The Letters Of John – Final Part

I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.” – 1 John 5:13

Introduction

Last week, we began exploring the heart of John’s letters—written to strengthen believers in the truth and help them stand against error. In a dark world, John proclaimed God as light; in a cold world, God as love; and in a dying world, God as life. We saw that:

• Jesus is the Incarnate God—fully human and fully divine, known personally by the apostles.
• Jesus is the Word of Life—not only the giver of eternal life, but eternal life itself.
• Jesus is the Son of God—to know Him is to know the Father, and to deny Him is to deny the only true God.

These truths are the foundation of our faith and the source of our confidence.

Today, we move forward with John’s revelation of Jesus in His other divine roles—as The Righteous One, Our Advocate, The Atoning Sacrifice, and The True God. These titles reveal His qualifications to save us, His present ministry on our behalf, and His identity as the only God worthy of our worship.

1. Jesus Christ: The Righteous One

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”-1 John 1:7

“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”-1 John 2:2 (NIV)

When John calls Jesus “the Righteous One” (1 John 2:1), he uses a title that speaks to His perfect moral purity. John places this title between two key truths—Jesus as our Advocate before the Father, and Jesus as the one through whom our sins are forgiven.

If Jesus were not righteous, He could not enter God’s presence, intercede for us, or bear our sins. Like the unblemished lambs of the Old Testament, He had to be without sin to qualify as our substitute. The prophets foresaw this:

• Isaiah spoke of the Righteous Servant who would justify many (Isaiah 53:11).
• Jeremiah promised a coming King called “The LORD Our Righteous Savior” (Jeremiah 23:5–6).

This “Righteous One” is none other than the Lord Himself—perfect in holiness, able to stand before God on our behalf, and willing to bear our punishment so we could be declared righteous.

2. Jesus Christ: Our Advocate

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One”. – 1 John 2:1

John writes: “If anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” This is not permission to sin, but comfort for when we fail.

In Job’s day, he longed for someone who could mediate between him and God (Job 9:33–34). In Christ, that longing is fulfilled. Paul reminds us that no accusation can stand against those in Christ because He is at the right hand of God interceding for us (Romans 8:31–35). The writer of Hebrews adds that He “always lives to intercede” for those who come to God through Him (Hebrews 7:25).

John’s point is clear: our assurance is not based on our perfection, but on Christ’s ongoing advocacy. When we sin, we don’t need to hide in guilt—we run to Him, our Advocate, who pleads our case before the Father.

 

3. Jesus Christ: The Atoning Sacrifice

“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world”.-1 John 2:2

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins”.-1 John 4:10

John declares that Jesus is “the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (2:2).

His blood “purifies us from all sin” (1:7) and “takes away sins” (3:5). This cleansing doesn’t mean we never sin again—it means the record of our sin is wiped clean. God no longer counts our guilt against us.

The word translated “atoning sacrifice” means propitiation—the turning away of God’s wrath. On the cross, Jesus absorbed the punishment we deserved. He took our condemnation so we could be free. This is why John says: “God… sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (4:10).

4. Jesus Christ: The True God

John closes his letter with a strong reminder: “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” This comes right after affirming that Jesus Christ is “the true God and eternal life” (5:20).

Why the warning? Because any “god” apart from the one revealed in Jesus Christ is a false god—whether it’s a carved idol, a distorted idea of God, or a substitute savior. True worship begins and ends with Christ. To know Him is to know the Father; to reject Him is to embrace a lie.

In Jesus Christ—and in Him alone—we see the full and final revelation of God.

Conclusion

John’s portrait of Christ in these verses is breathtaking: the Righteous One who qualifies to save us, the Advocate who pleads for us, the Atoning Sacrifice who bore our punishment, and the True God who alone is worthy of worship.

In a world full of spiritual counterfeits, these truths anchor our faith. They assure us that salvation is secure—not because of what we do—but because of who Jesus is and what He has done. Let us therefore hold fast to Him, keeping ourselves from every false god, and living daily in the light of His righteousness, His advocacy, His sacrifice, and His deity.

Remain Blessed!

Please note that the preaching program on Sunny 88.7 FM – Tuesdays at 5:30 am has been temporarily put on hold. However, please continue to join us on Asempa 94.7 FM – Sundays at 5:30 am and YFM 107.9 – Sundays at 6:30 am for our Radio Bible Study, as well as on Sunny 88.7 FM every Sunday at 3:30 pm for Hymns and Their Stories.

 

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