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1 John 2

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.² He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. ³ And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. ⁴ Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, ⁵ but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:⁶ whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

1 John  2:1-6

First John chapter 2 continues with John’s teaching on light and darkness. He begins by explaining even further that the reason he is writing these things is so that they (the church in context) may not sin. BUT if anyone does sin, they have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. John confirms that his discourse on the  idea that true Christians walk in the light and have no darkness in them is not a statement that means that Christians never sin. His whole point is that true Christians are to have a specific source for that light and any other source is a lie.

Jesus is a propitiation for our sin and not only for ours but for the sins of the whole world. The word propitiation here means, “a sacrifice that bears God’s wrath and turns it to favor.” Does this statement that John makes mean that Jesus’ death has saved the entire world? Obviously not. The main theme thus far has been that there are two camps: light and dark. Those in Christ and those who are not. Jesus’ death provides a way for all to be saved from the wrath of God. But John makes it clear that not everyone walks in the light of Christ. He goes on to give reasons for why he is writing this message to them. He addresses the little children, young men, and fathers, stressing that this message and reminder is universal. It is for everyone in all stages of spiritual maturity to hear.

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

1 John 2:15-17

John goes on to expound on light and darkness in practical terms: if Christ is the light, then the darkness is the world. He says that they should not love the world or the things in the world and explains that those things are the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life. This is not just a matter of staying away from worldly people or things. Our fleshly desires are not things we can separate from so easily. John is uncovering that the problem with light and darkness is not a matter of morality, it’s a matter of love and devotion. Our behavior and lifestyles are motivated by what we love and are devoted to. So, is the answer to try harder to love and devote our lives to God? No, even trying to love God on our own strength is just self-righteousness. The problem of loving God is not a matter of what we do but where we abide.

John brings up warnings against antichrists because they were people who denied that Jesus was the Christ, denying both the Son and the Father. There were threats of deception of people in the church causing some to stray from the gospel. John explains that those who fell prey to these false teachings did so because they didn’t abide in Christ. He stresses that in order to abide in Christ, the gospel of Christ must abide in them also.

Knowing Jesus is the key to abiding and therefore loving him. Jesus is our righteous advocate. He became the propitiation for our sins, taking on the wrath that we deserved. Being our advocate does not only mean that he took our punishment for us, he also achieved what we couldn’t through the resurrection. In Christ we are spared and also receive the promise of God for eternal life. John tells his audience that if what they heard from the beginning, this gospel message, abides in them, then they will also abide in Christ. Later in his letter, John states that we love because he first loved us. It is only the love of Christ that compels us to love him in return and through him we are able to walk in the manner he desires for us.

Letting the message of Christ our advocate abide in us draws us to abide in Christ. Our pride that hinders us from the light is broken and the fruit of righteous living is produced. We cannot stand confidently in the world or our own flesh. When our hearts are changed because of the God who loved us so much that he gave his Son for us at his own great expense, our lives are changed also. Because of this we are not afraid of God’s judgement because Christ stands in our place.

²⁸ And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. ²⁹ If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

1 John 2:28-29