My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin… (1 John 2:1)

This first sentence of the next chapter of 1 John appears to contradict the statements he made at the end of the last chapter where he stated that if we claim to have no sin, we are fooling ourselves and making God out to be a liar. Now he’s telling us he’s writing this so we won’t sin? What gives?

Here’s where a little understanding of the Greek New Testament helps. The word “if” as in “if anyone does sin,” has a number of different versions in the Greek that go from “if (and you probably won’t),” to “if (and you most certainly will).” This version is the latter — and you most certainly will. Actually “when you sin,” would be a better rendering of the meaning.

Again, John is not trying to tell us to hide our sins or act as if we don’t have any, but to be honest about our sin. We are walking together in the light which reveals the truth about us as we go. No darkness, no lying, no hiding. Walking in the light towards the light.

And then he tells us the truly Good news — the best news of all — that when we do sin, we will not have to face the Judge alone. We have an Advocate. The definition of Advocate in the English dictionary is a legal professional or lawyer qualified to plead a case in court.  Now how would you like to have Jesus, the only begotten son of the Judge, plead your case before His own Father? Not only that, but He was already convicted for your sin, served the death sentence for your crimes, and rose again so He could plead your case before His Father. (They had this planned all along!) There has never been a better deal.

He Himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. (1 John 2:2)

He did this for everybody. Don’t you think everyone should know?

Time to get the news out.