John is evidently addressing every believer when he speaks of them as "my little children," as, for instance, in the closing verse of his letter, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." (1 John 5:21)
Surely, all the saints are included in these exhortations.
There is a sense in which every Christian is still a little child, a sense in which he ought to be so. We are to be
ever dependent upon our great Father,
ever ready to receive the Word of our Father without questioning,
ever teachable,
ever restful in our Father's care,
and full of love to Him who is our all in all. Of necessity we must ever remain children before God; for our finite capacity is so limited that we are mere babes in knowledge in the presence of Infinite Wisdom. We know enough to make us understand that we know very little.
The most advanced intellects in the church are but as infants, compared with the Ancient of Days. We are of yesterday and know nothing. With all our experience, with all our study, with all our meditation, we remain "little children" when measured by the boundless knowledge of our omniscient God.
Children are expected to bear some likeness to their parents. Children of God, regenerated by the almighty energy of the Holy Spirit, are sure to bear a high degree of likeness to their heavenly Father. "Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ loved us, and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God." (Ephesians 5:1–2)
The believer is as a little child utterly dependent upon our Father,
sheltered in the bosom of our Savior,
and finding our highest happiness in loving Him and obeying His Word. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.
[Charles H. Spurgeon]
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1 Peter 1:14-16 ... As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
1 John 3:1-2 ... Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1 John 2:1 ... My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:❤
