“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. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”

Assurance in Salvation

I once had a lengthy conversation with a Greek Orthodox friend where we discussed, each in good faith, the tenets of our denominations surrounding salvation, especially as it related to confession and the forgiveness of sin. My friend drew great significance to the role of their priest, and the weight they give to the principles of “binding and loosing,” that Jesus tells Peter in Matthew 16, and His words to His disciples in John 20:23,

“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

My friend went on that, should he leave my home that night and die in a car accident, he could have no certainty that he would enter into heaven, as it had been a little over a week since his last confession. Without his priest giving his blessing and acknowledgement of the release of sin, there was a distinct possibility that his transgressions since that last confession would bar him entry into the kingdom. I asked about the practical cases that might prevent people from attending church or taking part in confession – age, illness, or physical distance. He explained that, while confession and forgiveness through a priest was certainly important and significant, they’re also not legalistic about it, and that there is covering through grace outside of the established tradition. It sounded very gray to me. He said that no one in the Orthodox church would claim that they are certain that they are going to heaven. That were I to ask his priest, bishop, or even archbishop if they believed that they would enter into heaven when they died, their only response would be, “By the grace of God.” Now this isn’t exactly wrong, as no one enters eternity in the presence of God by their own might or merit – it is His love, and mercy, and grace that opens this door, and we do not gain our salvation of our own power. But the tone and context behind this Orthodox stance of, “By the grace of God,” seemed to be a way of just saying, “Hopefully.” It was heartbreaking. We should never be complacent in our salvation, because that would mean complacency in our relationship with God. But there is a difference between taking salvation for granted, and having confidence in eternity by the Word that God has given. The passages cited from Matthew and John, as well as Hebrews 13:17, which says,

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

All are relevant and divinely inspired pieces of Scripture. But within Biblical context, and removing the significant weight and considered inerrancy of tradition in the Orthodox (and Catholic) church, these passages don’t justify the priesthood as we see it today. They also don’t establish any barrier between us and Christ that we might not make our confession directly to Him. The words of Romans 10:6–13 aren’t contradicted by these other passages,

“But the righteousness based on faith says, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?”’ (that is, to bring Christ down) ‘or “Who will descend into the abyss?”’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”

Aligning with this passage from Romans, we have today’s section from 1 John. As we continue looking at this letter to the early church, we see how John guides and encourages us along a true and proper understanding of our relationship and position to Jesus, the ways in which we know ourselves as His, and the assurance He provides for our salvation in Him.

1. Assurance in the 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.”

Throughout this letter we see John address the readers as “little children,” or sometimes just “children.” This alone helps us see several things about John, his ministry, and the undercurrent of the message. Firstly it reminds us that this letter is given in a more pastoral format than John’s gospel. He, as the last living Apostle, as an elder leader and shepherd of the church writes with compassion and authority to those he has been blessed to guide, addressing them (and us) with patient affection. It also calls us back to a core theme of John’s gospel – that Jesus as the Son is of the same essence, Spirit, and message as God the Father. Jesus’ will in being fully Man is entirely surrendered to the will of the Father in being fully God. In calling us his little children John is reminding us that we are about the same mission and Spirit and cause the he is. This does not mean that we are followers of John, but that we are following after John as John follows after Jesus. The path is Christ, John has simply walked ahead of us. This calls us back to who we are in our fellowship with the Lord, and with one another in Him. After this address, John gives us a purpose behind these things he’s written – everything he began with in chapter one. The testimony concerning Jesus, the fellowship found in Christ that leads to complete joy, this distinction between Light and dark, between Truth and lies, this is all so that we may not sin. Our true calling, the reality of the Light of Christ allows us to see the disgusting and toxic nature of the slavery we’re under in sin. Galatians 2:20 tells us,

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

As the process of our sanctification progresses we find ourselves in a position of saying as John the Baptist did in John 3:30,

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Yet the strange thing is, as Jesus increases, our flesh decreases, but spiritually we shine all the brighter, because we shine with His Light instead of the darkness of the world. The unfortunate part is that, on this side of eternity, we still stumble. This struggle is summed up in what Paul wrote in Romans 7:21–25,

“So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”

And so we see that while what John writes on in today’s passage serves to draw us from the darkness of sin, we shall remain imperfect in this life – but immediately following his purpose in writing we have an assurance for when do fall short, as every one of us will. We are protected, justified by Jesus, God the Son, who serves as our advocate with God the Father. Hebrews 7:23–27 tells us,

“The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.”

When Jesus said, “It is finished,” in John 19:28, He meant it. He is the perfect Great High Priest, not standing and working in continued sacrifice as the high priests who came before Him in the line of Aaron, but seated, His sacrifice complete and His work finished. To supplement our understanding of this, we see another word used as we continue on, “Propitiation.”

