Lesson 609

(Lesson 609)(04-18-13) 1 John 2:1-12, "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. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake."

~~All who take on the "Christian" mantel should pay very close attention to the wording of this lesson.

First, John tells us that, as Christians, we are to walk the walk and talk the talk. We are to live lives that reflect the goodness and grace of God. John goes on to tell us that if, however we sin, we have a "propitiation" that stands between us and God to absorb our wrongs, not allowing them to be seen, or judged by the Father.

The term perpitiation is defined by Strong's bible dictionary as: "an appeasing, propitiating the means of appeasing, a propitiation"

The term "appease" is defined as: "1. to bring to a state of

peace, quiet, ease, calm, or contentment; pacify; soothe: to appease an angry king. 2. to satisfy, allay, or relieve; assuage: The fruit appeased his hunger. 3. to yield or concede to the belligerent demands of (a nation, group, person, etc.) in a conciliatory effort, sometimes at the expense of justice or other principles."

I list these definitions to demonstrate that though we are all saved by the grace of God, we are still "sinners" who require "perpitiation".

John tells us herein, "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."

Again, today's lesson confirms the security of the believer and guarantees that the "sins" we commit are "allayed" before God.

Does this allow us, as saved people to act any way we choose without fear of punishment? NO! Willful denial of Jesus Christ, doing things contrary to His word without regard for our fellow man marks us among the lost. For that there is NO perpitiation.~