12-3-2017 Hamartiological Hope 1 John 2:1-2
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Introduction:
The Pilot shares this anecdote:
A young minister was confronted—as the congregation expected—with an able young skeptic, Burt Olney. At the close of the first service Olney said, "You did well, but you know, I don't believe in the infallibility of the Bible."
"It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment," was the young minister’s calm assertion.
"I can prove to you there is no such thing as a judgment after death," declared the skeptic.
"But men do die," the young pastor declared, "for it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."
"But that's no argument," the skeptic protested, "let's get down to business and discuss this matter in regular argument form."
The pastor shook his head no. "I am here to preach the Word of God, and not to argue over it."
Olney, now annoyed, turned away with the remark, "I don't believe you know enough about the Bible to argue about it."
"Perhaps you are right," was the calm response, "but please remember this—'It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.' "
The very tree toads Olney heard on the way home seemed to sing this verse, and the stream he crossed, and the frogs seemed to croak, "Judg-ment, judg-ment, judgment."
The next morning the skeptic returned to the church, "I've come to see you about the verse of Scripture you gave me last night," he said. "I've spent a terrible night with those words burning their way into me. I can't get rid of them. Tell me what I must do to be saved. I've got to get rid of this torture."
When he left, he was a child of God through faith in the finished work of Christ.
Transition:
This judgement is certainly a scary thing for those perishing, but not so for the believer! And the only reason it is never to scare the believer is that we have One who has interceded for us. John knew and wrote of the One who advocates on our behalf in order that we will not be destroyed by judgement:
Scripture Reading:
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.
If the first step for living in the light (1:5, 7) is to confess sin (1:9), then the second step must be to forsake all sin (2:1). It appears in chapter 1 that John was emphasizing human sinfulness in order to make his readers abhor their sin to the degree of wanting to do anything to stay free from its control. Last week, we saw the devastation that can result in our denial of our sin nature. And last week we saw the answer to problems in our relationships that directly effect our fellowship with God and with men, or in less words: hamartiological happenings.
Transition:
This morning we are introduced in the start of chapter 2 to details of the good news about when we sin, or in less words: our hamartiological hope! So let’s look at the who, what, where, when, why, and how of this hope:
I. The Who & Why (v.1)
I. The Who & Why (v.1)
Right from the start, several people are mentioned: Jesus; the Father; the audience; and indirectly, even John, himself. But the titles he supplies us is indeed noteworthy:
My little children, I am writing these things to you in order that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one,
Children, Advocate, Christ (it is technically not a name, but officially a title), Father, Righteous one, and even a singular 1st person pronoun!
“These things” looks back on what he has just written in ch. 1:5–10. In this first verse of chapter 2, we gather one of the purposes for John’s writing. What he has said about confessing sin instead of denying it was said in order to encourage them to avoid sin, not to allow sin to be permissible!
He does not want his readers to sin even though he has already reminded them that they are sinful and do have sin that needs to be confessed. However, he has said these things about sin, not to ignore the issue, but to make them aware of its danger in their lives and so to put them on guard against it.
2:1 Starts off “My little children”. You could be thinking that this sounds a little condescending or patronizing. But with a closer look, you see that John changes his personal address from plural to singular--with this subtle switch he makes the exhortation even more personal. He changes the tone of his message to speak personally and lovingly to his readers.
John uses two different words for children in I John: (1) τεκνία (as seen here) and (2) παιδία in verses 13 & 18. They are near synonymous with no obvious theological differences and both words are littered through the rest of this epistle; however there could be hints that τεκνία might imply spiritual fatherhood for John and his reader. These affectionate terms here could also be from John’s age being a bit more advanced than the majority of his readers at the time of his writing this book.
“So that you might/should not sin” This is an AORIST SUBJUNCTIVE verb which means that we cannot translate or interpret this to mean, “continue in sin”. I believe John is making a distinction between PRESENT TENSE, an ongoing habitual lifestyle of sinning (cf. 3:6, 9), and aorist individual acts of sin committed by struggling and tempted Christians. He is trying to bring a balance between the two extremes of (1) taking sin too lightly; and (2) Christian harshness and punitive punishment over personal sins. These two extremes likely reflect two different heresies being spread. One group taught that salvation was just an intellectual accent; so it didn’t matter how one lived because the body was already evil. The other group also taught that the body was evil and, therefore had to be severely limited to the point of abuse in its desires.
