1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you that ye
may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous: ASV
1Jn 2:1 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: KJV
1Jn 2:1 My little children, I write these things to you so that
you do not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. LITV
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COMMENTARY
Purpose of book;
The book has more than one purpose. One purpose was to refute the
Gnostics who were claiming they had no sin. Another of
John’s purposes for writing his epistle is clearly stated in no
uncertain terms in this verse. John wanted his readers to know Newness
of Life in Christ that was completely apart from sin! This is a
reflection of Paul's doctrine of the Christian life as found in Romans
chapter 6.
As Gill says; "He first declares that the end of his writing was to prevent their sinning;"
Why would John have such a goal in mind if he knew that such was
Impossible to attain? John’s use of the word "IF" clearly
teaches that sin is not the norm for the Christian. This of course is
in clear opposition to the false doctrine of so-called "indwelling sin"
held by many professing Christians in our day. People who hold such a
view constantly talk about how 'sinful' they are and how they "struggle
with their indwelling sin.. or remaining corruption" and "fight against
their besetting sin[s]" all their days. But such notions are foreign to
the New Testament writers in their description of the Christian Life.
For further content see the comments on chapter three.
Our task here is to come to an understanding of the word "advocate".
Thayer Lexicon
3875 parakletos {par-ak’-lay-tos} noun masculine
AV - comforter (4) - advocate (1) [5]
1) summoned, called to one’s side, esp. called to one’s aid
*2) one who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a pleader,
counsel for defense, legal assistant; an advocate *3) one who pleads
another’s cause with one, an intercessor; so of Christ in his
exaltation at God’s right hand, pleading with God the Father for
the pardon of our sins
4) in the widest sense, a helper, succorer, aider, assistant; so of the
Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles
(after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge
of the gospel truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable
them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom.
Sin affects our relationship to God and we are unable to do anything
about it. We ~Need~ an advocate. We have the best one in the entire
creation of God. When He pleads our cause God ~Always~ hears Him. John
11:41,42. When He pleads for sin it is effectual because He has paid in
full the debt for all the sins of all His people; see next vs. The
nature of God is such that He ~Must~ punish All sin. Jesus says
"Father, I have fulfilled the demands of Your justice & received
the punishment for All the sins of All whose place I took on my cross.
I pray that You would cleanse & receive this sinner whom I have
redeemed"!
This is where universalism breaks down. If Christ has died for
everyone who ever lives, then does He not pray for All for whom He
died? If Yes then the only conclusion is that His Father turns a deaf
ear to most of the prayers of His own Son! But such a notion is the
product of darkness. Now see the next verse.
1John
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