoped to lay before you some thoughts on meditating on the scriptures. It seemed good to meditate with you on the above scripture, both to benefit from the scripture and to demonstrate the process, rather than attempt to explain meditating in a theoretical sense.

“I have written unto you, young men”—have you considered all that lies behind these words? John, the beloved disciple, after a long life of living for his Master, of knowing Him better and better, with all the insights, blessings, and wisdom the Lord had imparted to Him, had much worth passing on. He was stirred by the love of God to endeavor to communicate something to those men starting out, those still early on the way. He had been young and had first loved Jesus as a young man. In this world, how often the older men are inclined to say or think, “Let the young men learn the hard way, like I did.” How different the love of God makes us. Do you not see the love of God flowing through John as he seeks to impart something to help the young men on the way? Do you not see the love of God in preserving this letter in His holy Word to benefit you today? The Lord is very interested in you, young men. He loves you. He inspired John to write these words then, and for now, also.

“Because ye are strong”—consider this word of encouragement and exhortation. We tend to think that the weak need help, and we must consider ourselves weak. Yet he says, “because ye are strong.” God is able to make us strong. Each time we trust in God, each time we turn to Him for grace and get the victory in our trials, we are strong. Young men are at their strongest time of life, physically. But unless that strength is used, it is soon lost. Unless that strength is used, it is only potential, and has not been proven or demonstrated. We see the young man lift the cumbersome load, perform the arduous task, toss the heavy bale of hay, and we think that he is strong. Likewise, the Lord supplies all the grace we need to defeat the enemy of our soul, if we but use what He supplies us. Not strong in physical strength, nor in our own strength, but strong in battle with the strength the Lord freely supplies. A hunter who is going after large game is not physically able to master the bear, or elk, or moose, but when he uses his gun, as it is designed to be used, he is strong and well able to overcome his adversary. So Brother John exhorts you: “because ye are strong.” The Lord has supplied weapons to you with which you are strong, if you use them. Use your spiritual weapons, and remember that, with them, you are strong.

“And the word of God abideth in you”—this was true of those to whom John wrote. Is it true of you? If not, it can and ought to be! To abide is to remain or continue in the same place or condition. When the Word of God is abiding in you, you have learned it, absorbed it, obeyed it, applied it—it is “at home” with you. You don’t keep it at arms length, or rejoice a moment in it and then send it on its way—it stays with you. By the mercy and grace of God, I can say that His Word abides in me, but I can also say that there is much more of His Word that I need to and want to let abide in me. Thank the Lord, I can keep growing in this abiding. You can keep growing in this abiding. Is the Lord dealing with you in some area of your life? Is His Word looking for an abiding place in you? Ask the Lord to bring His Word in this matter to a place where you understand it, and obey it, and it abides in you. There are many precious promises to those with whom the Lord abides, and His Word abides.

“And ye have overcome the wicked one”—to overcome is to conquer, vanquish or subdue. Surely it is a wondrous thing, for those who were once captives of “the wicked one,” and slaves to sin, to not only escape the foe’s prison, but to be able to meet him on the battlefield with continual success! How is it possible? How could there be any young men of this class, to whom John was writing? How can you and I be of this class? “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”* (1 Corinthians 15:57) “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place.”* (1 Corinthians 2:14) “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”* (Ephesians 6:10-20) In the Lord all things are possible. Notice the adverbs and adjectives abounding in these scriptures: “always,” “every,” “whole,” “all.” The Lord has overcome the evil one and always does. If we abide in Him, we cannot be defeated, “because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”* (1 John 4:4) Do you not see that both the standard of victory and the promises go together?

And so I have written also to you, young men. If you “chew” on the scriptures, if you ask the Lord to inspire your meditation and examine the word from every angle—from the context, from related scriptures—and grab hold until they have driven out the things of the world from your mind and replaced them with the things of heaven, then surely you will have something with power to apply in your lives, and your confidence in the Lord and His Word will grow.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.