And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
He is Jesus Christ the righteous, who stands as Advocate with the Father when anyone sins and is himself the atoning sacrifice for sins, made not for believers only but for the sins of the whole world. He could make this offering because he was without spot of sin and kept every precept where Adam fell, yet though guiltless he bore the guilt, curse, punishment and wrath due to the whole world as innocent substitute and sin-offering. He now stands in heaven in combined divine and human nature, bearing the marks of crucifixion and pleading his blood and death as Mediator, Intercessor and Priest for every soul. His sacrifice is complete, all-sufficient and of infinite value, yet it avails only for those who repent, believe, confess and forsake sin and abide in union with him, received through Christ's merits alone and not by penance, money or any human priest. True knowledge of him is proved by keeping his commandments and walking even as he walked, for his death proves the law immutable rather than setting obedience aside, and the world-wide provision lays a world-wide charge on believers to preach saving grace to all nations.
Words and Historical Setting
Jesus Christ the righteous stands as Advocate with the Father when anyone sins, and He is the propitiation for sin, meaning the atoning sacrifice that provides cleansing, representation before God, atonement, forgiveness and pardon. That advocacy and atoning work are not for believers only but for the sins of the whole world.
The letter was written by John when he was an old man nearly one hundred years old as firm, decided testimony to keep young believers holding to Christ when persecution threatened their faith. It repeats the glad story of the crucified and risen Saviour who gives fellowship with the Father and with His Son and full joy, written years after the resurrection and revealing in old age the life of Christ in John's own life. It continues the message of 1 John 1 about fellowship with the Father and the Son, walking in the light, and cleansing and forgiveness of sin through the blood of Jesus and confession, and careful reading of the first chapter gives better understanding of it. Together 1 John 1 and 1 John 2 are to be read and studied as plain truth with great meaning for those living in the last days, with the call to remember, repent, and do the first works in the love of Christ, and with the knowledge of the truth found in Christ's teachings to be walked in so the reader partakes of the divine nature and keeps singleness of purpose in short working time. Those who know the truth through the Word carry responsibility to represent Christ before the world as the One who takes away sin and to be witnesses of this fact, loving Jesus, practicing His virtues, and increasing good influence over those who do not know Him.
Its stated purpose is that God's little children sin not, not that they continue in sin or transgress the law, yet it makes provision if any man sin. If anyone is overcome by Satan's temptations he is not left in hopeless despair but is shown gracious and tender compassion and given hope, not to stay in darkness mourning or in an unsettled condition but to come up into the light into God's presence, confessing sins and trusting the promise to forgive sins and cleanse from all unrighteousness, and to place the feet on solid rock, which is the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Receiving Him and thus uniting with Christ gives power to become the sons of God and gains an experience of more value than gold or silver or precious stones.
The Passover lamb symbolized His body, and He Himself stood among the people as the Saviour whose blood would preserve them from God's wrath against sin, yet they rejected His offer of mercy. Moses spoke to Christ when he pleaded for Israel after their idolatry, offering himself to be blotted out of God's book if the people could not be forgiven, and his plea reveals love and compassion for them. The slain lambs and the sacrifices of the old dispensation pointed forward to Christ, the Lamb who takes away the world's sin, in whom type met antitype, rendering what justice required by offering Himself and taking the law's curse upon Himself with His perfect character placed in humanity's behalf. His death fulfilled the types and shadows of the ceremonial law, so its sacrifices ceased to be in force, and continuing to offer them after His death denied that the promised Redeemer had already come and given His life for the world's sins.
Universal Sacrifice for Sin
The atoning sacrifice is not for believers only but for the sins of the whole world. That world is godless and corrupted, dead in trespasses and sins, far from home and perishing, yet loved beyond all measuring by the Father who sent His Son. It embraces every soul God created from Adam to the close of history, all nations, tribes, bond and free, Jews, Greeks and Gentiles, regardless of land or color, not confined to one people, nation, locality or group, and not opened to a few only but to the rebellious world. The love did not begin with human love for God but with God loving humans, pouring out infinite benevolence to save souls from sin and make man one with God.
The offering is perfect alone to meet the necessities of sinful, erring people, complete atonement, full, abundant, whole and entire, all-sufficient and of infinite value with eternal lasting efficacy. It is sufficient provision for taking away the sins of the world, with grace suited to every need and every conflict, so that those who have sinned can still seek God in prayer and find help rather than give up trying to live rightly. It secures pardon as God appointed, satisfies divine justice and the Father, centers salvation in Christ as Substitute and Surety, and reaches more than those who receive it so the plan is not wasted. Sinners may accept Him as Saviour on that basis by faith and need not perish because He gave His life.
