Sunday School Lesson
July 11
Lesson 6 (KJV)
POWER OF THE GOSPEL
DEVOTIONAL READING: Psalm 71: 1–6, 17–24
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Romans 1
ROMANS 1: 8–17
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.
14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
KEY VERSE
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.—Romans 1: 16
CONFIDENT HOPE
Unit 2: Faith and Salvation
LESSONS 6–9
LESSON AIMS
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Identify the groups to which Paul acknowledged his debt obligation.
2. Give one example each of being ashamed and being unashamed of the gospel.
3. Create two approaches for sharing the gospel: one for people having some gospel knowledge already and the other for those with much less or no such knowledge.
HOW TO SAY IT
Abraham Ay-bruh-ham.
Antioch An-tee-ock.
Claudius Claw-dee-us.
Corinth Kor-inth.
Ephesus Ef-uh-sus.
Habakkuk Huh-back-kuk.
Pentecost Pent-ih-kost.
Philippi Fih-lip-pie or Fil-ih-pie.
Introduction
A. “Where the Money Is”
Willie Sutton (1901–1980)—also known as The Actor and Slick Willie—was infamous as a thief. He would arrive at his target, usually a bank or store, just before they opened. On at least one occasion, he had the security guard admit employees as they arrived, then tied them up in an office to prevent any trouble. His disguises included dressing as a telegraph messenger, a policeman, and a maintenance man. Even in the midst of his crimes, Sutton was noted as being quite polite, even gentlemanly.
Sutton was caught several times, and he escaped prison on more than one occasion. After one escape, a tailor’s son recognized Sutton. The fugitive had not come to commit robbery but instead to get a suit tailored! When asked why he robbed banks, Sutton replied, “That’s where the money is.” What other explanation could a person possibly need? Sutton wanted money, banks had money, so logically he went to banks to relieve them of their funds.
Paul was no criminal, but his answer to a certain question might have been similar to Sutton’s. Why did Paul go to the cities to preach the gospel? Because that’s where the people were!
B. Lesson Context
Cities seemed to hold a special attraction for Paul in a strategic way. Three of his key ministries were in Antioch, Corinth, and Ephesus—all among the 10 largest cities of the empire. But Paul had a burning desire to visit the greatest city of them all, Rome, the capital of the empire and center of the world in those days.
The saying, “All roads lead to Rome” was more than proverbial for Paul. The city was unparalleled in the ancient world. After Rome’s decline in late antiquity, Europe would not see anything to rival it until London in the nineteenth century. Paul was convinced that God was calling him to go to Rome.
Paul, formerly Saul the persecutor of Christians, wrote the letter to the Romans in advance of his trip there. A church was growing in Rome, a church made up of individuals who were likely present in Jerusalem on Pentecost (Acts 2: 10) and of believers they converted.
Some of those whom Paul had led to Christ seemed to have traveled to Rome ahead of him for one reason or another. That is clear from the list of personal greetings that Paul includes at the end of the letter, in chapter 16. It was important to Paul that they grow in the right direction. They needed a strong doctrinal base, and they needed some practical spiritual counsel. In this letter they received both.
Paul wrote the book of Romans in about AD 58, during his third missionary journey. This timing is supported by Acts 20: 2–3, which states that Paul spent three months in Greece. This in turn supports the conclusion that Paul wrote from the Greek city of Corinth, home of a beloved church he had founded and ministered to for 18 months a few years earlier. Staying put in this Greek city among people he knew and loved would have allowed Paul the time to craft such a carefully, masterfully written letter.
The contents of Romans reflect Paul’s experience in presenting a gospel that is both doctrinal and relational in matters faced by growing Christians. Paul was in the prime years of his ministry, being able to present the fruit of his personal familiarity with bringing people to Christ and providing an atmosphere for their growth. He was prepared to send a letter that addressed many important issues, countered spiritual errors, and emphasized core truths of the Christian faith.
I. Power of Witness
(ROMANS 1: 8–10)
A. Of a Church (v. 8)
8. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Having introduced himself and laid out the basics of his gospel (Romans 1: 1–7), Paul encouraged the Roman Christians by revealing the content of his prayers to God regarding them. Expressing gratitude and thankfulness is characteristic of his letters.
What Do You Think?
How can you improve the ratio of “thanking for” to “asking for” in your prayer life?
Digging Deeper
Why is it important to do so?
Paul’s observation that the whole world had received reports of the faithfulness of this church may partly result from the painful expulsion they had faced. Turmoil in Rome had prompted Emperor Claudius (reigned AD 41–54) to expel from the city all those of Jewish background in about AD 49 (Acts 18: 1–2). The turmoil was likely a conflict between Jews who had converted to Christianity and those who had not. The Romans didn’t make a distinction between the two at the time, so all those of Jewish background were told to leave town.
When Paul wrote the letter to the Romans, Claudius had died, and Jews had returned to Rome. Within the Christian community, this caused reconsideration of the relationships between Jews, Gentiles, and God.
B. Of an Individual (vv. 9–10)
9–10. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.
Worldwide Christianity would be blessed by a strong, faithful congregation in the great city of Rome. Its location at the transportation hub of the empire would allow the church’s witness to spread in all directions. For this and for his anticipated trip, Paul prayed sincerely. He valued the advance of the gospel of God’s Son as his primary objective. His budding relationship with the Christians in Rome was part of his grand vision for bringing the message of salvation to all people of the world.
Although Paul could be bold, even brash, in his claims and plans, we see his humility on display here. His great desire to go to Rome was tempered by his intent to submit to the will of God. Our greatest plans, no matter how noble, depend on God’s blessing and assistance if they are to be successful.
The route from Corinth to Rome was regularly traveled, taking only a few weeks. But Paul decided to return to Jerusalem before visiting Rome (see Acts 19: 21). This delayed his trip to Rome by a year or more. But spiritual guidance couldn’t wait, thus the need for this letter to serve that church in the interim.
RESPONDING TO HIS CALL
I met a minister who planted a church in my city last year. Before then, he had been ministering in his father’s church, which was across the country. While there, he had mentored a young man from my city. That young man asked the minister to pray for his family.
The minister did pray and eventually had a phone conversation with the family. During the call, the minister felt a burden for the family and the people of my city. Soon, he told his wife that he sensed a call to move their family across the country to start a church. At the time, he didn’t even know the location of my city on a map! Even though it seemed like a big step of faith, the minister heeded God’s call.
When God burdens your heart for reaching people, responding to the call is worth the sacrifice. Consider whom God may have been calling you to reach. In what ways have you been resisting? How will you respond this week?—L. H.-P.
II. Power of Preaching
(ROMANS 1: 11–15)
A. Spiritual Insight and Fruit (vv. 11–13)
11. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established.
The word for introduces the reasons why Paul desired to visit the church in Rome. We should not understand his stated desire to impart unto them some spiritual gift to refer to something specific since he did not yet know their specific needs. What he probably had in mind was something like “spiritual insight” for guiding the church in providing what the Roman church lacked—something that could be provided only by Paul. Nor should we hear Paul implying that the Roman church was on shaky ground; he was not the one who founded that church, and he had only secondhand knowledge of its situation. More likely what we are seeing here is Paul’s understanding of the value of face-to-face fellowship, something that cannot be equaled by letters or messengers.
Paul’s writing to these brothers and sisters in Christ was a step toward a long time of teaching and dialogue (see Acts 28: 16–31). The end or goal of this education was to be the establishment of the Roman church in sound Christian teaching (doctrine) and practice.
12. That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
One of the outstanding aspects of being a Christian, something difficult to explain to nonbelievers, is the comfort and joy we find as we share our “like precious faith” with one another (2 Peter 1: 1). We can share the victories we have over sin and death (Romans 8: 1–2). We can give honor to God, who promises never to allow us to be separated from His love (8: 35–39). We can remind ourselves that all things are working for good according to God’s purposes (8: 28). We can participate in corporate prayers enlivened by the Holy Spirit we share (8: 26–27). We can encourage each other with stories of our life transformations, our resistance to being conformed to the sinful influences of the world (12: 1–2).
