"My little children, I am writing these things 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 those of the whole world."
Let us pray
Heavenly Father,
Father, we thank You for Your Word for us today. We are so grateful for our time together to study and fellowship with You. We are thankful for those whom You have gathered together with us, we ask that they would be richly blessed by the truths in Your Word. Thank You for revealing to us the reality of our salvation. May our hearts rejoice and overflow with joy.
Lord, we pray for those who obey not the gospel, who continue to live in disobedience and sin. We ask that You might tough their hearts and mind to receive the truth, confess their sin before You, turn from their sin and repent and acknowledge their need for Christ as Lord and Savior.
We ask and pray in Jesus' name
Amen
Today's Message: Sinless Perfection
Repentance not only God’s work in the heart leading to salvation, it is the continual pattern of the heart producing sanctification. Repentance is a work of God done in the heart necessary to salvation and equally sustained unto sanctification. Repentance and confession are one of the greatest themes in Scripture. By nature, true Christians repent. For the true believer, repentance is a way of life. In fact, I believe that confessing sin and repentance should be habitual. I believe that as the church, have not taught God’s grace properly. For many Christians, God's grace has become a license to continue in sin.
Allow me to point out that the fact that Christ’s blood restores the repentant believer to fellowship, doesn’t make the issue of sin any less serious. It is inevitable that we will sin and just because forgiveness is available ,
does not mean that we should take a lenient attitude toward sin. Even Christians sin daily, the difference is confession and repentance. God’s remedy for sin is obedience!
Sin is man's refusal to submit to God's law, sin is lawlessness, rebellion against God's Word. It is insubordination.
In
this section of our text, John is giving us a test, the test of true
salvation. In fact, if you will recall, John, throughout this epistle,
he gives us many tests. To John, repentance is an indicator of genuine
salvation. A believer who craves to grow more Christ-like, will find
that cleansing and conviction are necessary to leave the horrors of sin.
Out of his love for his readers, John turns to face the problem of sin head on.
Open with me your Bibles to I John 2:1-2. In our text, John uses three terms to describe Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. He wants you to understand that God graciously has forgiven you completely in Jesus Christ. He is sitting at the right hand of the Father, pleading your case, even when you sin. I believe, that by properly understanding this truth will not lead you to sin more, but rather, to sin less. God’s amazing grace that was lavished upon you when Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins.
I would like to invite you to follow along with me as I read, to set the text in our minds, while we prepare our hearts for what the Spirit of God is saying. Listen for the voice of our Lord. I John 2:1-2.
"My little children, I am writing these things 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 those of the whole world."
The Apostle John continues discussing the believers condition and conduct which he has
personally discovered by walking in God’s light. Having revealed that
even Christians sin daily, John goes on to point out God’s remedy for
sin and to exhort believers to obedience. Here, in verse 1, he's saying don’t abuse God’s grace, though you’re always confessing,don't think that sin is something you cannot avoid.
Sin is to be conquered.
You can rise above it in the strength of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul said in Romans chapter 6, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?"
John motivates us to a self-examination. John uses the term "My little children," throughout his letter. He's talking about children from God, who have experienced divine birth. Like Paul, John saw those who came to the faith under his ministry as his children. The word "little," is an enduring expression, makes us think of a familial relationship.
The word sin, is the Greek verb "hamartánō," meaning to miss the mark. God set the standard, and you've violated. It's used all through the New Testament to describe sin.
"And if anyone sins," this is what we call a third-class conditional with a subjunctive, and
what that means in Greek construction is that the "if" carries with it
the possibility. The word "if" weighs heavily on the side of possibility. It is a reality, it will happen.So, John is saying "I want to call upon you to not sin."
Then he adds "we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Advocate is the Greek word "paráklētos," which means intercessor, a helper, a comforter. It refers to one who is called alongside to help.
It is the same word that Jesus used to speak of the Holy Spirit in John 14:26, when He said " But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you."