He could make this propitiation because He was without spot or stain of sin, holy even as God is holy, one with God in purity and holiness of character. Though He took the form of sinful man, clothing divinity with humanity, liable to infirmity and tempted in all points, He kept every precept of the great moral standard, lived the law, passed over the ground where Adam fell and redeemed the failure by perfect obedience. The law as mirror shows defects and convicts but has no power to pardon or help, leaving sinners helpless and undone without Christ, and His sinless character alone could make an acceptable atonement. As Sin-bearer needing no atonement for Himself He can speak pardon, saying sins are forgiven, leaving an open door through which every sinner can approach God, with pardon and salvation by faith in Him as personal Saviour and Surety and no hope without a substitute.
Though guiltless and hating sin, with no personal experience of sinning, He bore the terrible weight and iniquity of the whole world, becoming sin for humanity so the guilty might become righteous. Every evil thought, word and deed pressed upon Him as innocent substitute, surety, second Adam and sin-offering, bearing guilt, punishment, curse, condemnation and the wrath of God against transgression and the Father's displeasure over the world's sins. He left heaven's glory and gave His life as the just for the unjust, enduring mocking, scourging, thorns, Gethsemane anguish and Calvary, tempted to feel forsaken yet free to yield and resisting upright by faith, with anguish matching both the greatness of His purity and the magnitude of human sin. His death on the cross was heaven's means of saving people, awakening them to sin's true character and drawing all to Him, working out a perfect character for humanity so all who receive Him may become sons of God.
By accepting suffering due to sin He provided another trial and probation, postponing arraignment to allow choice. He took Adam's place and accepted death's penalty so Adam and Eve could have another trial and period of probation and exercise God-given power of choice. By bearing sin as substitute and surety He bridged guilt separating earth from heaven, rescued from the second death, encircled the world in love and restored its connection with the throne to free earth from sin's curse. He loves and has bought every member of the human race, and would have given His life even for one soul if only one could be saved.
Advocate Before the Father
If anyone sins, Jesus Christ the righteous stands as Advocate with the Father, the one Mediator and Intercessor, Priest, Substitute and Surety, who undertakes the case of every soul. His atoning work covers not believers only but the whole world, so remission comes only through His merits and forgiveness rests on God alone and not on any priest or pope. Through infinite mercy and justice meeting in Him, faults, errors and transgressions are forgiven, and instead of punishing sin with wrath, pardon is written against the sinner's name. He went to heaven in His humanity, with human nature and divine nature combined, carrying the marks of the crucifixion and holding His hands to the Father, pleading His blood, sufferings and death. He hears prayer, encircles the fallen race with His human arm while grasping the Infinite throne with His divine arm, and because He alone took human nature and died for all, He alone is Judge, so no person is placed on the judgment seat to pronounce sentence against the brethren and believers answer to God and not to human jurisdiction.
The love of God shown in this is beyond all measuring, for it did not begin with human love for God, but with God loving humans and sending His Son to be the propitiation for sins. The sacrifice was made not for believers only but for the sins of the whole world, a godless and corrupted world, which makes the Father's sacrifice amazing. From the depths of infinite mercy and boundless love He gave His only begotten, well-beloved Son into the world as a perfect revelation of His paternal character. That Son is the Word made flesh dwelling among men, God's own Son sent in the likeness of sinful flesh, whose personality did not begin with His incarnation. He is full of grace and truth, the only Potentate, the world's Redeemer, the way, the truth and the life through whom alone men come to the Father, to reconcile sinners and bring them into right relation and vantage ground with God, deserving reverence, devotion and love.
At infinite cost He has purchased the human race, and by creation and by redemption He holds a just claim to every human being. As Redeemer of the fallen race He has been given the deed of possession which entitles Him to claim them as His property, though the world does not acknowledge this. Men are His property bought with blood, His servants by purchase within mercy, for He owns humanity by creation and redemption. He loves and has bought every member of the human race, bears responsibility for every person, and took the sinner's guilt before God so that sinners need not bear the penalty themselves. Those who repent and believe in Him as their atoning sacrifice can be forgiven and cleansed, and all who receive Him are given power to become the sons of God, so that no one need be lost and those lost perish because they choose their own way.