“He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

“Propitiation,” is one of those words that I’ve heard in church for most of my life, but given that it doesn’t really come up in casual conversation, I wanted to double check and clarify the definition. The general dictionary definition revolves around atonement, saying,

“Some common synonyms of propitiate are appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, and placate. While all these words mean ‘to ease the anger or disturbance of,’ propitiate implies averting anger or malevolence especially of a superior being.”

My study Bible points out that the Greek word used is “Hilasmos,” which Strong’s Lexicon defines as,

“And appeasing, propitiating – The means of appeasing, a propitiation – Atonement – concretely an expiator (expiation – the act of making amends or reparation for guilt or wrongdoing; atonement)”.

The study Bible however gives a more particular set of qualifiers around the Greek word, saying,

“A sacrifice that bears the wrath of God and turns it to favor.”

This word again testifies to Jesus’ deity as John did throughout his gospel. For whom but God could turn the wrath of God into favor? God is not limited by human understanding or expectations – He alone can turn what man intended for evil into good, can turn mourning into dancing, can bring life to dead, dry bones. Only he could make a way for His wrath, for His justice to be satisfied so that favor might be given in its stead – and in Christ standing as the propitiation for our sins, we are found in the love and favor of God. The sacrifice of Jesus, the death of the Son of God on the cross, and His victory over the grave wasn’t just sufficient for the Jews, or the first century Christian converts, but for the world. John 3:16 made this abundantly clear,

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

And now he reaffirms this in today’s passage. Eternity isn’t left to guesswork on the part of the believer. We’re called from sin by the Truth, we despise and lament our stumblings, and are liberated from them, saved and assured by our advocate, the righteous and holy Son of God, the One who stands as propitiation for all who place their faith in Him.

2. Assurance in the Following

“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected.”

Sin is not a comfortable thing for the redeemed in Christ. While it can still be sweet and seductive, or even numbing to our flesh, it becomes sickening to the Spirit that convicts us. There are backward theological views and twisted teachings that say that, since we are forgiven of sin through Christ, we are granted a free pass to sin as we desire without repercussion – this is beyond foolishness, it’s heresy. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:12

“‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything.”

The idea that we use our salvation in Christ to continue pursuing sin follows the same logic as a slave freed from bondage continuing to serve their old master, wear their old chains, and enduring the same treatment they were once subjected to, forsaking the higher calling of their freedom for the sake of familiarity. Paul also wrote in Romans 6:1–4,

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

When we stumble in our sin there is always a temptation to yield to the pull of our flesh, to concede that we are sinners, that we always will be and simply go on sinning – this temptation may feel like a gentle, almost unnoticeable tug, or it may attempt to sweep you away like an avalanche, but either way it’s something that will have to be contended with. When times are good, we follow Christ. When times are hard, we follow Christ. When we are in His Word, and surrendered in our prayers, and keeping His commandments, we follow Christ. And when we stumble and sin, we turn to the only One with the power to save and restore, and we follow Christ. John tells us plainly that if we claim to know Jesus while openly rejecting His commandments, then we are caught in our lie. A good question to ask yourself first is, do you know what His commandments are? The four gospels are filled with the words of Jesus, but if you want a nice, punchy section to cross reference against your own beliefs and conduct, the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5-7 is an excellent place to begin. When you read through this passage, do these lessons sound familiar? If not, this isn’t a time to get bogged down in a sense of shame, or frustration, it simply means that you need to spend more time reading your Bible. It’s hard to follow a set of instructions that you’re not familiar with, and while Christianity is infinitely more than a set of instructions, there is form and structure in the rules and teachings of the Word. The next question to ask yourself is, if you know some or even all of the commandments Jesus teaches on during the Sermon on the Mount, how are you practicing them? Psalm 119 repeats the theme of seeking, keeping, and meditating on the precepts of God, setting your eye entirely on His will to the exclusion of all else. This is not an easy thing – in fact, going back to the passage from Romans 7 we looked at earlier, it’s impossible in our flesh. If you find that you know the commandments of Christ, but don’t find your life rooted in them, and them in you, committing your heart and mind toward time in prayerful surrender may be the best path forward. I find as I talk to people that there’s a “Read your Bible,” camp, and a “Pray about it,” camp. It seems that there are some people who lean more into the structure of Scripture, while not quite knowing what to do with the intimacy of prayer. Conversely there are those who seem to shirk the ordered content of the Bible, in favor of what they see as a more organic and intimate connection with God. The whole idea is flawed. The Bible without the intimacy of the Spirit that lives and breathes within every page would just be a book. Prayer without the order and form of the Spirit that is the Word would just be a time of self-possessed, wishful thinking. The two harmonize and together bring you closer to God. By learning and growing in both we are guided toward true surrender and the true Peace known only in following in the footsteps of our Lord and Master. Jesus said to His disciples in John 15:12–15,

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

In following the commandments of Christ, both in spirit and in deed, we are called His friends, those whom He died for, those who have received the Truth directly from the Father. In following His commandments He is with us, and the Love of God that entered perfectly into the world is found, still perfect, within us. When we follow Christ and His commandments we see again the assurance He has afforded us in our salvation in Him. That by His blood we are made right, and new, and righteous, and welcomed into the presence of the Father eternally.