These themes were a foretaste of the joyous time Paul anticipated when he finally joined the Romans for fellowship.
13. Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.
Paul preached and wrote expectantly, anticipating that God would use his words as seed to bear fruit (compare 1 Corinthians 3: 6–7). Paul’s writing suggests that this growth would be seen at least in part in spiritual virtues (see Galatians 5: 22–23). He also wanted to preach among the people of Rome because he believed it would result in conversions and changed lives. This was not unfounded fantasy, because Paul had already experienced much fruit during his ministries in Corinth (Acts 18), Philippi (16: 12–15, 25–34, 40), and other Gentile cities. As he wrote later, people cannot hear and believe unless there is a preacher (Romans 10: 14; see lesson 9).
Paul had a strong sense of God’s direction of his ministry. Though Paul had long purposed to visit Rome, he had been hindered in each instance. Various circumstances and even spiritual directions changed Paul’s plans (see Acts 16: 6). And at the time of the writing of Romans, his choice to go to Jerusalem rather than Rome was driven by a deep-seated conviction that no one around him shared (Acts 21: 12–14). Paul explained later in the letter that part of what let him hitherto was his great burden to preach the gospel among unevangelized Gentiles (Romans 15: 17–22). Paul’s travels had been to serve Christ, not simply to find personal fulfillment.
What Do You Think?
Which problem do you most need to address: being exasperated that God’s timing isn’t fast enough or that it’s moving too fast?
Digging Deeper
What Bible examples can you offer for each?
B. Spiritual Debts and Readiness (vv. 14–15)
14a. I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians. Paul described his relationship with unevangelized people he had never met in terms of owing a debt to them. His spiritual duty could only be discharged by preaching the gospel to the unsaved. This concept was central to his passion for the Gentile mission.
Gentiles could be subdivided as two groups of people, based on a Greek understanding of the world. Greeks themselves were Gentile unbelievers in the eastern part of the Roman Empire. These were assumed to be the most civilized and most sophisticated citizens in the Roman Empire.
Barbarians were those living beyond the regions of Greek influence, who spoke languages other than Greek (compare and contrast Acts 2: 5–11). In Paul’s day, Greeks had a strong sense of cultural superiority based on their philosophical traditions and refined language. To them, languages other than Greek sounded like babbling nonsense, “bar-bar-bar,” qualifying such speakers as “barbarians.” It’s been said that after the Romans conquered the Greeks militarily, the Greeks turned around and conquered the Romans culturally. The Romans later adopted the category of barbarian to refer to all people who did not have Greek or Roman heritage.
14b. both to the wise, and to the unwise.
Paul’s inclusiveness in preaching indicates that knowledge or education levels are not a criterion for Paul’s target audiences (see 1 Corinthians 1: 26). Some students propose that Paul used parallelism to mean that the Greeks were the wise while the Barbarians were the unwise. This would fit the Greek and Roman view of their heritage contrasted with that of other people groups.
15. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
At first glance, this verse may seem strange. Why plan to preach the gospel to the recipients of this letter, who are already Christians? We should realize that preaching the gospel involves more than initial evangelizing. This is clear in the five dozen or so times Paul used the phrase “the gospel” in his letters.
III. Power of Faith
(ROMANS 1: 16–17)
A. Overcoming Shame (v. 16)
16a. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.
Elsewhere, Paul noted that the message of the cross was a “stumblingblock” to Jews (1 Corinthians 1: 23). The core elements of Paul’s preaching would not avoid the historical truth that Jesus had been executed like the worst of criminals (2: 2). Jesus’ death was easily dismissed by critics as neither heroic nor in obedience to God’s will, but as only shameful.
Of course, the shame of the cross was real (Hebrews 12: 2). But the gospel reveals that shame was not the full story of Jesus’ execution (see Philippians 2: 5–11). Therefore Paul was not ashamed of the cross. Rather, he gloried in it (Galatians 6: 14).
