1 John | A Series About Abiding in Christ – Christ Our Advocate
1 John 2:1-6
Having become our ‘propitiation’, Christ is now our advocate not only for our ongoing forgiveness but also our progressive growth in holiness.
John 3:36 // Romans 6:1-2 // Romans 8:34
“[Christ’s advocacy] is not that of ‘love pleading with justice’. Rather, the opposite: ‘Justice pleads with love for our release!’” — George Findlay
The gospel of grace creates a healthy tension in ALL genuine believers:
| Joyful Freedom from the Condemnation our Sin Deserved | <—> | Fervent Effort in Rejecting Sin and Obeying Christ |
Romans 8:1-2 // Galatians 5:1,13
New life in Christ generates new, spiritual passions: Hatred for things in us that sent Jesus to the Cross AND Love for the things that make us more like Christ.
Romans 2:4
War becomes a necessity because freedom must be defended.
Romans 7:14-25 // 1 Timothy 1:18-19 // 1 Peter 2:11
W — WANT to be holy like Christ
A — AGREE with God about where you’re falling short
R — REPENT as specifically as possible and as often as necessary
(R) — RECEIVE God’s pardoning and empowering grace