He could make this propitiation because He was without spot or stain of sin, holy even as God is holy, one with God in purity and holiness of character, a Sin-bearer needing no atonement for Himself. Though clothed with humanity and liable to physical infirmities, He took upon Him the form of sinful man, clothing His divinity with humanity, and took human nature with all the infirmities of humanity. He honored humanity by standing at the head of humanity, tempted in every way as human beings are tempted so He can help those who are tempted, understand all temptations that beset every person and know how to meet them. He laid aside royal robe and crown, became poor that humans might be rich, left His home to die that they might possess eternal riches, and humbled Himself to demonstrate overcomers with eyes on God. He knows every weakness, want, grief and temptation, and He has left the Spirit of truth so believers are not comfortless.
How Sinners Receive Benefit
Forgiveness is received by repentance toward God and faith in Christ, by confession and forsaking of sin, by accepting Him as personal Saviour and becoming one with Him. It is not gained by painful penance or long pilgrimages, by offerings or purchased pardons, by money, or through any priest or pope, but rests on God alone through Christ's merits. Prayer in His name brings washing, blotting out of sin, and holy oil. In the great day of atonement now present every soul must make diligent work of repentance, not exalting self and disparaging others but criticizing self and setting the heart in order to be ready for the Lord's appearing. When a person sins this is reason to turn to Christ rather than despair, to confess sin and receive forgiveness and cleansing and cease sinning.
The sacrifice, though sufficient for all so that none need be lost, avails only for those who repent, believe, receive, and abide in union with Him, complying with the conditions of sonship and renouncing worldly favor. Not all are saved but only many who comply, while those lost perish by choosing their own way like Satan. Those refusing in His power to turn from evil leave His death for them in vain, crucifying Him afresh and bound with the wicked one. Day by day each decides between eternal life and death, and all remain accountable, for God cannot take unrepentant sinners to heaven. Yet the plan is not wasted because it provides more than those who receive the gift need, reaching every soul God created and not limited to the number who accept it.
For Christ's sake God forgives transgressions and sins, reprieves from death's condemnation, imputes Christ's righteousness, clothes faultless before God, and brings into favor, which is justification by faith, the opposite of condemnation. This gives pardon, cleansing, adoption as children and joint heirs, sanctification, vantage ground, partaking of the divine nature, victory and eternal life. It is received by laying all sins, of omission and commission, on the Sin-bearer, looking away from self and works, ceasing to try to be saved by good works, and coming boldly to grace in simple faith. His invitation to every soul to abide in Him is genuine and without deception because His word is truth, His love is greater than a parent's love for a child, and believers may overcome by the Lamb's blood and testimony.
Sinners must not despair, give up prayer, quit trying, or confess to any human being. But in contrition of soul they must take the weight of woe to Christ alone directly with full assurance, believing He hears, confessing all sins to Him and coming up out of darkness mourning into the light into God's presence to trust His promise to forgive and cleanse from all unrighteousness. Sin is none the less heinous because others have committed the same errors, it is hateful and must cease, continuing in it brings condemnation, and grace is not license, for every provision is made for grace to abide. Beholding His purity and pierced sacrifice exposes impurity, preserves contrition, turns from sin, transforms character, and gives power to resist, form new habits and live obediently in the name and strength given of God. To quit trying is to take Satan's ground and do exactly what Satan wants, who tempts to yield and then tells the sinner it is no use to try any longer; instead a dark prospect can be made light by God, with refuge, angelic help and cleansing needed continually rather than carrying borne sins.
Obedience Proves Knowing Him
The verse teaches that true knowledge of Christ is proved by keeping His commandments and keeping His word, and in the one who keeps His word the love of God is perfected and abiding in Him is shown. To say I know Him while not keeping His commandments is to lie and to lack the truth, to walk in darkness, and to wrest Scripture against commandment-keepers stands condemned. Abiding in Him requires walking even as He walked, which means being full of pity, tenderness and compassion, and true conversion always manifests itself in the character of those who become members of the Lord's family. The commandment it enforces is no new commandment but the old commandment which was from the beginning, and loving the brother is abiding in the light while hating the brother is darkness with blinded eyes.
His death proves the law of God immutable and unabolished, given because the law could not be abolished and showing no change in the law from the beginning, the same as before the fall of Satan and the same law the angelic family obey in the heavenly courts from when the foundation of the earth was laid. The law is the great moral standard of character and a mirror that shows defects of character and convicts of sin but has no power to pardon the transgressor or help him, revealing transgression but unable to save from its penalty, so that without Christ sinners would be left helpless and undone and none could keep it. Through His merits repentant effort to overcome and keep it is acceptable, for He kept every precept, lived the law, passed over the ground where Adam fell and redeemed the failure by perfect obedience, and through His grace those who repent and believe can be freed from condemnation and enabled to obey. Pardon through Him does not set aside obedience or save while knowingly breaking the Father's unchangeable law, but produces change to stop sin, with obedience as the condition of salvation, faith awakening zeal for good works, and baptism embracing the world as example fulfilling righteousness.
