As we leave the first chapter we have a clear picture of who Christ is. He is the Son of God, the Word of life,and His blood cleanses us from all sin. We also should be clear that we sin and all of us sin no exceptions. John has repeated these themes over in the first chapter so we clearly know and believe who Jesus is and what He has done for us. He also wants us to know that we can't just say we have fellowship with Christ and continue to walk in darkness for then we are lying to ourselves and calling God a liar.
Chapter two pushes forward and the themes established in the first chapter will be repeated throughout the book and is the foundation on which John tells us about love, truth and obedience. Today we look at the first two verses.
John 2:1
1 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.
First lets breakdown these verses to understand the specific words John uses here.
Τεκνία-teknion-a little child, (figuratively) someone deeply loved (endeared). In the N. T. used as a term of kindly address by teachers to their disciples
Notice John's tenderness and passion shown in how he addresses them as his children, longing for them to know their true self in Christ and not be led away by sin and false teaching. His passion and love for the church and fellow believers is nurturing and tender and as we see later guiding, correcting, urging obedience and love.
παράκλητον-paraklétos-called to one's aid ,advocate, intercessor, a consoler, comforter, helper, Paraclete. properly, a legal advocate who makes the right judgment call because close enough to the situation, is the regular term in NT times of an attorney (lawyer)
This term is only used five times in the New Testament and all by John. We see it four times in the gospel of John and only one time in 1 John. This term is applied to the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26 ) and in context of Jesus farewell speech (John 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7) Jesus promises another paraklétos for them implying that He has served as a paraklétos for His followers. In this 1 John reference the term is used where Jesus serves as a correct, righteous, by implication innocent, just; especially, just in the eyes of God; righteous;advocating in the courts of heaven with the Father on the sinners behalf.
( for further study this can be compared to Hebrews 4:14-5:6 where Jesus is our great High Priest)
δίκαιος - dikaios-correct, righteous, by implication innocent, just; especially, just in the eyes of God; righteous;
Righteous relates to conformity to God's standard i.e. walking in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:8)
John writes these things to the church so that they may not sin which we all know still happens for we will never be without sin until we are with Christ in heaven. Our joy can not be full unless we are earnest against sin, knowing that even the most holy can never be perfect. Sin is a part of life but John urges us to stop sinning, strive to be against sinning and to despise our sin and avoid it. Knowing that we will continue to sin in our earthly bodies although being earnest against it we can rest in the knowledge that we have an Advocate or paraklétos. One Who is perfect, righteous, innocent and just in God's eyes Who makes the right judgement call because He is close enough to our salvation and situation by having become man Himself on earth.
This leads us into the next verse;
John 2:2
2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
ἱλασμός - hilasmos- a propitiation , atoning sacrifice, is only used twice (1 Jn 2:2, 4:10) – both times of Christ's atoning blood that appeases God's wrath, on all confessed sin. By the sacrifice of Himself, Jesus Christ provided the ultimate hilasmós.
ὅλος - holos - all, the whole, entire, complete.
κόσμος - kosmos - the world, universe; worldly affairs; the inhabitants of the world;
Christ is not only our Advocate but He is our propitiation. We are forgiven, cleansed and loved. A word study on the word hilasmos and its variations reveals how complete His sacrifice was for us. *
I love the way John says that Christ is the propitiation not for only us but for the whole world.
This does not imply that everyone will be saved but that Christs death results in forgiveness for all who enter into relationship with Him. His advocacy is then limited to believers and His propitiation extends as widely as sin extends.
I love this quote in reference to the unbelievers:
Even the ungodly were bought by His "precious blood." It shall be their bitterest self-reproach in hell, that, as far as Christ's redemption was concerned, they might have been saved (Jamison-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)
and just when we think that God's grace is for everyone but ourselves this quote speaks to Johns truth:
Luther: "It is a patent fact that thou too art a part of the whole world; so that thine heart cannot deceive itself, and think, the Lord died for Peter and Paul, but not for me."
So the question is do you believe that Christ is your Advocate and your perfect hilasmos?
if not why? what stands in your way?
Lastly who do you know that needs to know Christ as their perfect hilasmos?
As always my prayer is that this will be a stepping stone for you to search the scriptures to know God and His word for yourself and not just what I have written here about what I have learned. God Bless and I'm praying for you.
* Romans 3:25 hilasterion
Hebrews 2:17 hilastomai
1 John 4:10 hilasmos
John 1:29 airo
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