Beloved radio friends, we greet you in the ever-precious and the worthy name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our beloved Savior. This is your Bible teacher of the air speaking, J.W. Bramhall, giving every listener a warm welcome to our meditation upon the Word of God. Our particular theme and study at the present time is God the Father and His Family. a most wonderful New Testament theme, one that is not found in its joy and fullness within the confines of the Old Testament, but only within the new. For we have already noted that it was not until the coming into this world of the Son of God from the Father above that the name of the Father, the character of the Father, The heart of the Father, the complete revelation of the Fatherhood of God, was made known. We may well realize, and I do counsel all my listeners to realize this fact, who but the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, who understands and knows perfectly the Father's heart, who is the Father's object of deepest affection, and who was the delight of that Father, who but the Son of God could ever reveal, His Father to mankind. We may ask the question earnestly, sincerely, beloved radio friend, do you know God as your Father? By that we mean, and again imply, tis not the fatherhood of all men that we are speaking about. but only the fatherhood of God, as he is only the father of all who believe upon him and upon his beloved son, those who have become his children. We ask the question in another manner. Radio listener, are you a child of God? Are you sure that you are in the family of God? For we have noted that our Saviour came into this world to gather the family for the Father, out of every kindred and tongue, out of every tribe and people and nation. And throughout the world the Holy Spirit of God, by the preaching of the Gospel, His winning and bringing, by regeneration, by the new birth, those who are the Father's children. May we just pointedly say one fact before we go further in our study. How can one become a child of God? We quote one verse of Scripture in particular. John chapter one and verse twelve. My listener, if you are a desirous to be a child of God, here is how you may become one of God's children. To as many as received him, that is the Son of God. That is Christ. To as many as received him, to them gave he the power, meaning the right, the privilege, the authority to be called the sons of God or the children of God, even to them that believe on his name. Thus we ask again, radio listener, have you received the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? Today we will begin another side of this wonderful subject, not particularly relating to the Father, but now relating to his children, the members of his family. For thank God the Word of God reveals to us the family belonging to the Father. We will turn to first epistle of John, reading in chapter two from verses twelve through thirteen for our meditation today. And may I state, as we read these words in the epistle of John, this whole letter written by John the Apostle, his first epistle is particularly addressed to the family of the Father, to the children. Now listen to these words as we begin reading in verse twelve of chapter two of the first epistle of John. John by the Holy Spirit writes, saying, I write unto you children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. I write unto you fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you little children, because ye have known the father. Now we may well clearly recognize such words as these are addressed directly to the members of the Father's family. Are you a child of God, my radio friend? Then these words are directed to your heart as well as to mine, belonging as the child of God in the Father's family. But may I please note with you that in the scripture that we have read and which we shall consider going down further in the chapter later, we have a division a scriptural division regarding the family. For in verse thirteen, may I first of all point out, there are three grades of family development indicated in the children. In verse thirteen, John writes directly and specifically to a group in the family of God, whom he calls fathers. Then he writes in the center of this thirteenth verse to another group whom he turns to be young men. Then to the end of the verse his words are directed to those whom he calls little children. Now think carefully with me of these three phases of family growth and family development that indicate The father has three classifications of children within his family. First of all, fathers, second, young men, third, little children. Now we may realize that this is only in relation to their development, the grades of growth in the family of the father. Now may I make an application that is certainly practical in human life? In our earthly families we have children of varied growth and of varied development, beginning with the little infants born as babes into the family, growing on as they grow to youth, whether youth that is manhood or womanhood, and then ultimately reaching physically attainment to that which is matured. And these three expressions, the fathers, the young men, and the little children, are expressions that indicate the development of the father's family. Now it is not a physical development that is implied. It is a spiritual development. The fathers have matured in a spiritual character. The young men are growing well in a spiritual manner. The little children who may have just been brought into the family and are yet bathed in Christ are nevertheless in the family and, as infants, classified here. Now we may ask a proper question. Why do I stand? What am I in the family of God? Am I a matured spiritual Christian? Am I a young man that is going on well and increasing in spiritual strength and development? Or am I yet a little child? Have I grown? Now let me raise the question carefully. You may be in the family of God a long time and not And most unfortunately, you may not grow. You may not develop your spiritual senses, your spiritual growth, your spiritual character, your spiritual strength. And I'm sure that we can certainly state there are many unfortunate Christians who have failed to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May I link together with these thoughts the words of the Apostle Peter. In First Peter chapter two and verse two, the beloved apostle was concerned about the newborn babes growing. And he declared in that verse, First Peter two, verse two, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that she may grow thereby. Thus we may realize the necessity of growing. the compulsion that God would have his children grow and develop. Peter again writes at the end of his second epistle, chapter three, in verse eighteen, exalting, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Now may I repeat, what we are now commencing to study in this epistle of John is in regard to the family. the children of the family. There are three grades of spiritual growth and development. The fathers who have gone on and kept going on to full maturity of spiritual development. The young men, whom we shall study in detail, who also have gone on and still persist to go on seeking to reach spiritual maturity. The little children, Who may be just in the family, recently brought? Nevertheless, they are members of the family. So may we recognize God has a family. Are you in that family, my radio friend? Then if you are, may I ask, how long have you been saved? How long have you been in God's family? And then may I ask, how have you grown? What has been the state of your spiritual development as well as mine? These are pertinent, practical questions. As we look at the division of the family of God in this threefold way, may God speak to our hearts and consciences. Father, bless and sanctify the truth that we have covered, and particularly to thy children and thy family, for the glory of the Savior. Amen.