I John 2:1 (Part 2)

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I John 2:1 (Part 2)

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.

THE STUDY:

          This morning we are going to look at the next section of this verse of scripture, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. Yesterday we talked about the phrase “My little children” and how this was a very intimate and personal statement. We see John go from the first person plural (We) to the first person singular (I). He then points back to the topic of discussion “SIN.” Most of the scholars translate it as “these things” but the Greek uses one word “ταῦτα” which means “this” referring back to verses 1:8, & 10.

          I have pondered on this passage all day and I have a thought concerning the mindset John may have been in when he pen’s this down. Being that John was the last living disciple at that time, he was respected as the authoritative figure of the Church of Jesus Christ. In Chapter One, we can get the feel of someone who is addressing their company, team, or church as a whole. But, in chapter two we get this picture of the meeting moved to a more intimate setting. All of this is brought on by the changing of tenses found in 2:1 compared to Chapter one as a whole.

          John is so bothered by the infiltration of this Gnostic movement, that he has called a meeting of all God’s people. At this point in his address, John is getting more personable with those who he is addressing. His heart is opened to them, like a modern-day pastor would be with a congregation who is dealing with an intrusion of evil. John’s message to the reader is so that they may not sin.

          If we would want a modern day illustration, picture the upcoming political season. We will hear so many politicians speak, using the first person plural (we); we can make a change, we can change Washington, and the list goes on. But when we see them in a more intimate setting you will hear them move from the first person plural to the first person singular (I); I believe, I have a plan, and the list goes on.

          John is not running for president but he is imploring the readers by addressing the overall issue (Gnosticism) and now moving into a more intimate setting to address the main issue (sin).  

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• Today, let us walk away with this understanding. Minimizing, or even discarding SIN is a recipe for disaster. The power of sin is so alarming to Jesus, John and the other disciples, that their passion is to warn others about it. Let us never think sin is something that can be toyed with, ignored, or removed from our world. Sin WILL remain in this world until Jesus comes back to gather His children.    

CONCLUSION:

I would like to leave you this morning with how man views sin compared to how God views it:

Man calls it an accident; God calls it an abomination.

Man calls it a blunder; God calls it blindness.

Man calls it a chance; God calls it a choice.

Man calls it an error; God calls it an enmity.

Man calls it a mistake; God calls it a madness.

Man calls it a weakness; God calls it willfulness.

Tomorrow, we will address how we combat sin but for now let us respect the power of sin and flee from it.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod