Propitiation

It feels in a large part like John's first epistle is a really, really tough book. I mean, John is really going to town throughout the whole thing. He starts out warmly -- "These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete" (1 John 1:4) -- but launches into what appears to be a whole series of "tests" to see if you're in the faith. There is walking in light or darkness (1 John 1:5-7), admission of sin (1 John 1:8-10), keeping Christ's commandments (1 John 2:3-6), hate (1 John 2:9-11), and so on. There is the stunning, "No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (1 John 3:9) that would make any self-aware Christian question himself. The whole epistle is like that.

When we read the end of chapter one and into chapter two, however, there is such a magnificent breath of fresh air there.

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world (1 John 1:8-2:2).

This one builds awkwardly. "If you don't admit you've sinned, you're lying." (Bad news.) "If you confess your sin, He forgives." (Good news.) "Lest you think that's the last word, if you say you haven't sinned, you make Him a liar." (Bad news.) See? It's tough. And there, at the pinnacle of this "tough", stands the potential for the worst of it. "I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin." Oh, great. Count me as a failure. Count me out. Because I sin. I'm without hope.

And then there is that sudden, marvelous, unbelievable turn. "If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father." Oh, wait, really? An Advocate? The idea of the word is roughly the equivalent of a lawyer. A spokesperson. Someone to stand on our behalf in front of the Judge. "Your Honor, I will be representing this one today." An Advocate! Who? "Jesus Christ the righteous." Oh, amazing! Not just an Advocate, but one known as the Messiah and "the righteous". There is no better Advocate. But He still needs to plead your case, right? And, look, the reason you have an Advocate is not because you were falsely accused; it's because you really did violate God's commands. So ... now what?

Get this. Not only do we have the Son of God as our lawyer, known for being righteous, but we also have this. "He Himself is the propitiation for our sins." I think the only way you could not collapse for joy at such a statement would be if you didn't know what a "propitiation" is. You see, the Judge is angry ... rightly so. You've committed Cosmic Treason against the Most High and deserve worse than having the Book thrown at you. You deserve eternal torment. Enter "propitiation". The problem, you see, is God's wrath, and "propitiation" is ... wait for it ... appeasing wrath. How perfect can it get? Jesus, our Advocate, is righteous and is the appeasement of God's wrath!

It goes like this (in my imagination, of course).

Satan, the Prosecutor: "Your Honor, this one of your followers stands accused of _____." You fill in the blank. I'm sure that you, like me, would have a hefty list of choices.

God, the Judge: "You are accused of ____. How do you plead?"

You, the sinner: "Guilty, Your Honor."

Jesus, the Advocate: "Your Honor, my client is indeed guilty, but I need to point out that I paid for that one."

God checks His books, nods, and says, "Court adjourned!"

I don't know. Maybe it's just me, a competitor against Paul's claim of "foremost of sinners" (1 Tim 1:15). But that, to me, is astoundingly good news. Yes, I sin. Yes, I confess my sin. Yes, I do sin. And I have an Advocate who has appeased the righteous wrath of the Judge. Say what you want. To me it doesn't get much better than that.