1 John 2:1-6

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.  And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.  Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

We have a problem.  Our biggest, most difficult problem to deal with is sin.  Jesus has come to give us victory over sin.  There is no way that any of us were capable of gaining this victory apart from Christ.  He is at work for us and in us to provide that victory for all who believe.

THE WORK OF CHRIST FOR US: One of John’s goals in his writing is the prevention of sin in the lives of believers.  We all know that his efforts will only be partially successful.  Certainly, one of the results of Christs work on our behalf is that we will sin less.  However, his ultimate work is to eternally transform us so that we will be sinless.  Until then, Jesus is working as our advocate.  He is completely sinless.  He is the righteous one who advocates for us in the presence of the Father.  He has experienced temptation in every way that we have and knows the weaknesses associated with having a body while living on a sin-cursed planet.  He intercedes with the Father on our behalf.  It should be a great comfort to know that we have and advocate that “gets it” in the very throne room of God.  But it gets even better.  Jesus is also the propitiation for our sin.  That is a big theological word that basically means a reason not to punish.  Christ has made atonement for our sin in His very own body.  The Father poured out His wrath over sin on Jesus.  He paid for all our transgressions on the cross.  All who have trusted Christ have this work being accomplished on their behalf in the very presence of God.

THE WORK OF CHRIST IN US: We can know that we have availed ourselves to the work that Christ has done for us is by observing the work that Christ is doing in us.  We will understand that we are alive in Christ be our obedience to Him.  Those who claim to have experienced Christ’s saving work but do not obey His commands, are being dishonest with themselves, others, and God.  Christ sends His Spirit to indwell the life of every true believer.  The work of the Spirit in us is basically to make us be like Jesus.  Submission to God’s will in every area of our lives is the obvious result of Christlikeness.  The other is the perfection of God’s love in us.  We will obey Him because we love Him and we will demonstrate our love for Him by loving others as Christ has loved us.  Obedience and love are the two key characteristics that demonstrate the work of the Lord Jesus Christ in our lives.

APPLICATION: Praise the Lord Jesus Christ for His constant and perfect work as our advocate and for having paid the price for our sin.  Respond to His astounding work for us by being obedient to Him and by loving the Father and others like He loved.  Rejoice in the hope that we have that we will be eternally sinless, living in perfect obedience, and loving just like Jesus loved.

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