Because He alone took human nature with all its infirmities and died for all so sinners might stand on vantage ground with God, He alone is Judge, and no person is placed on the judgment seat to pronounce sentence against the brethren. Those He died for are His blood-bought heritage, and God endorses no harsh treatment of them. Harsh, dictatorial, ungentlemanly words and actions toward brethren, exposing one of the children of God to the darts of the enemy and giving enemies reason to take advantage of mistakes, bring wicked charges against Christ in the person of His saints and are no evidence of the presence of Christ. Such a spirit is entirely out of harmony with God and is evidence of the presence of the fallen foe and of Satan's control, showing the person is not yoked up with Christ and is not learning in the school of the Master but in the school where Adam learned disobedience and is serving in Satan's ranks by false methods. Through the infinite mercy and justice of God meeting in Jesus Christ, faults, errors and transgressions are forgiven and pardon is written instead of wrath, which requires those who have received grace to follow His example of seeking to convert and save the soul rather than to ruin or destroy.
Call to Share Mercy
Because the atoning sacrifice was made not for believers only but for the sins of the whole world, those who know the truth carry a world-wide charge and have a world on their hands. They cannot follow their own preferences or natural tendencies, work one place over and over while the rest remains unworked, or act as though the world were given up to the devil, for unfaithful work has let him grasp many and leaves no excuse. They are to be faithful stewards of grace, make saving principles known, represent Christ before the world as the One who takes away sin, and be witnesses by loving Him, practicing His virtues, and increasing good influence over those who do not know Him. There is hope for every sinner and reason to praise God, to work for the sinner's salvation, to win sinners back, and to help in every possible way the people for whom He gave His life, looking to Him whom sins have pierced for efficiency in the work left for perishing souls through often and urgent prayer in dependence on grace and wisdom from God alone so as not to fail nor be discouraged. That gospel of grace is to be preached to all nations, tongues and peoples with the Spirit as the third angel's message exalting Christ's righteousness, so that none can say only law is preached.
Because infinite benevolence was poured out at Calvary to save souls from sin, make man one with God, and encircle the world with an atmosphere of grace, those who receive it are to cooperate with God as laborers together with Him. They are to deny self, refuse needless selfish spending, bring an offering in righteousness to advance His enterprise of mercy, follow Him who became poor and left His home to die that they might possess eternal riches, do good to discouraged souls, and watch for opportunities near and far. They are to show compassion to the prodigal far from the Father's house and perishing with hunger, bringing him to a saving knowledge of the truth, loving one another as He loved, revealing His benevolence, fragrance and attributes in home and church, and living as representatives whose pure character draws others to desire Him. Experimental knowledge of Him as Redeemer and friend leads to true obedience and fervent love for God and human beings, to pity, tenderness and compassion, to walking even as He walked, and to partaking of the divine nature having escaped corruption through lust, while harsh dictatorial words toward His blood-bought heritage bring charges against Christ in the person of His saints and show Satan's control and schooling in disobedience rather than yoking with Christ. His unfailing love, though heartbroken by nonresponse, enables daily victory over trial.
Sinners are to fix the eye on Calvary, behold the Lamb of God as sufficient provision for taking away sin, look upon Him whom sins pierced, and declare to the sinner the cross and the reason for the great sacrifice. They see that only through Christ can eternal life be gained, that obedience to God's word is the condition of entrance into the kingdom, and that return to allegiance and obedience is possible, so they come humbly and contritely, confessing sin, seeking forgiveness, hating the transgression that caused the death of the Son of the infinite God, and surrendering completely in hope of eternal life in peace, joy and purity. Looking upon Christ as compassionate, tender High Priest, substitute and surety preserves the heart in contrition, and human teachers are to step aside to encourage earnest prayer for wisdom from God more perfectly than from any human counselor. Complete union means drawing continually from Him as living bread, life bound up with His, self emptied, Christ formed within as hope of glory, truth shining without human mixture in humility and meekness, and His blood shed even tonight helping soul-winners prepare without spot to meet Him.
His death was the sacrifice at the heart of His mission as Redeemer, to be a subject of deep study for His church in every age. He is the true, immovable foundation and atoning sacrifice on which believers are gathered into the church to labor in unity, strengthen one another, and build up faith. His ransomed church receives life through Him and becomes the source of His glory. By His finished bearing of the sins of the whole world He made it possible for believers to stand in the same line of sending that He received from the Father and to carry out that commission without departing from it.
