1 John Episode 3 - Jesus Our Advocate

In Episode 3 of our study through 1 John, we explore 1 John 2:1–6 and discover the wonderful assurance that Jesus Christ is our Advocate before the Father. We examine the meaning of key Greek words such as Paraklētos (Advocate) and ginōskō (to know), revealing that knowing God is about a living, personal relationship rather than simply intellectual knowledge. Join us as we discover how Christ's finished work, His ongoing intercession, and a life of loving obedience give us confidence to walk closely with Him each day.

Transcript

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Hello and welcome to episode three of our study through the first epistle of John. In our previous episode we explored John's call to walk in the light. We saw that because God is light, he calls his people to live honestly before him. We also discovered that confession is not about living under guilt or condemnation, but about maintaining close fellowship with our Heavenly Father. As we bring our sins into His light, we experience His forgiveness, cleansing, and the wonderful freedom that comes from living openly before Him. John now continues that same conversation. He has just spoken about sin and confession, but He doesn't want His readers to misunderstand him. He isn't giving believers permission to sin simply because forgiveness is available. Neither is he leaving them discouraged because they continue to struggle with weakness. Instead, John beautifully holds together two great biblical truths. God calls us to pursue holiness. But when we fail, Christ stands ready to restore us. This passage is one of the clearest pictures in the New Testament of the ongoing ministry of Jesus on behalf of his people. I love the way John begins this chapter, my little children. The Greek expression is technia. It was a warm family expression. John isn't speaking as a distant theologian. He isn't speaking as a harsh critic. He speaks as an elderly spiritual father, addressing people he genuinely loves. Throughout this letter, we'll see this repeated again and again. John's concern is always pastoral. Even when he corrects error, his purpose is restoration. I think this is something the Church continually needs to remember. Truth and love should never be separated. Sometimes Christians become so focused on defending truth that they lose tenderness. Others become so focused on love that they stop speaking truth. John demonstrates both. John immediately tells us why he is writing. I write these things so that you may not sin. John isn't lowering God's standards, nor is he suggesting that sin is inevitable. God's desire is that his children increasingly reflect his character. The Christian life is not simply about receiving forgiveness. It is about transformation. Sometimes people misunderstand grace. They imagine grace means sin no longer matters. Paul addressed exactly the same misunderstanding when he asked, shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? By no means. Grace never encourages sin. Grace empowers holiness. The Holy Spirit is continually shaping us into the likeness of Christ. As we mature, we should see increasing victory over sinful attitudes, words, and actions. Not sinless perfection, but growing Christ likeness. John is wonderfully realistic. He knows believers still struggle. Notice carefully what he says. He doesn't say when anyone sins, as though failure is unavoidable. Neither does he pretend believers never fail. He simply says, if anyone does sin, John recognizes that while sin should never be accepted or excused, neither should failure lead us to despair. This balance is so important. Some Christians live with very little conviction about sin. Others live with overwhelming condemnation every time they fail. John avoids both extremes. He calls us to holiness while reminding us of God's abundant grace. John now introduces one of the richest words in the New Testament. We have an advocate with the Father. The Greek word is paraklatos. It literally means one called alongside to help. In the legal world, it describes someone who appeared in court on behalf of another: an advocate. A defender, someone who represented your case. The remarkable thing is that this same Greek word appears in John's Gospel. There Jesus promises to send another parakletos, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our helper here on earth. Jesus is our advocate before the Father. What a wonderful picture. When we sin, Jesus does not stand against us. He stands for us. Not because he excuses our sin, but because he has already paid for it. His presence before the Father is a continual reminder that the penalty has already been fully satisfied at the cross. I find that incredibly comforting. The enemy is described in Scripture as the accuser of the brethren. Satan delights in reminding us of our failures. Jesus reminds the Father of his finished work. The accuser points to our sin. Jesus points to his blood. The accuser seeks condemnation. Jesus brings restoration. John calls him Jesus, Christ the righteous. Only a perfectly righteous Savior could represent sinful people before a holy God. Jesus never needed forgiveness. He never confessed