"With the Father," with is the same word used in John 1:1, when he wrote "the Word was with God." It means whenever we need Him, He is always there, and comes to our aid. Whenever we sin, Satan, who is the accuser of the brethren, charges us as guilty before God. Jesus, then argues for our pardon because He paid the penalty for that sin by His substitutionary death. Therefore, we are held not liable for punishment.
Although, it is important that we should confess our sins before God, I'd like you to notice that John does not say, "If we confess our sins, we have an Advocate." Rather, he says "If anyone sins." Because our forgiveness and our standing with God, does not depend upon us, or anything that we do, but on the finished work of Jesus Christ.
John adds in verse 2, "and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world."
Here is the key to the doctrine of salvation. This an absolutely critical verse of Scripture, which embraces for us the wonderful reality of our salvation. If we sin, and we will sin, we have an Advocate with the Father. In other words, in the courtroom of sinners, we are the indicted before God, Who is responsible to uphold the perfection of His holy law. Jesus, pleads our case on our behalf before the righteous Father, Who is just. His compassion did not conquer His justice. His mercy dis not overwhelm His wrath. His love did not overpower His law, rather they work together in perfect harmony.
The word propitiation is the Greek word, "hilasmos." It is a word that is isolated to the Bible. Nobody ever uses that word today. It was used in ancient cultures. It simply means an appeasement. It is placation of what the law requires. It satisfies the law.
We need to understand, that every sin demands punishment. Justice was not at all ignored, justice was not compromised, it was not laid aside in our salvation. Justice was satisfied. Salvation is then, the perfect action of divine justice and grace, that allows God to justify sinners. He is the loving Father who sent His own Son to pay the penalty that we deserved! Jesus met the demands of God's holy law.
Isaiah 45:21 says "“Declare and set forth your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me."
It would seem then, that because we are guilty sinners that justice could not forgive us. God's gracious forgiveness is an act of holy justice. Do not mistake, however, God is a God of justice. God will not let sin go unpunished. And if we have place our faith in Him, our sins are paid in full! On the cross, Jesus paid the penalty for our sin. Jesus’ death had infinite merit to atone for the sins of all that the Father had given to Him. We can add nothing to what Christ has done.
Someone once said that you’re only as sick as our secrets. How healthy are you?
In Closing..
Every person who has ever lived has rebelled against God and has therefore, been duly sentenced to eternal punishment. The good news is that God, while being holy and just, is
also gracious and merciful, and so He offers complete forgiveness for
all violations of His law, and He offers complete escape and deliverance
from just punishment. It is available For anybody who believes in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, who repents for sin, and embraces Jesus Christ. Because you belong to God’s family, you have been delivered from eternal punishment. That is the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Beloved, if you are in Christ, you should rejoice over and over again for what Christ has done in your life.
God’s wrath will be satisfied. In some cases, where a person is unsaved, who is unregenerate, it will be satisfied by sinners in eternal hell, paying a just penalty for their sins. God’s wrath must be placated, and that is at the very core of salvation. Now, I realize, that’s not particularly popular topic today, in our culture, nobody wants to talk about sin, much less hell. But that is the truth. It's what the Bible says, it's theological.
Even among those who call themselves Christians, they'd prefer to think of the God of love, not the God of wrath. Punishment and pardon have to come together. The punishment of sin, which is the just penalty for violating God’s holy
law, and the pardon for sin, which is the gracious forgiveness of God’s
grace. Justice and grace have to come together. They have come together in a way that satisfies God. Jesus Christ was punished for the sins we commit. This is the basic reality of our redemption. Without propitiation, then justice demands the sinner’s everlasting
punishment. With propitiation, mercy demands the sinner’s everlasting
blessing. Jesus doesn’t make propitiation, He is the propitiation.
After Jesus Christ, there isn't any other offering. No matter how religious we are, we cannot offer a sacrifice that pleases God. We cannot appease God. You either accept Jesus Christ's atonement for your sins, or you must pay the penalty for sin yourself. Sin must be paid for. There is no other way!
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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