He is Jesus Christ the righteous, who stands as Advocate with the Father when anyone sins and is himself the atoning sacrifice for sins, made not for believers only but for the sins of the whole world. He could make this offering because he was without spot of sin and kept every precept where Adam fell, yet though guiltless he bore the guilt, curse, punishment and wrath due to the whole world as innocent substitute and sin-offering. He now stands in heaven in combined divine and human nature, bearing the marks of crucifixion and pleading his blood and death as Mediator, Intercessor and Priest for every soul. His sacrifice is complete, all-sufficient and of infinite value, yet it avails only for those who repent, believe, confess and forsake sin and abide in union with him, received through Christ's merits alone and not by penance, money or any human priest. True knowledge of him is proved by keeping his commandments and walking even as he walked, for his death proves the law immutable rather than setting obedience aside, and the world-wide provision lays a world-wide charge on believers to preach saving grace to all nations.
Words and Historical Setting
Jesus Christ the righteous stands as Advocate with the Father when anyone sins, and He is the propitiation for sin, meaning the atoning sacrifice that provides cleansing, representation before God, atonement, forgiveness and pardon. That advocacy and atoning work are not for believers only but for the sins of the whole world.
The letter was written by John when he was an old man nearly one hundred years old as firm, decided testimony to keep young believers holding to Christ when persecution threatened their faith. It repeats the glad story of the crucified and risen Saviour who gives fellowship with the Father and with His Son and full joy, written years after the resurrection and revealing in old age the life of Christ in John's own life. It continues the message of 1 John 1 about fellowship with the Father and the Son, walking in the light, and cleansing and forgiveness of sin through the blood of Jesus and confession, and careful reading of the first chapter gives better understanding of it. Together 1 John 1 and 1 John 2 are to be read and studied as plain truth with great meaning for those living in the last days, with the call to remember, repent, and do the first works in the love of Christ, and with the knowledge of the truth found in Christ's teachings to be walked in so the reader partakes of the divine nature and keeps singleness of purpose in short working time. Those who know the truth through the Word carry responsibility to represent Christ before the world as the One who takes away sin and to be witnesses of this fact, loving Jesus, practicing His virtues, and increasing good influence over those who do not know Him.
Its stated purpose is that God's little children sin not, not that they continue in sin or transgress the law, yet it makes provision if any man sin. If anyone is overcome by Satan's temptations he is not left in hopeless despair but is shown gracious and tender compassion and given hope, not to stay in darkness mourning or in an unsettled condition but to come up into the light into God's presence, confessing sins and trusting the promise to forgive sins and cleanse from all unrighteousness, and to place the feet on solid rock, which is the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Receiving Him and thus uniting with Christ gives power to become the sons of God and gains an experience of more value than gold or silver or precious stones.
The Passover lamb symbolized His body, and He Himself stood among the people as the Saviour whose blood would preserve them from God's wrath against sin, yet they rejected His offer of mercy. Moses spoke to Christ when he pleaded for Israel after their idolatry, offering himself to be blotted out of God's book if the people could not be forgiven, and his plea reveals love and compassion for them. The slain lambs and the sacrifices of the old dispensation pointed forward to Christ, the Lamb who takes away the world's sin, in whom type met antitype, rendering what justice required by offering Himself and taking the law's curse upon Himself with His perfect character placed in humanity's behalf. His death fulfilled the types and shadows of the ceremonial law, so its sacrifices ceased to be in force, and continuing to offer them after His death denied that the promised Redeemer had already come and given His life for the world's sins.
Universal Sacrifice for Sin
The atoning sacrifice is not for believers only but for the sins of the whole world. That world is godless and corrupted, dead in trespasses and sins, far from home and perishing, yet loved beyond all measuring by the Father who sent His Son. It embraces every soul God created from Adam to the close of history, all nations, tribes, bond and free, Jews, Greeks and Gentiles, regardless of land or color, not confined to one people, nation, locality or group, and not opened to a few only but to the rebellious world. The love did not begin with human love for God but with God loving humans, pouring out infinite benevolence to save souls from sin and make man one with God.
The offering is perfect alone to meet the necessities of sinful, erring people, complete atonement, full, abundant, whole and entire, all-sufficient and of infinite value with eternal lasting efficacy. It is sufficient provision for taking away the sins of the world, with grace suited to every need and every conflict, so that those who have sinned can still seek God in prayer and find help rather than give up trying to live rightly. It secures pardon as God appointed, satisfies divine justice and the Father, centers salvation in Christ as Substitute and Surety, and reaches more than those who receive it so the plan is not wasted. Sinners may accept Him as Saviour on that basis by faith and need not perish because He gave His life.
