December 17 –
In the previous section of John’s letter () we saw the deceit that accompanies our attempts to “cover” our sin. The deceit starts with the claim that we have fellowship with God but refuse to acknowledge the sin we harbor in our lives and John says this makes our claim a lie and we are walking in darkness (disobedience). This is an attempt to deceive those around us ().
The second level of deceit is a lie we tell ourselves. This is the attempt to minimize or redefine the sin based on a standard we provide rather than God. After all, sin is defined by “missing the mark” of God’s standard which means the truth is not in us ().
The third level is a lie we tell about God! by refusing His standard and definition of sin, we essentially are trying to tell God He is wrong and somehow He just doesn’t understand how things work! Can you imagine?! The end result is God is not truthful about sin or my behavior. The promise of forgiveness depends upon our willingness to “confess”, to say the same thing, about our sin and the solution. Confession requires honesty about God’s perspective of sin and agreeing with Him, calling it what it is. Only then are we in the right position to stand in agreement about the forgiveness given through the blood of Jesus!
Are you on the “same page” with God’s truth, His word? We can spend a lot of time and energy trying to avoid it and pretend that somehow it does not apply to us, or we can live in the light and fullness of relationship with the Father! We all struggle and the Father speaks into the struggles with biblical truth! A person who pretends keeps himself from growing because what God wants him to be in Christ is smothered and stunted by that which is false.
John continues his letter by establishing the foundational truth that makes the deceit pointless. What is this foundational truth? We have an advocate, one who comes alongside, when we sin who is able to represent us before a holy and righteous God because He is the price that was paid, the propitiation, for our sins! Imagine, there is no darkness in God, at all, and yet every sin is an expression of darkness. Jesus is the provision for all the darkness of sin and stands then beside us, when we do sin, and bears the marks of God’s forgiveness in His body on our behalf!
This is the foundational truth! God is nuts about people! God hates sin! What a travesty when we excuse our sin in the name of God’s love. Through Christ, God has made forgiveness available to any who would believe Him – take God at His word! As the Atonement for sin, Jesus paid the price for all sin but only stands as the Advocate with those who have accepted Him as the sacrifice God has given! Oh, what a wonderful love God has lavished on us in Christ Jesus!
Is Jesus your advocate before the Father when you sin? Does He stand with you to declare your forgiveness through His blood? He does if you have accepted Him as the Savior! It is a given based on God’s truth! Live in it!
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (ESV)
6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. (ESV)
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (ESV)
2:1 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. (ESV)