1 John 2:1–2

  My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ² And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Commentary 

In declaring that we can have forgiveness and cleansing from all our sins when we confess them (1 John 1:9), the Apostle John now makes it clear that this provision is given us by God not so that we may sin, but rather if we stumble and sin, we now have a means to restoration and fellowship with God and His people. For the goal for our lives as born-again children of God is not to sin, to always be moving towards His likeness by putting the sins which He reveals to us out of our lives. Therefore, in Christ Jesus we have not only the Atonement for all of our sins, but we also have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous who advocates on our behalf. And in this He does so based upon His righteousness, not ours, so as to silence the accuser of the brethren who would have God by His law condemn us when we fall short of the glory of God and thus sin. Thus, we who believe, have not only Christ’s Atonement but also His Advocacy. That said and to show how great and effective the Lord Jesus Christ’s Finished work at Calvary is, the Apostle John also says that Jesus Christ’s Himself is the propitiation not only for our sins, but also for the whole worlds (vs. 2), that is His death on the Cross is sufficient to Atone for everyone and anyone to God no matter what they have done. All that then needs to be done by anyone is to believe in Him. For in believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and trusting in Him alone anyone can have their sins washed away by the blood of the Lamb. And thus, have eternal salvation given them by God’s grace and through God’s Spirit the moment they believe in Him (Eph. 1:13-14). For our change must begin with God first by His Word and grace saving us, and then by His Spirit and Word within us changing us.

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.