16b. For it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Not only does the gospel possess the power to save every one that believeth, it also had the power to break down the walls separating Jews and Gentiles—a point discussed further by Paul in Ephesians. There he explicitly welcomed the uncircumcised who had previously been legally restricted from full participation in the covenant with Israel (see Ephesians 2: 11–22).
It is difficult to determine whether the church in Rome consisted mostly of Jewish-Christians or Gentile-Christians. Clearly, both were present (Romans 2: 17; 11: 13). Some believers of Jewish background in the church in Rome were likely present in Jerusalem on Pentecost and heard the gospel from Peter. Those Jews were among the first to hear the good news. But Greeks (Gentiles) also needed to know this power of God unto salvation. As we noted in previous lessons of this quarter, the word salvation can take a broad range of meanings in the New Testament, depending on context. But not in Paul’s writings; he uses that word only in a spiritual sense (examples: Romans 10: 1, 10; 11: 11; 13: 11; 2 Corinthians 1: 6; 6: 2; 7: 10).
What Do You Think?
In what ways, if at all, does Romans 1: 16 help you act according to spiritual priorities?
Digging Deeper What do you see those priorities being?
THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL
We had two family members die within the same week: an aunt and uncle who had been married for more than 60 years. It was devastating to lose them, even though the couple had lived long, fulfilling lives. In accordance with her aunt’s wishes, my wife was asked to deliver a eulogy at the funeral. She delivered a powerful message of hope from John 14. The family needed to be reminded of the truth that through Christ’s death and resurrection Christians have the assurance of eternal union with God.
One family member came to my wife after the service to express how her eulogy had affected him. He had been feeling such a heaviness during the service that it was difficult for him to breathe. But as he had listened, he experienced an easing of his heavy heart. He could breathe normally again as the service concluded.
The gospel has the power to do many things, including breaking the sting of death. How will you allow the gospel’s “power unto salvation” help you overcome the next tragedy that comes your way?—L. H.-P.
B. Revealing Righteousness (v. 17)
17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
The gospel is the most crucial message ever because therein is the righteousness of God revealed. The gospel tells sinful people how to become right with God. That is something that we can never earn or achieve through our own efforts (Isaiah 64: 6). Our only hope is to accept by faith the gift of God’s righteousness as provided by Him through the death of Jesus. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “For [God] hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5: 21).
Paul concluded this summary of his gospel message by quoting a key Old Testament verse for understanding the nature of faith: Habakkuk 2: 4. In the original setting of this verse, Habakkuk complained to the Lord about the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, expecting action from God (1: 12–2: 1). God’s final word was that His people must remain faithful, trusting Him for the outcome that vindicates righteousness and justice (2: 2–19). Our job is not to try to compel God to act; rather, it is to place our faith in God to do the right thing in His timing.
Christ’s death on the cross was the right thing at the right time (Galatians 4: 4–5). It’s what allows people to become justified, to be treated as faultless before God’s throne. The price for our sins has been paid. Paul presents this as a revealing of the nature of God, that He both demands righteousness from us and makes this possible despite our sin and weakness. Later Paul will say this allows God to remain completely holy and righteous himself while working to make sinful humanity righteous too. God is both “just, and the justifier” of those who trust Him (Romans 3: 26).
The exact meaning of the phrase from faith to faith has been debated. But the likely intent of Paul is to show that this whole faith agenda is not a new invention by Christians. God’s people have always built a successful relationship with Him on faith. Paul later gave the example of Abraham, whose faith was “counted unto him for righteousness” (Romans 4: 3, 22; see lesson 7, Genesis 15: 6). Trusting in God is not new, but now we are to include faith in Jesus—that His death has the effect of saving us from our sins. It is faith then, faith now, and faith going forward.
What Do You Think?
How would you explain to someone the difference between a blind faith and the kind of faith Paul talks about?
Digging Deeper
How would that explanation differ to a believer and an unbeliever, if at all? Why?
Conclusion
A. Come to the Cross
The most recognized Christian symbol is the cross. We see it on churches, as jewelry, in logos, in massive monuments, and in cemeteries. For many, the cross is most associated with the latter as it marks a grave of a loved one.
