Jesus Christ The Righteous

"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: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."

I John 2:1,2

"My little children." John writes to those under his care as if they were his own children. And not only they, but all of God's people who would read these words throughout time. The apostle whom Jesus loved is showing forth that same love in taking us by the hand and explaining a very important truth to us just as a caring father would for his own children.

Never having met most of his readers he informs us why he is taking such great care to write; So that we do not sin. Not that he is saying that we can live perfect sinless lives on this earth but that it is what we should be working for. God's people are to abhor sin and flee it like the plague that it is! Run from it even though we will never be able to fully escape it until we die. Why is this or how is it possible? It is because God has provided His people with an advocate in Jesus Christ by whom is the only means God's people have righteousness; by whom is the only way they become God's people. 

Jesus the righteous died so that God's people may be saved from His just wrath and dwell eternally in His holy presence. This happens because the blood of Christ is a propitiation for those who believe - meaning His blood satisfied the requirement that resulted from Adam's sin in the garden. We know from scripture that Christ is not a propitiation for every man because we know many are in Hell. Therefore He is not an advocate for every man but for those whom God has given Him (John 6). And He is not a propitiation for believing Jews only but for the gentiles also! Praise God that His saving grace has extended beyond the exclusivity of the Jews to all nations upon the earth, that among all nations God has and is bringing many sons to glory!

In the first chapter, John laid the foundation teaching us that God's people must confess when we sin because Jesus, our righteousness, is our advocate to God. We don't rely on a human priest to atone for us. We don't rely on a pope to give us the Word or instruct us in holiness. We don't trust anything that we may do because we are not perfect. We have Jesus the only righteous for when we sin and praise His name that have Him!

Consider also: Romans 3:19-26; John 17