When we sin as believers, we do not need to fear condemnation from God (Romans 8:1) or punishment from God. He will lovingly discipline us for our good, yes, but punishment, no! “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:34 ESV). Jesus already took our punishment, and He advocates for us, speaks with the Father on our behalf, reminding Him that He is our Ransom (Matthew 20:28) and that the cross pardons us.
Question 5. What title does 1 John 2:2 give to Jesus?
Yes, 1 John 2:2 tells us that Jesus is “the propitiation for our sins.” Another way of saying this is that Jesus is our “atoning Sacrifice”, who, through the cross, made atonement for our sins, thereby removing God’s wrath from us.
We can see an illustration of “propitiation” in the Book of Esther; King Ahasuerus got very angry at a man by the name of Haman who tried to exterminate all the Jews. His queen, Esther, was a Jew. The king was furious with Haman and decided to hang him up on a pole, in full view of all the people, exposing him to open ridicule and public shame, putting him to death on that tree. And notice what the Scriptures say when vile Haman was hung on the gallows:
Esther 7:10 ESV So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the wrath of the king abated.
“Then the wrath of the king abated.” The king was “propitiated” through the death of Haman as he hung on that pole.
Jesus, of course, was not like Haman at all. He was and is “holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26 ESV). But God took all your sin off of you and put it on Jesus, and then hung Him up on a cursed tree in full view of all people, exposed to public ridicule and open shame, and then He died. And when He died as our atoning sacrifice He “propitiated” the Father; that is, the wrath of the King abated entirely. Please understand this friend; God has no anger for you whatsoever, only love. He thoroughly exhausted His wrath on His Son (1 Peter 3:18).
When we sin, we have both an Advocate with the Father, and an Atoning Sacrifice for our sins. John’s point is this:
A fall or even a series of falls does not make you any less righteous in God’s eyes. Your sins are still atoned for, God’s wrath is still abated, and Jesus still advocates for you. Indeed He “ever lives to intercede for you” (Hebrews 7:25).
Question 6. What are your thoughts about the kind of grace God provides you when you fall?
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