As Christians, we affirm that Jesus’ cross is about death. But the cross is also about life, for Jesus’ death gives us the possibility of being forgiven of our sins, escaping the penalty of death, and embracing eternal life as a gift. To do this, we must come to the cross in faith. We must not be ashamed. We must come believing that the cross represents the great love of God. We must come convinced that faith in Christ has the power to save us. It is there that our burden of sin was lifted and our spiritual blindness will become the sight of faith.
What Do You Think?
Which concept in today’s text requires more “live it out” on your part? Why?
Digging Deeper
How do you plan to make that happen?
B. Prayer
Lord God, may we approach Your throne with faith, unashamed of our love and trust for Your Son, Jesus Christ. May we give all that we have to serve You and to bring the gospel message to those who have not heard. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember The gospel is powerful for all who believe
KID’S CORNER
What If a True Christian Sins?
Sunday, July 11, 20211
John 2:1-6
1 John 2:1-6
(1 John 2:1) 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;
An elderly Apostle John wrote to those he considered his spiritual children; much as Jesus addressed His disciples as children when He saw them on the Sea of Tiberias after He rose from the dead, and asked, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” (John 21:5). Children are teachable and eager to learn, as were Jesus’ disciples. John wrote to those he considered teachable and eager to learn. For their own good, children also need to learn to obey. For example, children need to learn to stop when a parent or teacher yells “Stop,” rather than touch a hot stove or run into a busy street. Whereas no perfect human parent or teacher exists, our perfect and loving God gave all His commands for our good, for the good of His children, for the good of everyone God created. God designed us, and the Bible teaches us how to live the best ways according to the way God designed us. After Jesus saw Peter, His spiritual child, and after He fed him breakfast on the beach, Jesus had to teach Peter more about what it meant to obey Him, follow Him, and feed His sheep. The Apostle John wrote to do the same for his spiritual children and for all who would read his letters. As believers in Jesus, we need to see ourselves being taught as God’s spiritual children.
In 1 John 1, John described what Jesus requires of His followers for them to be forgiven and cleansed from all sin and unrighteousness, and he wrote about how Jesus forgives and cleanses His followers from all sin and unrighteousness. In John 2, John wrote so his readers would not think that committing sins no longer mattered or that believers could not be forgiven and cleansed if they sinned again. In 1 John 1:7, John promised that if we walk in the light as Jesus Christ is in the light, then “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.” Therefore, to be cleansed from all sin, we must walk in the light as Jesus did; that is, imitate Jesus Christ who lived without sin and who always obeyed His Father. Though we cannot imitate Jesus perfectly or obey God perfectly, we can walk in the light as He did. We cannot act, live, and speak perfectly in this world, but we can be cleansed from all sin because Jesus shed His blood and died for us. What happens if while we are walking in the light we trip into the dark and sin again, or what happens if while we are walking in the light we step into the mud and sin again? John wanted to help the followers of Jesus avoid sin by learning how to obey Jesus Christ and walk with Him in this world. In 1 John 1:9, John promised that if “we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Without Jesus’ death in our behalf, we could never be forgiven and cleansed; otherwise, Jesus would never have needed to die in our behalf. If we truly have been cleansed, we will not want to walk in the mud again, and we will want our feet cleansed as soon as possible if we step in it; so, if we sin again, we will turn from our sin (take our feet out of the mud) and confess our sin to Jesus. If we have truly been forgiven and cleansed, we will not want to do anything again that will cost us the joy that God gave us when He assured us of His forgiveness and cleansing. If we sin again, we will want our joy and clean conscience restored as soon as possible, so we will repent of our sin and go to Jesus immediately. We will want to learn how to avoid committing sin and how to behave better as children of God—Bible study helps us do that. After we have been forgiven and cleansed, we are not yet made perfect, but as true followers of Jesus Christ we have been born again. So, if we will still sin again, what hope do we have?
