THE SINNING SAINT....Understanding important truths from the Bible….

I John 2:1  NKJV

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.

John is adamant from front to back that  a Christian should not sin.  His primary reason is given in chapter 1 vs 5.  He there states his premise, the same as Isaiah 6:3 and other instances where God’s absolute holiness is revealed,  And one cried to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

The whole earth is full of His glory!”

All that follows must be understood from the background of 1:5, This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

In I John 2:1 there is a conditional statement “If anyone sins.”  But the condition is not doubt of the sin of those to whom he speaks.  If this is so it makes the advocacy of Christ conditional.  The condition is the unique way of dealing with the Saint’s sin.  This has the single solution of the Advocate.  This one brings to His task three qualifications.

1.  He is an advocate “with the Father.”  There is no higher appeal.  He is able to appear at the Supreme Court level.  The determination made here is final.  It will not be overruled.  All that “light” represents in 1:5 will be satisfied here.
2. He is “Jesus Christ the righteous.”  This assures us of His ability to do His task of advocacy.  He is able to satisfy “light” in which there is “no darkness at all”.

Some would make light of the absolute demands for an impeccable Christ.  This requirement of Him justifies our defense of His impeccability.  For note the description, not who did righteousness, but “the righteous”.  His nature is at issue.  And to this we reply “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  His character is unchanging.

3.  I John 2:2 He is the propitiation for our sins.  The NASB translates “propitiation” as “atoning sacrifice.”  This is very good.  It is His sacrificial death that covers for sins.  Just as He is an advocate, as He is righteous, He is the atoning sacrifice.  Whatever the price of sin is: the offended law, the glory of God, the personal rebellion of the offender, or the wages that is due to sin this “propitiation” is adequate.
4.  “Not for ours only but for the whole world”, the last doubt is dispelled and the last question is answered.  For those who would ask, “Who, when, and where?”  They have their answer.  It is for anyone in any time and anywhere.  In 2014, in country Texas, for me it is the only thing that will and does satisfy God.  And I must say it more than satisfies me.