Keeping Your Eyes on the Eternal

On Father's Day, we have an opportunity not just to honor our earthly fathers, but to reflect on our relationship with our Heavenly Father. While many of us were blessed with good, godly dads who taught us about faith and invested time in us, others may have experienced the opposite. Regardless of your experience with your earthly father, today can be a celebration because of our perfect Heavenly Father.

How Do Our Earthly Fathers Shape Our View of God?


Many of us view God through the lens of our earthly fathers. If your dad worked constantly, you might think God is too busy for you. If your father didn't understand you, you might believe God doesn't know your heart. If your dad left, you might fear God will abandon you too.


Our earthly fathers are merely imperfect reflections—fuzzy pictures of a picture. Some are decent images, modeling Christ well, while others are extremely distorted. The key is to remember that this lens is fuzzy and to look beyond it to see God as He truly is.

What Does Spiritual Maturity Look Like?


In 1 John 2:13-17, the apostle John addresses three groups based on spiritual maturity:

The Spiritually Mature ("Fathers")

"I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning."

These are believers who have walked with God for years. They've seen His faithfulness repeatedly, served Him through seasons of doubt, and remained bold in the face of fear. Their history with God gives them perspective.

The Spiritually Growing ("Young Men")

"I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one."

These believers are in the thick of spiritual battle—raising families, working hard jobs, fighting daily. They're strong because God's Word abides in them, and they've experienced victory over evil.

The Spiritually Newborn ("Children")

"I write to you, children, because you know the Father."

New believers who are just beginning their journey. Though they lack experience, they know the Father and are encouraged to grow by looking to more mature believers as examples.

Why Can We Face Spiritual Battles with Confidence?


John addresses each group twice, emphasizing past and present tense—"you have overcome," "you know," "you are strong." The point is clear: the war is already won. We battle from victory, not for victory.

It's like watching a football game replay when you already know your team wins. When you face setbacks, you don't panic because you know the final outcome. Christ has already secured the victory, so we can face spiritual battles with confidence.

How Should We Respond to Worldly Temptations?


John continues with a challenging command: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

Jesus raised the bar on what constitutes sin. In Matthew 5, He taught that anger equals murder and lust equals adultery in God's eyes. It's not just about actions but intentions—it's a heart issue.

Satan rarely tempts mature Christians with obvious sin. Instead, he slowly turns up the heat like the proverbial frog in boiling water. He uses seemingly innocent things—entertainment, politics, social media—to gradually pull us away from God.

As Watchman Nee wrote: "We flee sinful lust and with good reason. But when it comes to seemingly innocuous things as TV, YouTube, parties, politics—how readily do we lose our sense of values and fall prey to his enticements."

Even a little compromise can contaminate our whole life: "A little leaven leavens the whole lump" (Galatians 5:9).

Is This Standard Impossible to Meet?


God's standard seems impossible—and it is, by human strength alone. But remember:

"For nothing is impossible with God" (Luke 1:37).

Jesus repeatedly asked people to do the impossible:

  • Feed thousands with no resources

  • "Go and sin no more"

  • "Get up and walk" (to a paralyzed man)

  • "Sell all you have"

  • "Love your enemies"

  • "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect"


    • These commands aren't cruel when backed by God's power. With God, you can overcome depression, anxiety, addiction—anything.

    Life Application


    "The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:17).

    Keep your eyes on what lasts. Trends, technologies, and treasures of this world are temporary—rotary phones, 8-tracks, MySpace, Blockbuster—all have passed away or are passing.

    What truly matters is eternal:

    • Your marriage has eternal impact

    • Your fatherhood leaves a legacy

    • Your faithfulness bears fruit that doesn't rot


      • Questions to consider this week:

      1. What worldly things am I prioritizing over my relationship with God?

      2. How is my view of God distorted by my experience with my earthly father?

      3. Am I fighting spiritual battles from a position of victory or struggling to achieve victory?

      4. What seemingly "innocent" compromises have I allowed to creep into my life?

      5. How can I better invest in things that have eternal significance this week?


        6. Abide in prayer. Abide in scripture. Abide in God's presence. Reject what's temporary and live for what lasts by keeping your eyes on the eternal.

         

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