his own sins. He alone fulfilled the Father's will perfectly. This is why he alone could become our substitute. We do not come before God based upon our own righteousness. We come clothed in Christ's righteousness. That is one of the great themes of the gospel. Verse 2 says, He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. The Greek word is hilasmos. Different Bible translations render it as propitiation, atoning sacrifice. Sacrifice that turns away wrath. The word describes the sacrifice that completely satisfied God's righteous justice against sin. At the cross, both God's justice and God's love met together. God did not simply overlook sin, neither did he abandon us because of it. Instead, Jesus willingly bore our judgment. He became the sacrifice that made reconciliation possible. John then says, not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world. This does not mean every person is automatically saved. Rather, John's point is that Christ's sacrifice is sufficient for all humanity. The invitation of the gospel extends to every nation, every culture, and every person who believes in him. John now turns to one of the great themes of his letter. We know that we have come to know him. The word know appears repeatedly throughout 1 John. The Greek verb is ginosko. This is much more than intellectual knowledge. It describes knowledge gained through personal relationship and experience. There is another Greek word for factual knowledge, oida, which often refers to knowing something as a fact or having intuitive understanding. But ginosco speaks of knowing someone personally. This is exactly how John uses the word. To know God is not merely to believe certain doctrines. It is not simply attending church. It is not accumulating Bible knowledge. It is entering into an ongoing relationship with Him. John's Gospel records Jesus saying, This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. That relationship begins at conversion, but it continues to deepen throughout our lives. As I've often reflected over the years, I know far more about Jesus today than I did when I first became a Christian in my twenties. But even more importantly, I know him more deeply. Walking with him through seasons of joy, disappointment, unanswered questions, ministry, suffering, and blessing has deepened that relationship. Like any healthy relationship, knowing Christ grows through time spent together. That is exactly what John means. Christianity is not simply learning about Jesus, it is learning to walk with Jesus. John then gives us a practical test. If we keep his commandments, the Greek word for keep is tero. It means to guard, to watch over carefully, to treasure, and to observe. John is not describing reluctant obedience. He is describing someone who treasures Christ's teaching because they treasure Christ Himself. This is where obedience differs from legalism. Legalism says, I obey, so God will accept me. The Gospel says, God has accepted me through Christ, therefore I desire to obey him. Obedience is not the root of our salvation, it is the fruit of our relationship. Jesus Himself said, If you love me, you will keep my commandments. Notice the order, love first, obedience follows. John concludes with a profound challenge. Whoever says he abides in him ought himself also to walk, just as he walked. The word abide is minnow, which means to remain, continue, dwell, or stay. It is another favorite word of John's. In John 15, Jesus said, Abide in me and I in you. The Christian life is not primarily about trying harder, it is about remaining connected to Christ. As we abide in him, his life increasingly shapes ours. Our attitudes begin to change. Our priorities change, our words change, our relationships change. We become more like Jesus, not overnight, but progressively. As I reflect on these verses, I think they bring enormous encouragement. John is not writing to perfect people. He's writing to ordinary believers like you and me. People who genuinely love Jesus. People who still struggle, people who occasionally fail. His message is wonderfully balanced. Don't become comfortable with sin, but don't lose hope because of your failures. Pursue holiness. Walk in obedience. Remain close to Jesus. And whenever you stumble, remember this wonderful truth. You have an advocate. The one who died for you now lives for you. The one who forgave you continues to intercede for you. The one who began the good work in you will faithfully complete it. That gives us tremendous confidence. Our hope ultimately rests not in the strength of our grip on Christ, but in the strength of his grip on us. Thank you for joining me for episode three. In our next episode, we'll continue through 1 John 2 7-11, where John introduces what he calls both an old commandment and a new commandment, the command to love one another. We'll explore why love is the clearest evidence that we are walking in the light, and why hatred and bitterness are incompatible with a genuine relationship with Jesus. Until next time, may you continue to know Christ more deeply, remain in Him each day, and find great confidence in the wonderful truth that Jesus Christ, the righteous one, is your advocate before the Father.