In 1 John 2, John gave believers, His little children, hope. In John 2:1, John gave us this precious promise, writing, “If anyone does sin; we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Jesus was, is, and will always remain righteous, and along with the Holy Spirit who indwells us, Jesus will be our righteous Comforter, Helper, and Advocate (Defense Attorney). Jesus the righteous will help us live righteous day-by-day, and He will cleanse and forgive us when we confess our sins. The Father will not condemn us, and Jesus will teach us how to obey God better and more consistently. Rather than condemn us, the Father and the Son will help us, for we are their little children if we trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
(1 John 2:2) and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
Our sins cost Jesus Christ His life so we would not need to die eternally. To remain holy, loving, just, and merciful, to uphold His law and maintain His integrity, truthfulness, and righteousness, and to deter sinners from continuing to sin, God could have chosen to punish sinners immediately and eternally when they became lawless and rebelled against Him. A government or government leader that will not enforce a nation’s good laws, will lose the respect of its citizens or subjects, and this loss of respect and the loss of the fear of punishment guarantees an increase in lawlessness and violence in that government. Unless God had a better alternative, if God did not punish sinners and enforce His laws, He would lose the respect of those He created and guarantee an increase of lawlessness and violence in His kingdom. But God had a better way. God the Father and God the Son chose to send Jesus, the Son of God, into the world to sacrifice His life for us and for our sins, so we would not need to be punished eternally, so we could walk in newness of life, and so God could remain just while showing mercy and forgiveness to us—to repentant sinners who believed in Jesus and chose to walk in the light as He walks in the light. As people learn about Jesus, who is the atoning sacrifice for them, some will repent of their sins, trust in Jesus, and receive the gift of eternal life. God upholds His just and righteous rule when because of Jesus’ sacrificial death in their behalf God saves repentant sinners. Because God loves us and sent His Son to die for us, God will remain just and merciful when we entrust our lives to His Son for cleansing and forgiveness. Justice and mercy are two sides of the coin of love. God will justly condemn those who choose to live in the darkness, who choose to persist in lawlessness, who would prefer to remain rebels against God rather than receive the cleansing, the forgiveness, and the eternal life that God has promised to those who by grace place their faith in Jesus Christ. God excludes no one from His offer of forgiveness and cleansing through faith in Jesus Christ, for Jesus is the atoning sacrifice “for the sins of the whole world.” Through the gift of Jesus Christ as the atoning sacrifice for our sins, God has gained more love, respect, devotion, praise, glory, and a return to obedience by repentant sinners than if He had decided to eternally condemn all sinners for their sins. In thinking of Jesus as our atoning sacrifice, many truths may remain hidden from us, but God has revealed enough truth in the Bible that with the help of the Holy Spirit we can believe in and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord, Savior, and Giver of Eternal Life. Jesus Christ is our Advocate and Atoning Sacrifice, and He will help us live in obedient love, with the peace and happiness that obeying God offers to every repentant sinner. Why would we ever want to sin against such a perfect loving God, who gave His Son for us, while we were still sinners, to save us from eternal punishment and help us walk in newness of life? We would not. In this way, God’s gift of Jesus Christ to the world deters sin and saves sinners in ways beyond our comprehension. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we will not become perfect in this world, but with His loving help we will sin less as we walk in the light as He is in the light.
(1 John 2:3) By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.
Through faith in Jesus Christ, we come to know Jesus Christ personally. The more we learn about Jesus, the more we want to draw closer to Jesus, and the more we come to know Jesus the more we want to spend time with Jesus. We see ourselves as He sees us, as His friends and as His little children. We see God as our Heavenly Father, and we know Him as a loving Father instead of as an angry Judge looking for reasons to condemn us. We see the Son of God as our Brother, because our Father has adopted us into His Family. In Galatians 4:4-6, Paul wrote, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” As our older Brother, Jesus will help us live with happiness as children of God. If we obey our heavenly Father and the commandments of Jesus by walking in the light as He is in the light, then we have the assurance that we know the Father and the Son. God has won our love, and we want to love and honor God by obeying God.
