We have an advocate

1. 1 John 2:1-2 We have an advocate

2. 1 “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:1-2

3. So the apostle frequently addresses the whole body of Christians. It is a term of tenderness and endearment, used by our Lord himself to his disciples, John 13:33. And perhaps many to whom St. John now wrote were converted by his ministry. • John 13:33 ““My children, I will be with you only a little longer.” “My little children…..”

4. This Epistle was written in Ephesus between the years 95–110. The work was written to counter docetism, the heresy that Jesus did not come "in the flesh," but only as a spirit. It also defined how Christians are to discern true teachers: by their ethics, their proclamation of Jesus in the flesh, and by their love. What is the Historical Context? “I am writing…”

5. “Thus he guards them beforehand against abusing the doctrine of reconciliation. All the words, institutions, and judgments of God are leveled against sin, either that it may not be committed, or that it may be abolished.” (John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes) “Write I unto you, that ye sin not.”

6. John 8:10-11 “When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” Hebrews 8:11 “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” “Write I unto you, that ye sin not.”

7. The Greek word for grace is caris. Its basic idea is simply “non-meritorious or unearned favor, an unearned gift, a favor or blessings bestowed as a gift, freely and never as merit for work performed.” Grace is “that which God does for mankind through His Son, which mankind cannot earn, does not deserve, and will never merit.” (J. Hampton Keathley, III) “But if anyone sins…” How are we to view grace vs. mercy?

8. “Forgiveness does not remove the moral obligation to obey the commands of God. Some readers may take the promise of 1:9(“he is faithful and just to forgive”) as a license to sin, but John makes clear that this would be to abuse and misapply the promise.” (Reformation Study Bible) “But if anyone sins…” How are we to view grace vs. mercy?

9. Romans 6:1-2 “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Should we sin freely if we know we’ll be forgiven?

10. παράκλητοςparaklétos: called to one's aid. Defined: (a) an advocate, intercessor, (b) a consoler, comforter, helper, (c) Paraclete John 14:16; 14:26; 15:26, 16:7 use the same word paraklétoswhich refers to the Holy Spirit! “advocate”Defined

11. Jo.14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you. Jo.14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name. paraklétos=Holy Spirit

12. Jo.15:26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. Jo.16:7-9 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: paraklétos = Holy Spirit

13. “We have for our advocate, not a mean person. Not a guilty person, who stands in need of pardon for himself; but Jesus Christ the righteous; not a mere petitioner, who relies purely upon liberality, but one that has merited, fully merited, whatever he asks.” (John Wesley’s Notes on the Bible) Character of the advocate

14. As our advocate, he undertakes to be our security that no wrong shall be done to the universe if we are not punished as we deserve; that is, if we are pardoned, and treated as if we had not sinned. This he does by pleading what he has done on behalf of people; that is, by the plea that his sufferings and death in behalf of sinners have done as much to honor the law, and to maintain the truth and justice of God. (Barnes Notes on the Bible) Is there a legal implication here?

15. ἱλασμός – hilasmosAn atoning sacrifice, a sin offering, an expiator (an “atoner” to make amends, show remorse, or suffer punishment for wrongdoing) “And He is the propitiation for our sins…” “He is the atoning sacrifice who makes amends for us through His suffering”. “propitiation”Defined

16. “He alone is "the Righteous One," who received his nature pure from sin, and as our Surety perfectly obeyed the law of God, and so fulfilled all righteousness.” (Matthew Henry) “The gospel, when rightly understood and received, sets the heart against all sin, and stops the allowed practice of itat the same time it gives blessed relief to the wounded consciences of those who have sinned.” “…Jesus Christ the righteous”

17. “Not only for the past, or us present believers, but for the sins of all who shall hereafter believe on him or come to God through him. The extent and intent of the Mediator's death reach to all tribes, nations, and countries. As he is the only, so he is the universal atonement and propitiation for all that are saved and brought home to God, and to his favour and forgiveness.” “…but also for the sins of the whole world.”