1 John 2:1-2 (The Propitiation)

Chapter 2...

Verses 1-2:

"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."

The second chapter starts off continuing with the idea of the first. John begins by stating, “I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.” Because inevitably people would try (and do) to use 1 John 1:9 as a license to sin. John wants the reader to respond to God’s mercy with a life of obedience to God. As 2 John 1:6 says, “This is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.”

Obviously being obedient is to walk in truth as described in chapter 1 and to disobey God is to walk in darkness, and not know the truth.

John continues, “but if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” The greek word for “Advocate” is parakletos = a “helper”, such as an attorney in a legal matter, who will plead our case for us. (Heb. 7:25 and 9:24 will help to shed light on that). “Jesus Christ the righteous” is presented as the sacrifice, advocate, and example.

" He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."

A propitiation is a sacrifice to God meant to take away the enmity brought by sin between God and the worshiper. Only Christ can be an effective propitiation. Earlier in Romans 3:25-26 it is worded like this:

"Whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

He is not just the propitiation for our sins (referring to John and his immediate community that he is writing to), but the propitiation is valid anywhere in the world. A sacrifice which requires no addition or supplement.

John 1:29:
"The next day [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'

I didn't want to make this overly extensive so I will continue with Chapter 2, Lordwilling, in the coming blogs.