For the Sins of the Whole World

“My little children, I write these things to you so that you would not sin. If someone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father, the righteous One Jesus Christ. He is the means of forgiveness for our sins, and not just for our sins alone, but for the benefit of the whole world.” (2:1-2)

I am a pretty horrible dart player. It’s embarrassing. Though it was years ago, I can still remember standing behind the line and taking aim. I would look directly at the bullseye, perform a couple practice motions and let it loose. No matter how hard I tried, I don’t think that I’ve ever hit the dart board square in the center. Each throw was aimed at and intended for the bullseye yet without fail I missed the mark. Scripture talks about sin in these terms. Christ urges us to be perfect, for our Father in heaven is perfect, yet “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We can set out with the best intentions, but end up sinning all the same.

Sin is an important theme in the gospel and letters of John, appearing 27 times in this letter alone. In yesterday’s devotion I called attention to 1 John 1:8-10. John calls for a searching and fearless moral inventory which will invariably reveal our guilt, yet we should not let our hearts be troubled for the forgiveness and reconciliation we seek is found in the name of Jesus. Some would argue that we should continue sinning, because in God’s grace we are forgiven. Paul says “I pity the fool!” Actually that was Mr. T, but that’s exactly what he means in Romans 6:15. Scripture encourages us to shoot for the bullseye every time. Grace is there to lift us up when we miss the mark, but to set out with moral failure in mind is to cheapen the sacrifice Jesus made to bring us forgiveness in the first place. Then we’re not talking about missing the mark, we’re missing the board altogether and hitting the wall!

The day of atonement, Yom Kippur, was the day when the High Priest would make a sacrifice on behalf of all Israel. He would choose a perfect, blameless lamb. The shed blood of that sacrificial lamb was the expiation (means of forgiveness) for the collective sins of the nation. The lamb of God effectively takes away the sins of the world (see John 1:35 for the connection to Jesus). The wrath of God is satisfied on the altar of sacrifice, yet the crimson stain of sin remains.

Using the language of debt, the sacrificial system covers only the interest. The principal still remains. Only through the offering of His only son could the debt be erased forever. I really wish that would happen with my student loans. But wait! It gets even better. Not only did Christ die for you and for me, Christ’s sacrifice was universal and eternal. Even more than the atonement sacrifice of Israel, the finished work of Christ on the cross is for every person anywhere and always.

Sometimes we can get caught up in our individual salvation and we miss out on the cosmic scope of His sacrifice. NT Wright says that to assume salvation is just for us “is as though the postman were to imagine that all the letters in his bag were intended for him”. What Jesus did for us is beyond huge, and in response to His sacrifice, we are privileged to pursue sacrificial lives which testify “Worthy is the lamb who was slain!”

Father, forgive me, for I am a person of unclean lips. I have not loved you with my whole heart, and have not loved my neighbor as myself. Yet just as I am, you died for me that I might know everlasting life. Empower me by your Holy Spirit to keep a healthy perspective on sin and pursue your holiness. Fill me with the desire to live a blameless life in response to your amazing grace. May my desire to please you be pleasing to you, even when I fall short. I thank you and I love you, Lord! Amen.