1 John 2:1-2 - Exposition

God's remedy for sin.

Connecting link: The being without sin, although that to which we cannot as yet pretend without frustrating the purpose of God's revelation of himself, is nevertheless a point to be aimed at in our advance in and towards the light, and is the purpose of the apostle in unfolding his teachings. Hence there immediately suggests itself the following topic— The completeness of the Divine provision for the forgiveness and cure of sin. It is by no means an unimportant part of the evidence of the Divine origin of the gospel that, while nowhere else is sin viewed so seriously, vet nowhere else is its cure provided for so radically. And whereas one of the first lessons a man has to learn is that of the terrible evil of sin, the next in order is that of its possible removal. To learn how deeply he is sunk in it, without being shown how he may rise above it, would plunge a man either into morbid indifference or into bitter and hopeless despair. On the other hand, to point out the greatness of the remedy to one who sees not the depth of the evil it is designed to meet, would be but to speak to inappreciative ears. Consequently, the preacher has to dwell on both in turn. Hence, lest any one should have been brought by the apostle's teaching to so vivid a sense of sin's pervasive poisoning as to despair of ever attaining to the end indicated in 1 John 2:1 , "that ye sin not," the apostle seems to say, "Of this you need not despair, for God's provision is so complete. If any man sin," etc. Hence two lines of thought may be indicated here.

I. WHAT IS THIS DIVINE REMEDY FOR SIN ? Here the apostle gives us three steps, each succeeding one an advance on the former. 1. The entire work of God in providing a remedy for sin centers in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Let each word in the apostle's phrase have its full weight and meaning expanded as far as possible.)

One who, being the Son of man, could represent earth to heaven, and who, being also the Son of God, could represent heaven to earth. In this mutual representativeness is the fitness of his mediation. As such: 2. His work is represented here as twofold.

II. How DOES ALL THIS BEAR ON THE DOING AWAY OF SIN IN US ? The action of the Saviour's work is twofold.

1 . Objectively. For us—Godward. It fulfils the Law. It vindicates righteousness. It reveals the purity of the great white throne, and the love of the eternal Father. It thus declares God's rectitude in the remission of sin. All that is needed to clear the way for the sinner having access to the Father righteously, is done. "It is finished!"

2 . Subjectively. In us—manward.