The Sufficiency of our LORD is noted throughout the Word of God. And in our study of 1 John, it is told to us with great emphasis 1 John 2:1-2. “Advocacy is that work of Jesus Christ for sinning saints which He carries on with the Father through the eternal efficacy [sufficiency] of His own sacrifice” He restores you to fellowship. King David was a man justified by faith [cf, “Rom 4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. Rom 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Rom 4:6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Rom 4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Rom 4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. King David was a man that understood the need to be forgiven.
King David penned Psalm 23 i.e., V3 “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.” He understood the need of being forgiven as a born-again person. [Psalm 51 is his prayer of confession, i.e., V12.” Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation”
Fellowship with the Father and the Son is laid out before us in 1 John Chapter 2, and the need to grow in the intimate knowledge of that fellowship. Our fellowship is based on the Person of Jesus Christ. Your eternal security is in plain sight in 1 John 2:1-2. At the moment of faith in Christ you are born again, in the Family of God, John 1:11-13 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Who did He give power too? Answer: To them that believe on His Name. Believing on His name is the same as believing on Him. There is no other name given by God to believe on, Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
1] You have an advocate {Why? Because “All have sinned…. and because of the Love of God, John 3:16.] The reality is that Christians sin, 1 John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. and 2:1, “….and if any man {person} sin ‘– Speaking to the one who has been born again. Why did the LORD provide an Advocate? [because, in spite of urging us not to sin, we sin]
2] What is an advocate? [ One who intercedes, Pleads for us – an intercessor]
3] Who do we need an Advocate with? [ Answer: The FATHER! King David laid it out plainly Psalm 51:1-12, i.e., V12]
4] Who is our Advocate? {Jesus Christ the Righteous}
5] Where is our Advocate? {Answer: with the Father, Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;}
6] Why is Jesus our Advocate? {Because He Himself is the propitiation for our sins}
What does propitiation mean? It is a Bible Doctrine and one we need to understand. It will take a little time to do so.
1] Let us see how it is used elsewhere in the Bible {1 John 4:10, Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. It is God’s love that sent Jesus Christ to be the propitiation for our sins {see John 3:16}
2] How is it demonstrated? [Answer: Roman 3:21-23 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ];]
V21, What has been manifested? [The righteousness of God]
V22].
v22 How is the righteousness of God manifested? How is the righteousness of God manifested? [Answer: Through faith in Jesus Christ]
3] This faith of Jesus Christ is for who? [Answer: ItAnswer: it is for all those who believe.”…. the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
“the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.”
V23, What is true about all who believe? [Answer: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. ; Since all believers have sinned: All have come short of the glory of God. So, when we fall short of the glory of God, we cannot be in His presence.]
4] V24 But all believers are what? [Answer; justified. : Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: We were acquitted of all charges. Made just. ].]
We fall short of the glory of God and need to be justified to be in the presence of God. To be justified is not something you can earn – Justified is something done for us freely an act done by his grace. It is like a gift, Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
5] How are we justified?[Answer: [Answer: through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: How is this redemption done? Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, [Your faith is to be in His blood]to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
When was His blood shed? When Christ was set forth publicly, at the Cross a propitiation in his blood. Your faith should be in the Propitiation [Christ] Who shed His blood.
When was that blood shed? In the agony of the Cross, in the garden of Gethsemane, in the scrouging He endured, Isaiah 52:14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: But let us focus on after His death still on the Cross, Joh 19:32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. Joh 19:33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: Joh 19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
“As the angel of death in Egypt passed over all the houses that were marked with the blood of the lamb, so the blood of this Lamb has turned the wrath of God from us” He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
And thus, He earns for us God’s grace, forgiveness of sins, righteousness, and salvation for Christ is that Propitiation. [1]“Therefore, the blood and the water which flowed from the side of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross is our highest comfort. For therein consists of our soul’s salvation: in the blood is our redemption and satisfaction for our sins; in the water there is our daily cleansing and purging from sins.”
And Revelation 22:16 declares His resounding message back to us in the church age, I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. His message is clear: prepare to meet Me, be ready to meet Me. This world is not your home. If this world is our home, there is bad news coming: It’s end is to be burn and everything in it. Rev_21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. I believe He is telling us where heaven is going to be.
Romans describes this as a propitiation, a satisfying Sacrifice in His blood. Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
The blood had to be from someone perfect. One that would be free from all sin and from any need for the wrath of God and only Jesus, The LAMB of God is the only One qualified. There was no reason for the wrath of God to be poured out on Him. That is untiluntill HE was made sin by taking our sin.
The wrath of God that must be poured out for sin was poured out on Jesus [Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? ; 2 Cor 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. ]
God cannot look beyond our sin. He accepted in place of our sin the Substitutionary payment of Jesus’ death with His blood in place of our death. Jesus took God’s wrath in our place: This is our propitiation.
Which world is your home? These words examine both Saint and Sinner, both saved and unsaved. Jesus spoke of the need to live in the light of eternity constantly. May we look at His words in Luk 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Luk 12:16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: Luk 12:17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? Luk 12:18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. =Luk 12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. Luk 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? Luk 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
This world and everything therein will pass away but it is HIS will that you live a meaningful life, 1 John 2:1-2 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
[1] E sword software, Paul Ketzmann
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