(1 John 2:4) The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;
John also wrote to help true Christians live as true Christians. John gave his readers a means of determining if they truly knew and loved God. He also wanted Christians to have the ability to distinguish true Christians from false Christians; then, as God’s children they would not be easily misled. From John we learn that if someone says they are a Christian or know God, but we see that they obviously do not obey God’s commandments as clearly revealed in the Bible, then we know that person is a liar. Since Jesus said He was the Truth, we also see that in such a person the Truth does not exist. May we live in such a way that this can never be honestly said of us.
(1 John 2:5) but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:
The love of God reaches perfection in the lives of those who accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who accept His loving presence into their lives, and who obey His teachings. Within them, Jesus Christ becomes their Advocate, their Counselor, their Helper, their Friend, and their Brother. Because they know Jesus as He truly is and wants to be within them, they obey His word (His teachings). If we sincerely want to love Jesus more and more, and if we want to obey Jesus more faithfully, perfectly, and reliably, then we may be sure that we are in Him. We can never be sure that we are in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior if we are walking in darkness instead of in the light of Christ, or if we are practicing sin in lawless violation of His commandments. True Christians will never live, act, and speak perfectly in this life. Rather, we are God’s children growing into spiritual and moral maturity. So, we will sin “sometimes,” but we will not use this knowledge as an excuse for committing any sins or practicing sin. If we do sin, we will feel deeply grieved at offending and disappointing the One who gave His life for us; then, we will confess our sin, and ask our Advocate to help us avoid sin in the future. Acting in these ways if we sin indicates that God’s perfect love in Jesus Christ is working in our lives
(1 John 2:6) the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
As true followers of Jesus Christ, we need to be able to say to God and to ourselves, “I abide (remain) in Him, so help me God to do this.” Whether we say so or not, we should also be able to say without hypocrisy, “I abide (remain) in Jesus, and His Spirit helps me do so.” If we walk just as Jesus walked, those who know Jesus will see us and be able to say they see us abiding (remaining) in Him. In his gospel, John showed how Jesus walked and how His true disciples tried to imitate Him morally and spiritually by loving God, one another, and others as Jesus loved and served everyone.
What If a True Christian Sins?
Sunday, July 11, 20211
John 2:1-6
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 (1 John 2:1—KJV).
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 (1 John 2:1— NASB).
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:1— NRSV).
John Among the gospel writers, none of them expressed the tender love of Jesus Christ for His followers more than John, for he addressed his readers as “My little children.” Everything John wrote expressed the love of Jesus Christ that flowed in and through him. John knew the damage that sin could do to someone and to those they loved. John defined sin as lawlessness, and because he loved his brothers and sisters in Christ, he did not want them to act lawlessly. John also recognized that no follower of Christ will act, live, and speak perfectly until they meet Jesus face-to-face, either when Jesus Christ comes again or when they go to heaven to be with the Lord. John knew that every follower of Jesus would do something lawless sometimes, but lawlessness was the exception to the standard by which they habitually lived. To avoid utterly crushing the spirit of his fellow believers, John encouraged them by writing that if we do sin, we have an advocate, a defense attorney, who will plead for and represent us before God our Father. There will be no better Defense Attorney in our behalf than Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, because Jesus “is the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 2:2). Our Advocate will only need to say in our behalf that He justly and mercifully died a sacrificial death for us so we would not suffer eternal punishment. Moreover, the Father and He had agreed to graciously give eternal life to all who would follow Him.
Thinking Further
What If a True Christian Sins?
Sunday, July 11, 20211
John 2:1-6
Name _______________________________
1. Why do you think John called his readers “My little children”?
2. What reason did John give for writing them?
3. If anyone sins, what good news did John give his readers?
4. What did John say was necessary for Jesus to be “the atoning
sacrifice”?
5. How can we be sure that we know Jesus?
Discussion and Thinking Further
1. Why do you think John called his readers “My little children”?
John felt a tender loving care for all Christians, especially those that he led to faith in Jesus Christ, for in some sense he was and remained their “father in the faith”—having led them to faith in Jesus Christ and faith in their Father in heaven. Little children probably meant that they were new Christians, or as Christians they needed to be reminded of some basic teachings of what it meant to be a Christian, call yourself a Christian, and live as a Christian. He wanted them to know that his teachings were the teachings of a father who loved them and who wanted the best for them rather than the teachings of an uncaring lecturer just doing his duty as a teacher. We need to read John as the teachings of a beloved father who loves us, and who represents our Lord and Savior and our Father in heaven who also love us and want the best for us as followers of Jesus Christ.
