Our walk with Christ is imperfect - but we have an advocate
“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 ). There is tension in the life of the believer emphasized in 1 John . On the one hand, if we follow the Lord, we will walk in the light (vv. 6–7). Yet we will by no means do this perfectly. We will sin, and we will need the cleansing provided by God through the blood of His Son that is available to us as we confess our sins (vv. 8–10). Christians will not live sinless lives, but they will progress in holiness and be assured of salvation as they are distressed by and repent of their remaining sins. In 1 John 2:1, John refers to this tension again when he tells us his purpose in writing is that we may not sin (2:1a). Though we must be ever aware of our struggle with sin, we must never think that sin is a good thing. God is never pleased when we sin. We cannot let the forgiveness offered through J...