3. Assurance in Works

“By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”

Relax – no one panic. You cannot, in any capacity, be saved by works – that’s not where this third point is going. However what I would like you to see is where you may draw comfort, not in the works that you bring forth in yourself, but in the works that Christ brings forth through you. Jesus told His disciples in John 15:1–6,

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.”

If you are grafted to the True Vine then you produce the fruit of that Vine – you do the works of Christ, not because you’re so wonderful, but because He who is within you is so wonderful. While there are certain parts of Scripture that make use of metaphor or poetic language, there are also parts that give literal checklists. Passages that you can read and then look at your own life and answer the question, in humble submission of how you’re matching up. Galatians 5:19–24 offers us a side-by-side comparison of the works of the flesh against the fruit of the Spirit,

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

When you prayerfully read the two lists, does one set sound more like you than the other? If you see works of the flesh that are festering in your life then here you have a clear guideline of where you need to pray for release and transformation from this sin that grips you, or nips at your heels. If you looks to the list of fruit and realize that many of these things have come to bear in your life, then praise God for the work He has done and is doing through you. Ephesians 6:10–18 gives a description of God’s own armor, with which He has blessed us,

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication…”

There is often a romanticizing sort of talk around the matter of spiritual warfare, but this passage explicitly delivers the list of divine virtues in which we are dressed to stand against the enemy. But when you read the list, does that sound like you? Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the sword of the Spirit that comes from the mouth of the glorified Christ. Can you, in good conscience, envision yourself dressed in such a way? I know there was a time in my life where pieces seemed to fit well enough, while others felt more unfamiliar. This isn’t something you resolve within yourself, but again, is worked out within you by and through Christ. It’s when you begin to see yourself for who you truly are in Him, as a redeemed child of God, and you understand who you are in His armor that you may take comfort, not in your own righteousness, but in His righteousness working through you. Given that we just touched on the armor, one piece of which is the shield of faith, it seems only right to look next at a passage entirely formed around supplementing faith, 2 Peter 1:5–11,

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

I’ve cited this passage before, as it affirms that “blind faith” is in no way the faith we’re called to have in Christ. If you ever worry about the strength of your faith, Peter provides a sequential list that that draws you away from self and sinful pursuits and closer to God, increasing your effectiveness, your fruitfulness, and providing for your entrance into the kingdom of God. Understand again that we are not justified in our salvation by works, but by faith. On the subject of works, many people will cite James 2:14–26, which says,

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”

James tells us that “Faith apart from works is dead,” and this is true. As John tells us in today’s passage, “By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” But the reverse is also true – works without faith are just as dead. What you do matters, why you do it matters as well. Abraham didn’t attempt to offer up his son, and Rahab didn’t give shelter to the spies in Jericho simply for personal gain, or in some frivolous act, but out of obedience to God. These acts that James cites were works, but they were works of faith, they operated on the trust of belief. In essence, what James is saying isn’t just, “Faith apart from works is dead,” but that faith apart from works isn’t even real faith. Imagine that you tell me that there is a lion in the bushes outside of my home, ready to pounce on the next person who steps out the door, and I respond that, despite the fact that I haven’t seen this lion, I believe you. I don’t look for any evidence to support your claim, and I take no precautions, but I assure you, I believe you. Then casually walk outside, intent on rolling my trash can to the curb, and I get mauled. It would be altogether unconvincing for me to spend my final breaths trying to claim to anyone that I really did believe there was a lion in the bushes, despite my complete disregard for any potential danger. My actions testified to the reality of my faith, or lack thereof, in the warning I was given. It does not fit to say that we have faith in the reality of God’s existence, of His love for us, of the bodily death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and then conduct our lives in such a way that is, not only counter to God, but often operates as if He didn’t exist at all. Your salvation isn’t some vague, hazy thing, hanging around in undefined space – our foundation is Christ, and that which is built up from Him is visible, and recognizable. His works in us are visible to those who, in surrender to Him have been given eyes to see. Romans 5:1–2 tells us,

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

Works cannot save, it is faith stirred by the Spirit of the Living God that brings one to salvation. But it is the works, the fruits, the gifts that God brings forward in his children that allow us to give credence to their faith, to look upon one another and take comfort in the assurance of our own salvation, as well as that of our brothers and sisters. We as the little children of God are not left without comfort or understanding, but by the work of our Father are given a peace and an assurance in our salvation, and our eternal home.

Pastor Jake’s sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYBMPyQq_cw