John teaches that you will stay free from sin by avoiding it, refusing it, fleeing from it, but then also confessing it when it does happen. Christians will sin because they have not yet been made perfect. John fully understood this.
“and if anyone sins” Here we go again with the “if”s! This is a THIRD CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCE which speaks of potential, even probable, action. Yes, we know even Christians sin, but here this verse is continuing the concept from Ch. 1 v.7 as it relates to the issue of Jesus’ work of continuously cleansing believers.
He did not want his readers to take the inevitability of sinning as an excuse to sin. The tension between the phrases “so that you may not sin” and “if you do sin” is the balance between a too harsh or too lenient view of sin. “Believers have no business sinning,” says John, “but when they do sin … God has provided a way for them to be cleansed.” WHAT HOPE! WHAT LOVE!
“we have an Advocate with the Father” This is a PRESENT INDICATIVE which refers to Jesus’ ongoing intercession as our heavenly Paraclete (Παράκλητος)—the same paraclete word as the Holy Spirit is called in so many places throughout the NT. This was a legal term for a defense lawyer or “one called alongside to help” (from para, beside and kaleō, to call). It is used in the upper room last meal discourse in the Gospel of John, for the Holy Spirit, our earthly, indwelling advocate [[John 14:16, & 16:7]].
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
Paul used this same concept for the intercessory work of the Messiah in Rom. 8:34.
Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
In this exact same passage he also speaks of the intercession of the Holy Spirit in Rom. 8:26.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
We have an Advocate in heaven (Jesus) and an Advocate within (the Spirit), both of whom the Father sent on His behalf—why? Because He LOVES US. Using John’s terms: those who are walking in light, and yet still sin in this life have a representative before The Judge.
So now back to our passage :
My little children, I am writing these things to you in order that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one,
“Jesus Christ the righteous [one]” This is a title for YHWH, the Father, as we saw in 1:9. John again is proving the oneness of GOD. It speaks of the sinlessness (holiness, God likeness) of Christ (cf. 3:5; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 2:18; 4:15; 7:26; 1 Pet. 2:22). He was the Father’s means of bringing “righteousness” to a people.
When believers sin and then come to the Father for forgiveness, there is someone to plead for them before the Father. This “one” is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely. Christ’s righteousness contrasts with humanity’s sinfulness. Not only is Jesus the Judge’s Son, but he also has already paid the penalty. Because the Christ fulfilled the law and paid sin’s penalty for all who believe, he can plead for them on the basis of justice as well as mercy. Believers cannot be punished because someone else, namely this righteous one, has already taken the full punishment for them.
Transition:
I think that about answers the “Who & Why” so now we’ll explore the “What & How”
II. The What & How (v.2)
II. The What & How (v.2)
In short, the “What” is propitiation, and the “How” is… propitiation!
and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
What is propitiation? Good Question! I don’t fully know!!! BUT, God had made enough known about it for us right now in this age! Theologically speaking, it is a loaded word and yet, relatively speaking, little is known about this particular word. The term ἱλασμός (translated propitiation here) is only used twice in the entire NT, both times by John, and both times in this letter (the other in ch. 4:10). In our English translations, propitiation pops up a few more times in the NT--mainly in Romans and Hebrews however these other occurrences are truly a different word, but they do share the same root word.
In the Septuagint, this exact word is used for the lid of the Ark of the Covenant called the mercy seat or place of atonement. and that’s why you can actually find a couple translations that translate this propitiation here as Mercy Seat. The root of this word means gracious and merciful--and even cheerful comes from this root word!
Jesus put Himself in our guilty place, the mercy seat, to stand before YHWH guiltless, yet counted guilty, So that YHWH is gracious and merciful to us, the guilty, that we are seen as guiltless. this is what Paul meant when he wrote (Rom. 3:25).
whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
now let me try to explain why it is so loaded theologically:
The modern English translations differ a little bit on how to understand this sacrificial term when considering the OT’s six uses in the LXX. The term “propitiation” implies that Jesus made peace with the wrath of God through an act of atonement (namely, the cross) by way of the Judge’s pardon (forgiveness) for guilt.
