In tonight’s Bible study, we looked at 1 John 2:1-2 – the problem of sin and God’s solution! John is writing his letter to his ‘dear children’ (a phrase found predominantly in this letter) so that they will not sin, but he is well aware that we do still sin and so he reminds his readers of the solution to sin: one who is an Advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous One’ whose atoning sacrifice is sufficient not only for our sins but for the sins of the world!
The word translated as ‘advocate’ is in Greek parakletos, a word used elsewhere (John 14:16, John 14:26, John 15:26, John 16:7) of the Holy Spirit. It can be translated counsellor or comforter, but in the legal sense meant ‘one who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defence, legal assistant.’ (Thayer) Christ pleads our cause against the accuser (Rev 12:10) but also with the Father, not as a judge (for we have already passed from death to life – see John 5:24) but as one who lovingly offers forgiveness to us. Our advocate is Jesus Christ (the name reminds us of both His humanity and His messianic office – see Heb 2:14-15) who is the Righteous One. (2 Cor 5:21, 1 Pet 3:18) No one is righteous before God (Rom 3:10), hence we need One who is righteous to make us right with God: as Martin Luther said, ‘The righteousness of Christ stands on our side; for God’s righteousness is, in Jesus Christ, ours.’
Because Christ is righteous, the offering He makes (known as an ‘atoning sacrifice’ or ‘propitiation’ or ‘expiation’) is satisfactory to God. The means by which God’s wrath is averted is not a bribe; the initiation of propitiation is entirely ascribed to God (1 John 3:16, 1 John 4:10) God’s wrath is not averted by any external gift (as was the case in pagan worship), but by His own self-giving to die the death of sinners. We are therefore reassured that ‘if anyone does sin’, God already has provided a solution for our sin in the sacrifice and character of His Son, Jesus Christ!