"I write to you, Fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one.  I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father" (I John 2:13).

Knowing the Father is one of the most important things for Christians.  Our Heavenly Father chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, so he could have a relationship and love fellowship with us as sons (Eph. 1:4; I John 1:3).  At the Spirit birthing our Heavenly Father put the incorruptible Seed of His Son in us (I Pet. 1:23). We received the complete Christ in that Seed.  We received the Father's nature and Spirit in Christ.  For in Christ, "dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9). Christ is the radiance of the Father's glory, and the express image of His essence (Hebr. 1:3).  Jesus said, that if you have seen and known Him, then you have seen and known the Father.  That strikes at the very heart of the matter.  We need to really fully know Christ, as taught and revealed by the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13-15).  Then, the Christ that is within us will teach and reveal the Father to us (Matt. 11:27).

There are various levels of knowing the Father.  John talks about the child, young man, and father level at knowing the Father.  At the child level, we know the Father as the One who has loved us and saved us by His grace.  The Father has forgiven our sins (I John 2:12).  We have overcome the world by simply believing that Jesus is the Son of God and our Lord and Savior (I John 5:4-5). Child level is knowing the Father in His love and grace.  Child level is  also  knowing our Lord's salvation and that our sins are forgiven (I John 2:12). Young man level is knowing the Father in His word and letting His word abide in us, thus knowing the strength of Christ in us (I John 2:14; Phil. 4:13).  Young man level is where we overcome the devil through the life and strength of Christ in us (I John 2:13b). Father level is knowing the Father from the very beginning of all things.  Father level is knowing the Father in His eternal plan for all things.  He chose us to be in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4).