1 John 2;1-2 Bible Study Notes

Bible Study Notes – 1 John 2:1-2

We continue our study in 1 John which primarily teaches disciples how to live, individually and collectively, in the “beloved community” which the “Church” personifies.  The author, the Apostle John, “the Beloved Disciple” who also wrote the Gospel of John as well as the other two epistles and the book of Revelation, instructs believers on the practicality of living in fellowship with God through a relationship with Jesus Christ (the Logos and the Life) within a community of fellow believers.  In this week’s passage, we explore the necessity of obedience to the commands of Christ in appreciation for His atoning sacrifice.  Faithful adherence to the Lord’s directives enables us to live in harmonious fellowship with our brothers and sisters.  We will discuss whether the commands of Christ are old or new and archaic or applicable for contemporary believers. Moreover, we will explore the absolute demand that we resist hatred of our brothers and sisters in order to walk in the light of fellowship with Christ.

In this week’s passage, we consider “Christ Our Advocate” (1 John 2:1-2), “Do You Know the Lord?” (1 John 2:3-6), “An Enduring Command” (1 John 2:7) and “A New Command, Love as Jesus Loves” (1 John 2:8-11).

Consider the following ides and questions as you study the passage.

“Christ Our Advocate” – 1 John 2:1-2

• After lovingly addressing his reader as “My dear children,” the apostle John tells them he writes this passage about confession, forgiveness and purification to prevent their sin.
• Hopefully, they will seek a greater relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ whose redemptive love removes any character defects that impedes our ability to relate rightly to Him.
• Hence, Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness, anything that prevents us from relating rightly to Him.
• However, if anyone sins, he or she has a perfect advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
• Christ intercedes on the behalf of sinners to the Holy Father Almighty.
• As the Righteous One, Jesus Christ speaks to the Father in our defense.  Please see Hebrews 4:14-16 and Ephesians 1:15-23.
• John uses the image of the world’s best defense attorney who perfectly and successfully pleads a client’s defense.
• Allude to the spectacular legal work of Johnnie Cochran, F. Lee Bailey, Arthur Liman, Mary Winkler’s defense attorneys, Roy Black, Alan Dershowitz, Brendan Sullivan, Thurgood Marshall, and Edward Bennett Williams
• Legal Brief – Facts, Argument, Law and Summary
• Method of Legal Argument – (1) Law, (2) Facts or (3) Truth
• Tell story about morning coffee with a lawyer who assured me that he and I were in the same business.  He argued on behalf of clients in an earthly court.  I argued on behalf of clients in a celestial court.
• Allude to Zechariah 3:1-10
• In the next verse, John characterizes the Lord Jesus Christ as the “atoning sacrifice and propitiation” for the sins of the Church but also for the whole world.
• Allude to Isaiah 53:1-23, Mark 10:45, John 1:29, John 3:17, 1 Corinthians 5:7 and 1 Peter 1:19.
• Literally, Christ turns away the wrath of Almighty God.  He makes the face of the Holy Father “sweet and pleasant” once again as He looks upon humankind.
• Also, Christ, as the perfect sacrifice, appeases the totality of the offense of human sin against the holy character of Almighty God.
• In a more practical sense, this Greek verb means “to wipe clean a face that has been blackened by displeasure.”