OUR ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER

Passage: 1 John 2:1-6

Key verse: 1

NIV

2 My dear children,(A) I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate(B) with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,(C) and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.(D)

Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers

3 We know(E) that we have come to know him(F) if we keep his commands.(G) 4 Whoever says, “I know him,”(H) but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.(I) 5 But if anyone obeys his word,(J) love for God[a] is truly made complete in them.(K) This is how we know(L) we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.(M)

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. 1 John 2:5 Or word, God’s love
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Christ Our Advocate

2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, (A)we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 (B)He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but (C)also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we (D)keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments (E)is a liar, and (F)the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever (G)keeps his word, in him truly (H)the love of God is perfected. (I)By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he (J)abides in him (K)ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Read full chapter
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. The atoning sacrifice (1-2)

We are God's children, and we don't want to sin. But when we are honest with ourselves, we know that we sin daily in thought, word and deed. Sin is serious, for it is rebellion against God; the wages of sin is death. When I stand before God's judgment throne, I can only plead guilty. But there is one who speaks to the Father in my defense. He is Jesus Christ the Righteous One who shed his blood on the cross to atone for my sins and the sins of the whole world. When I belong to him, his blood atones for my sins. He is my advocate, my defender; he speaks for me.

2. Obey him (3-6)

How do I know that I belong to Jesus? When by faith I obey his command to love others, I know I belong to him. When I accept his atoning sacrifice for my sins, he comes into my heart. His love begins to change my rebellious heart. I obey him and walk in his ways because I love him.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for Jesus' atoning death for my sins. Help me to love Jesus more and walk with him today.

One Word: Jesus is my friend and advocate