He could make this propitiation because He was without spot or stain of sin, holy even as God is holy, one with God in purity and holiness of character. Though He took the form of sinful man, clothing divinity with humanity, liable to infirmity and tempted in all points, He kept every precept of the great moral standard, lived the law, passed over the ground where Adam fell and redeemed the failure by perfect obedience. The law as mirror shows defects and convicts but has no power to pardon or help, leaving sinners helpless and undone without Christ, and His sinless character alone could make an acceptable atonement. As Sin-bearer needing no atonement for Himself He can speak pardon, saying sins are forgiven, leaving an open door through which every sinner can approach God, with pardon and salvation by faith in Him as personal Saviour and Surety and no hope without a substitute.
Though guiltless and hating sin, with no personal experience of sinning, He bore the terrible weight and iniquity of the whole world, becoming sin for humanity so the guilty might become righteous. Every evil thought, word and deed pressed upon Him as innocent substitute, surety, second Adam and sin-offering, bearing guilt, punishment, curse, condemnation and the wrath of God against transgression and the Father's displeasure over the world's sins. He left heaven's glory and gave His life as the just for the unjust, enduring mocking, scourging, thorns, Gethsemane anguish and Calvary, tempted to feel forsaken yet free to yield and resisting upright by faith, with anguish matching both the greatness of His purity and the magnitude of human sin. His death on the cross was heaven's means of saving people, awakening them to sin's true character and drawing all to Him, working out a perfect character for humanity so all who receive Him may become sons of God.
By accepting suffering due to sin He provided another trial and probation, postponing arraignment to allow choice. He took Adam's place and accepted death's penalty so Adam and Eve could have another trial and period of probation and exercise God-given power of choice. By bearing sin as substitute and surety He bridged guilt separating earth from heaven, rescued from the second death, encircled the world in love and restored its connection with the throne to free earth from sin's curse. He loves and has bought every member of the human race, and would have given His life even for one soul if only one could be saved.
Advocate Before the Father
If anyone sins, Jesus Christ the righteous stands as Advocate with the Father, the one Mediator and Intercessor, Priest, Substitute and Surety, who undertakes the case of every soul. His atoning work covers not believers only but the whole world, so remission comes only through His merits and forgiveness rests on God alone and not on any priest or pope. Through infinite mercy and justice meeting in Him, faults, errors and transgressions are forgiven, and instead of punishing sin with wrath, pardon is written against the sinner's name. He went to heaven in His humanity, with human nature and divine nature combined, carrying the marks of the crucifixion and holding His hands to the Father, pleading His blood, sufferings and death. He hears prayer, encircles the fallen race with His human arm while grasping the Infinite throne with His divine arm, and because He alone took human nature and died for all, He alone is Judge, so no person is placed on the judgment seat to pronounce sentence against the brethren and believers answer to God and not to human jurisdiction.
The love of God shown in this is beyond all measuring, for it did not begin with human love for God, but with God loving humans and sending His Son to be the propitiation for sins. The sacrifice was made not for believers only but for the sins of the whole world, a godless and corrupted world, which makes the Father's sacrifice amazing. From the depths of infinite mercy and boundless love He gave His only begotten, well-beloved Son into the world as a perfect revelation of His paternal character. That Son is the Word made flesh dwelling among men, God's own Son sent in the likeness of sinful flesh, whose personality did not begin with His incarnation. He is full of grace and truth, the only Potentate, the world's Redeemer, the way, the truth and the life through whom alone men come to the Father, to reconcile sinners and bring them into right relation and vantage ground with God, deserving reverence, devotion and love.
At infinite cost He has purchased the human race, and by creation and by redemption He holds a just claim to every human being. As Redeemer of the fallen race He has been given the deed of possession which entitles Him to claim them as His property, though the world does not acknowledge this. Men are His property bought with blood, His servants by purchase within mercy, for He owns humanity by creation and redemption. He loves and has bought every member of the human race, bears responsibility for every person, and took the sinner's guilt before God so that sinners need not bear the penalty themselves. Those who repent and believe in Him as their atoning sacrifice can be forgiven and cleansed, and all who receive Him are given power to become the sons of God, so that no one need be lost and those lost perish because they choose their own way.
