Jesus The Atoning Sacrifice

1 John 2

In Jesus Christ, you have an Advocate, representing you before God’s throne. When you confess your sin to Jesus and intentionally turn from your sin in humility and brokenness over your sin, and faithfully lean into and committedly follow Him, you will receive His faithful forgiveness.
 
“My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one. 2 He himself is the atoning sacrifice, for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world. 3 This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the love of God is made complete. This is how we know we are in him: 6 The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked.” 1 John 2:1-6
 
In Him, you also have an example, and you should “walk just as He walked.” As a follower, we must continually seek Him and pray for the indwelling Holy Spirit to make us more like Jesus Christ, and saturate ourselves with His life as you daily read the Gospels.
 
“Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the word you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother or sister is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother or sister remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But the one who hates his brother or sister is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he’s going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” 1 John 2:7-11

From Jesus Christ, you have a commandment to love God’s people. The Father gave this commandment to Israel and the Son to His disciples, and the Spirit enables us to obey it.
 
“This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5
 
“I am writing to you, little children, since your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one. 14 I have written to you, children, because you have come to know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, God’s word remains in you, and you have conquered the evil one.” 1 John 2:12-14
 
Because of Jesus Christ, you and I have a family. We have been grafted in by accepting and trusting in His death, burial, and resurrection. The members are at different stages of spiritual development, but all can receive His Word and grow. How wonderful is it when the “little children” become mature in the faith to young men and then fathers!
 
“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 everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever. 1 John 2:15-17
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Dr. Tony Evans asks, “What does the world offer you? First, it promises to satisfy legitimate desires in illegitimate ways (the lust of the flesh). Eating is legitimate; gluttony is worldly. Sex is legitimate; immorality is worldly. Second, the world tempts your mind through what your eyes see (the lust of the eyes). The biblical word for this is covetousness, which is desiring and pursuing that which is not legitimate for you to have. Third, there is the pride in one’s possessions—that is, living to impress others. What those in love with the world forget, however, is that the world with its lust is passing away. Worldliness makes the “now” more important than eternity. But you are passing through, and the world is passing by. It’s transient. Only the one who does the will of God remains forever. The price tag for loving the world is the loss of personal intimacy with God.”

“Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. By this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I have not written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar, if not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This one is the antichrist: the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; he who confesses the Son has the Father as well. 24 What you have heard from the beginning is to remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he himself made to us: eternal life. 26 I have written these things to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you don’t need anyone to teach you. Instead, his anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie; just as it has taught you, remain in him.” 1 John 2:18-27

You and I have some enemies, the world and the false teachers. Christians who love the world lose the enjoyment of the Father’s love and the desire to do His will. We overcome the world only with God’s love and the liars with God’s truth.
 
“So now, little children, remain in him so that when he appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know this as well: Everyone who does what is right has been born of him.” 1 John 2:28-29

We have a wonderful hope, the coming of Jesus Christ. We are to abide in Him so we will not be ashamed when He comes.

Dr. Tony Evans states, “A Christian can be accepted but not acceptable. A child who plays in the mud, for instance, is accepted by his or her parents; he or she is not, however, in an acceptable condition. Live every day on high alert, looking for Jesus to return, and it will influence how you live.”
 
Are you acceptable? Have you been adopted into the family of God by accepting and trusting on the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you know that you are created and loved by God? Do you understand the devastating and dividing destruction Satan and his army is seeking through our sin nature? Will you if you haven’t received Christ forgiveness for your sin and God’s love by trusting in the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, God’s only Son? Today, give Him thanks for providing a way for forgiveness and eternal life.

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