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
God’s holiness is offended by mankind’s sin. This is dealt with in the ministry of Jesus (cf. Rom. 3:25; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 2:17).
whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
Some scholars (i.e. C. H. Dodd) feel that a pagan (Greek) concept (appeasing the anger of a deity) should not be applied to YHWH; therefore, they prefer “expiation” whereby Jesus’ ministry dealt with mankind’s guilt before God and not God’s anger against sin. However, both are biblically true.
“for our sins; and not ours only, but also for those of the whole world” This refers to unlimited atonement (cf. 4:14; John 1:29; 3:16, 17; Rom. 5:18; Titus 2:11; Heb. 2:9; 7:25). Jesus died for the sin and sins of the whole world (cf. Gen. 3:15). However, humans must respond and continue to respond by faith, repentance, obedience and perseverance!
When Jesus Christ speaks to the Father in people’s defense (2:1), he doesn’t falsely claim that they are innocent. Instead, he maintains that they are guilty of sin but then points out that he has already paid the penalty. Because Jesus Christ is the sacrifice for our sins (see also 4:10), he can stand before God as the believers’ mediator. His death satisfied the wrath of God against sin and paid the death penalty for it. He took away not only the sins of John and his fellow believers, but also the sins of all the world.
Christ’s atoning sacrifice is sufficient for the sins of every person in the world. While Christ’s death is sufficient for every sin of every person who ever lived or ever will live, it becomes effectual only for those who confess their sin, accept the sacrifice, and embrace Christ as Lord and Savior. John was not teaching universal salvation—that everyone was saved by Christ whether he or she believed or not. We know this from John’s statements in 2:19–23; obviously the antichrists had not found forgiveness and acceptance in Christ.
Charles Ryrie said this of the result of propitiation: "Because Christ had died God is satisfied. Therefore, we should not ask anyone to try to Do anything to satisfy Him. This would mean trying to appease someone who is already appeased, which is totally unnecessary. Therefore our message to men today should not suggest in any way that they can please God by doing something, but only that they should be satisfied with the sacrifice of Christ which completely satisfied the wrath of God."
So What?
So What?
A lady received a summons to appear in court on a certain day at a certain hour to answer a charge brought against her. She knew she was guilty of the breach of law specified on the charge sheet, and knew also that it would be necessary to find a good lawyer to take up her case and defend her in court. One of her friends recommended an excellent advocate who, she was certain, could present the case for the defense so well that she would be acquitted. She decided to put her case into this lawyer's hands, took his address and put it carefully away. But days passed and she did nothing, thinking that `tomorrow' would be all right. After weeks of procrastination, she realized that the date fixed for the hearing of her case was perilously near, and, finding the address of the advocate recommended to her, she went to his office. She gave him particulars of the case and a list of helpful witnesses, and asked him to be her advocate and conduct her defense. 'Madam,' he said, `had you come last week, I should gladly have undertaken your defense, but only a day or two ago I was appointed judge, and shall have to sit in judgment on your case.'
Our Lord Jesus, the Christ, in virtue of His having paid sin's penalty on the cross, is the sinner's Advocate now. The day is drawing near when He will be the 'Judge of the living and the dead'.
Conclusion:
Fellowship with God is impossible apart from Christ’s advocacy (2:1–2). The ideal is that we might “not sin” (v. 1b), that is, that we may never commit a single act of sin. But “if any man sin [i.e., commit an act of sin] we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (v. 1c). Christ pleads our case and assures our standing before God. His advocacy, however, is not a matter of words. It is rather the continual application of his sacrifice as the ground of our acquittal. Christ’s sacrifice is only useful to those who believe, but potentially he is propitiation “for the sins of the whole world” in order that whoever would believe, will be saved.
Though our sins are provided for by the work of Jesus, we still stand in need of His advocacy. We may have the goal of sinlessness, but we have seen that we can never be that this side of eternity. Yet, it does not become an excuse to sin, but a reason to be thankful that Jesus intercedes on our behalf. Rather than lapsing into sin, we should each be motivated to obey. This is not just to prove we know God, but that our knowledge is personal, relational, real.