He could make this propitiation because He was without spot or stain of sin, holy even as God is holy, one with God in purity and holiness of character, a Sin-bearer needing no atonement for Himself. Though clothed with humanity and liable to physical infirmities, He took upon Him the form of sinful man, clothing His divinity with humanity, and took human nature with all the infirmities of humanity. He honored humanity by standing at the head of humanity, tempted in every way as human beings are tempted so He can help those who are tempted, understand all temptations that beset every person and know how to meet them. He laid aside royal robe and crown, became poor that humans might be rich, left His home to die that they might possess eternal riches, and humbled Himself to demonstrate overcomers with eyes on God. He knows every weakness, want, grief and temptation, and He has left the Spirit of truth so believers are not comfortless.
How Sinners Receive Benefit
Forgiveness is received by repentance toward God and faith in Christ, by confession and forsaking of sin, by accepting Him as personal Saviour and becoming one with Him. It is not gained by painful penance or long pilgrimages, by offerings or purchased pardons, by money, or through any priest or pope, but rests on God alone through Christ's merits. Prayer in His name brings washing, blotting out of sin, and holy oil. In the great day of atonement now present every soul must make diligent work of repentance, not exalting self and disparaging others but criticizing self and setting the heart in order to be ready for the Lord's appearing. When a person sins this is reason to turn to Christ rather than despair, to confess sin and receive forgiveness and cleansing and cease sinning.
The sacrifice, though sufficient for all so that none need be lost, avails only for those who repent, believe, receive, and abide in union with Him, complying with the conditions of sonship and renouncing worldly favor. Not all are saved but only many who comply, while those lost perish by choosing their own way like Satan. Those refusing in His power to turn from evil leave His death for them in vain, crucifying Him afresh and bound with the wicked one. Day by day each decides between eternal life and death, and all remain accountable, for God cannot take unrepentant sinners to heaven. Yet the plan is not wasted because it provides more than those who receive the gift need, reaching every soul God created and not limited to the number who accept it.
For Christ's sake God forgives transgressions and sins, reprieves from death's condemnation, imputes Christ's righteousness, clothes faultless before God, and brings into favor, which is justification by faith, the opposite of condemnation. This gives pardon, cleansing, adoption as children and joint heirs, sanctification, vantage ground, partaking of the divine nature, victory and eternal life. It is received by laying all sins, of omission and commission, on the Sin-bearer, looking away from self and works, ceasing to try to be saved by good works, and coming boldly to grace in simple faith. His invitation to every soul to abide in Him is genuine and without deception because His word is truth, His love is greater than a parent's love for a child, and believers may overcome by the Lamb's blood and testimony.
Sinners must not despair, give up prayer, quit trying, or confess to any human being. But in contrition of soul they must take the weight of woe to Christ alone directly with full assurance, believing He hears, confessing all sins to Him and coming up out of darkness mourning into the light into God's presence to trust His promise to forgive and cleanse from all unrighteousness. Sin is none the less heinous because others have committed the same errors, it is hateful and must cease, continuing in it brings condemnation, and grace is not license, for every provision is made for grace to abide. Beholding His purity and pierced sacrifice exposes impurity, preserves contrition, turns from sin, transforms character, and gives power to resist, form new habits and live obediently in the name and strength given of God. To quit trying is to take Satan's ground and do exactly what Satan wants, who tempts to yield and then tells the sinner it is no use to try any longer; instead a dark prospect can be made light by God, with refuge, angelic help and cleansing needed continually rather than carrying borne sins.
Obedience Proves Knowing Him
The verse teaches that true knowledge of Christ is proved by keeping His commandments and keeping His word, and in the one who keeps His word the love of God is perfected and abiding in Him is shown. To say I know Him while not keeping His commandments is to lie and to lack the truth, to walk in darkness, and to wrest Scripture against commandment-keepers stands condemned. Abiding in Him requires walking even as He walked, which means being full of pity, tenderness and compassion, and true conversion always manifests itself in the character of those who become members of the Lord's family. The commandment it enforces is no new commandment but the old commandment which was from the beginning, and loving the brother is abiding in the light while hating the brother is darkness with blinded eyes.
His death proves the law of God immutable and unabolished, given because the law could not be abolished and showing no change in the law from the beginning, the same as before the fall of Satan and the same law the angelic family obey in the heavenly courts from when the foundation of the earth was laid. The law is the great moral standard of character and a mirror that shows defects of character and convicts of sin but has no power to pardon the transgressor or help him, revealing transgression but unable to save from its penalty, so that without Christ sinners would be left helpless and undone and none could keep it. Through His merits repentant effort to overcome and keep it is acceptable, for He kept every precept, lived the law, passed over the ground where Adam fell and redeemed the failure by perfect obedience, and through His grace those who repent and believe can be freed from condemnation and enabled to obey. Pardon through Him does not set aside obedience or save while knowingly breaking the Father's unchangeable law, but produces change to stop sin, with obedience as the condition of salvation, faith awakening zeal for good works, and baptism embracing the world as example fulfilling righteousness.