2. What reason did John give for writing them?
He wrote to teach them and us how to live so that we may not sin. Christians do not need to sin, but sometimes we do sin. He wrote to teach Christians how to live without practicing sin and to keep us from walking in darkness.
3. If anyone sins, what good news did John give his readers?
If we sin, we have an advocate with the Father. Jesus is our defense attorney as in a court of law. He is the perfect defense attorney or counselor. He will plead our cause and His Father will not condemn us.
4. What did John say was necessary for Jesus to be “the atoning sacrifice”?
Jesus must be righteous as our defense attorney, as He pleads our cause. He will be truthful and honest before His Father, who will be our Judge. Jesus is righteous because Jesus never sinned. Jesus always did what His Father wanted Him to do, and He never committed a sin of commission or omission. With a loving and willing heart and mind, Jesus Christ, our Lord and King and Savior, came into our world to die on the cross as our perfect substitute so His death became a perfect sacrifice in our behalf that He and His Father accepted in place of the eternal death that we deserve because of our lawlessness and rebellion in against them in the Kingdom of God. Because Jesus died in our place and is our defense attorney, His Father will not condemn us if we sin.
5. How can we be sure that we know Jesus?
We can be sure we know Jesus if we obey Jesus’ commandments, but we will not obey Jesus perfectly all the time until we go to heaven or He comes again. Obeying Jesus perfectly will be one of our goals in life because we love Him. We will obey Jesus’ commandments because Jesus, the Truth, dwells in us and His love dwells in us. Unhappily, we will sometimes not do the truthful and loving thing, but we will do “our own thing,” and when we do our own thing instead of obey Jesus’ commands, we sin.
Word Search
What If a True Christian Sins?
Sunday, July 11, 20211
John 2:1-6
Name _________________________________
A B R Y I H V Y L Y D B L X F
V M E D V S T K E I S U S E J
X L J G E L B U H B A X A O L
Y H Z M R G N P R V O R Y Q S
Z E R E H T A F K T Z E U D A
A T G V I U E W X E L T T I L
T A S O E Q M C A N F K V D S
O C R A J T H T W B S W R T U
N O W Y C I S J P C I L I Y O
I V H R L R E I W N R D G M E
N D E D I S I O R U F S E Y T
G A R T U T X F T H W D P S H
W E V S V E I J I B C U Z I G
N G W L F J O N M C H W D N I
S A N M W Y A R G Y E K S B R
Little
Children
Writing
Sin
Advocate
Father
Jesus
Christ
Righteous
Atoning
Sacrifice
Obey
Liar
Truth
Abide
True and False Test
What If a True Christian Sins?
Sunday, July 11, 20211
John 2:1-6
Name _________________________________
Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.
1. John and his wife Rebecca had lots of little children, and this is one of his letters to them. True or False
2. When we read and study the Bible, we need to pray for the Holy Spirit to help us and we need to become as teachable as little children. True or False
3. John gave his readers permission to sin as much as they felt they needed to because they had an advocate. True or False
4. Jesus Christ the righteous became the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and if we sin, He will be our Advocate with the Father. True or False
5. If we obey Jesus’ commandments, we can be sure that we know Him. True or False
6. If someone claims to know Jesus, but does not obey His commandments, he is a liar. True or False
7. The truth does not exist in a liar who claims to know Jesus. True or False
8. If we are in Jesus, we will obey His word. True or False
9. If we love Jesus perfectly, it does not matter if we sin. True or False
10. If we abide in Jesus, we can walk however we want to, and He will
forgive us when we walk in darkness. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
- True
- True
- True
- False
- False
Prayer
Great God in heaven, I believe in you and trust in you. I want to walk as Jesus walked. I want to abide in You. Be with me as I go about my day. Help me to make wise decisions as I work to be more like you. Amen.
