November 9
“My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. And He Himself is the Propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world,” 1 John 2:1-2.
Like a loving father, the apostle John addresses the readers of this Epistle. He is writing a letter of love. The reason for writing it is to keep his readers from sinning – or, to express it another way, to encourage and help them to live a truly God-pleasing life, as summarized in Jesus’ own words: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,” and, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” Matthew 22:37, 39. Those words summarize what is written in the Ten Commandments.
While writing in love to keep his readers from sinning, the apostle John is also realistic. He knows that none of the readers of his Epistle are perfect. All of them are sinners, both then and now. So he addresses sinners, one and all, with a very special word of comfort to which they can turn when they sin: “If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.”
Before us we have a court scene. The holy, righteous God is the Judge. You and I are the convicted sinners. We are guilty of having broken every Law of God. We have broken every Commandment in thought, desire, word, or deed! Of ourselves, we are in a hopeless situation! On the basis of the Law, the verdict is death and damnation! “The wages of sin is death,” Romans 6:23. “The soul who sins shall die,” Ezekiel 18:20. “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the Book of the Law, to do them,” Galatians 3:10.
Into this divine courtroom enters our heavenly Attorney, the “Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.” An advocate is one who speaks on your behalf. That is what an attorney does in a civil court. However, in the divine courtroom, there is this major difference: The sinless Jesus Christ, our Advocate with the Father, also paid the penalty! With His holy, precious blood He washed all our sins away. He conquered death and the devil. With the penalty being fully paid, the verdict is, “You’re innocent! Go free!” What a blessing! Believe it and the blessing is yours! Depart in peace! The apostle Peter wrote, “You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot,” 1 Peter 1:18-19.
As our Advocate who speaks for us, Jesus still pleads and prays for us before the heavenly Father’s throne. To the Romans, the apostle Paul wrote, “It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us,” Romans 8:34.
“He Himself is the Propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” The Lord Jesus is also called the Propitiation for the sins of all people. He sacrificed Himself and paid the price to appease the wrath of God, and we are declared justified and forgiven.
“Since Christ hath full atonement made
And brought to us salvation,
Each Christian therefore may be glad,
And build on this foundation.
Thy grace alone, dear Lord, I plead;
Thy death is now my life indeed,
For Thou hast paid my ransom.
Faith clings to Jesus’ cross alone,
And rests in Him unceasing;
And by its fruits true faith is known,
With love and hope increasing.
Yet faith alone doth justify,
Works serve thy neighbor and supply
The proof that faith is living.” Amen.