Because He alone took human nature with all its infirmities and died for all so sinners might stand on vantage ground with God, He alone is Judge, and no person is placed on the judgment seat to pronounce sentence against the brethren. Those He died for are His blood-bought heritage, and God endorses no harsh treatment of them. Harsh, dictatorial, ungentlemanly words and actions toward brethren, exposing one of the children of God to the darts of the enemy and giving enemies reason to take advantage of mistakes, bring wicked charges against Christ in the person of His saints and are no evidence of the presence of Christ. Such a spirit is entirely out of harmony with God and is evidence of the presence of the fallen foe and of Satan's control, showing the person is not yoked up with Christ and is not learning in the school of the Master but in the school where Adam learned disobedience and is serving in Satan's ranks by false methods. Through the infinite mercy and justice of God meeting in Jesus Christ, faults, errors and transgressions are forgiven and pardon is written instead of wrath, which requires those who have received grace to follow His example of seeking to convert and save the soul rather than to ruin or destroy.
Call to Share Mercy
Because the atoning sacrifice was made not for believers only but for the sins of the whole world, those who know the truth carry a world-wide charge and have a world on their hands. They cannot follow their own preferences or natural tendencies, work one place over and over while the rest remains unworked, or act as though the world were given up to the devil, for unfaithful work has let him grasp many and leaves no excuse. They are to be faithful stewards of grace, make saving principles known, represent Christ before the world as the One who takes away sin, and be witnesses by loving Him, practicing His virtues, and increasing good influence over those who do not know Him. There is hope for every sinner and reason to praise God, to work for the sinner's salvation, to win sinners back, and to help in every possible way the people for whom He gave His life, looking to Him whom sins have pierced for efficiency in the work left for perishing souls through often and urgent prayer in dependence on grace and wisdom from God alone so as not to fail nor be discouraged. That gospel of grace is to be preached to all nations, tongues and peoples with the Spirit as the third angel's message exalting Christ's righteousness, so that none can say only law is preached.
Because infinite benevolence was poured out at Calvary to save souls from sin, make man one with God, and encircle the world with an atmosphere of grace, those who receive it are to cooperate with God as laborers together with Him. They are to deny self, refuse needless selfish spending, bring an offering in righteousness to advance His enterprise of mercy, follow Him who became poor and left His home to die that they might possess eternal riches, do good to discouraged souls, and watch for opportunities near and far. They are to show compassion to the prodigal far from the Father's house and perishing with hunger, bringing him to a saving knowledge of the truth, loving one another as He loved, revealing His benevolence, fragrance and attributes in home and church, and living as representatives whose pure character draws others to desire Him. Experimental knowledge of Him as Redeemer and friend leads to true obedience and fervent love for God and human beings, to pity, tenderness and compassion, to walking even as He walked, and to partaking of the divine nature having escaped corruption through lust, while harsh dictatorial words toward His blood-bought heritage bring charges against Christ in the person of His saints and show Satan's control and schooling in disobedience rather than yoking with Christ. His unfailing love, though heartbroken by nonresponse, enables daily victory over trial.
Sinners are to fix the eye on Calvary, behold the Lamb of God as sufficient provision for taking away sin, look upon Him whom sins pierced, and declare to the sinner the cross and the reason for the great sacrifice. They see that only through Christ can eternal life be gained, that obedience to God's word is the condition of entrance into the kingdom, and that return to allegiance and obedience is possible, so they come humbly and contritely, confessing sin, seeking forgiveness, hating the transgression that caused the death of the Son of the infinite God, and surrendering completely in hope of eternal life in peace, joy and purity. Looking upon Christ as compassionate, tender High Priest, substitute and surety preserves the heart in contrition, and human teachers are to step aside to encourage earnest prayer for wisdom from God more perfectly than from any human counselor. Complete union means drawing continually from Him as living bread, life bound up with His, self emptied, Christ formed within as hope of glory, truth shining without human mixture in humility and meekness, and His blood shed even tonight helping soul-winners prepare without spot to meet Him.
His death was the sacrifice at the heart of His mission as Redeemer, to be a subject of deep study for His church in every age. He is the true, immovable foundation and atoning sacrifice on which believers are gathered into the church to labor in unity, strengthen one another, and build up faith. His ransomed church receives life through Him and becomes the source of His glory. By His finished bearing of the sins of the whole world He made it possible for believers to stand in the same line of sending that He received from the Father and to carry out that commission without departing from it.