1 John 2:1–6 (ESV)
Christ Our Advocate
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. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the
sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but
whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
When you look at how the Bible tells us to live, it tells us to “be Holy” and to “not sin”. We all fall short and it can be overwhelming on living a Christian life.
When we are overwhelmed, we are focusing on the wrong perspective. We are not saved by works, but by faith alone. As Luther says: “we are both saint and sinner at the same time.” But we have the greatest attorney which has freed
us from our sins. Jesus is our mediator. The Lutheran Study Bible states: “Only true children who know Jesus as their Savior can truly walk as Jesus walked and love one another as Jesus has loved them. If anyone claims to know Jesus and does
not love as Jesus loves, he is a liar. When we are guilty of not loving as Jesus loved us, we have One who defends us before God’s throne and petitions our pardon for the sake of His own blood—Jesus the Righteous One. Through His endless love and forgiveness, we have salvation and have come to know Him. In Him, we love our fellow Christians.”
I pray: Father, strengthen
me in my own salvation, that I might be empowered to keep Your commands and love everyone as Christ has loved me. Amen.[1]