Young and Old Are Victorious Through God’s Word

The early Christians of the apostolic age, though often simple and uneducated, certainly followed the example of their Lord in learning to know and use God’s Word as a weapon of offence in the intense spiritual conflict brought upon them by their profession of faith in Christ. For example, the apostle John in his advanced years wrote to the young Christian men who had grown up under his instruction:

“I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.” (1 John 2:14)

John makes three statements about these young men: 1) they are strong, 2) they have God’s Word abiding in them, 3) they have overcome the wicked one (Satan). The second of these three statements is related to the first and the third, as cause is related to effect. The reason why these young Christian men were strong and able to overcome Satan was that they had God’s Word abiding in them. It was God’s Word within them that gave them their spiritual strength.

We need to ask ourselves this question: how many of the young Christian people in our churches today are strong and have overcome the devil? If we do not see many young Christian people today who manifest this kind of spiritual strength and victory, the reason is not in doubt. It is simply this: the cause which produces these effects is not there.

The only source of such strength and victory is a thorough, abiding knowledge of God’s Word. Christian young people who are not thoroughly instructed in God’s Word can never be really strong and overcoming in their experience.

We are today in grave danger of underrating the spiritual capacity of young people and treating them in a manner that is altogether too childish. There is even a tendency to create in young people today the impression that God has provided for them some special kind of Christianity with lesser demands and lower standards than those which God imposes upon adults. In this connection Solomon made a very relevant and penetrating remark.

For childhood and youth are vanity (Eccl. 11:10).

In other words, childhood and youth are merely fleeting, external appearances which in no way alter the abiding spiritual realities that concern all souls alike.

William Booth’s daughter, Catherine Booth-Clibborn, expressed a similar thought when she said, “There is no sex in soul.” The deep, abiding spiritual realities upon which Christianity is based are in no way affected by differences of age or sex. Christianity is based upon such qualities as repentance, faith, obedience, self-sacrifice, devotion. These qualities are the same for men and women, boys and girls alike.