1 John 2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

The simple fact of the matter is, we commit sins. The glory of the Gospel is that Jesus Christ has paid the penalty for our sins, died on the cross and risen again so that we might be proclaimed righteous. However, that is no excuse to sin again, because we are called to righteousness and holiness. Willful sin cuts us off from fellowship with God, so we lose the benefits Christ died to secure for us. That’s not to say that we lose our salvation, but that we lose the peace, joy, and power that are ours in Christ alone. As John said in verse 9 of the first chapter, when we realize that we have sinned, immediate confession and repentance are called for. If we do that, we are indeed cleansed and clad again in the righteousness of Christ. Anyone whose heart is genuinely committed to God isn’t going to be looking for excuses to sin, but rather will be seeking to please God in every way. Saying that Jesus is our lawyer, as this verse does, doesn’t at all give us any reason to be careless about our obedience to God.

This is central to the whole issue of grace, both for me and for all to whom I minister. Legalism is a major pitfall, but so is cheap grace, as Bonhoeffer so clearly put it. I am not to think, or let my sheep think, that the assurance of God’s forgiveness is any kind of reason to be lax in commitment and obedience to God. At times it seems almost contradictory, but that is because of the limitations of our human understanding. I need to walk in forgiveness, forgiving those around me so that nothing will hinder God’s forgiveness of me.

Father, the issue of forgiving others can be a difficult one. People who hurt me directly can be difficult to forgive emotionally, but at least I understand clearly that I need to forgive them. People around me who are clearly not being obedient to You, but the impact on me is minimal, are a different issue. I need You to illuminate John 20:23 to me. May I be an instrument of Your forgiveness, both in my own life and in the world, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!