1 My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.

Seven times in this letter, this 80-year-old Apostle will use this expression – my little children. No doubt many of them had come to faith under his ministry.

 As a believer have you been led to believe that sinning isn’t that big of a deal after all?  I mean, come on, we’re under grace . . . lighten up . . . loosen up . . . live a little.  You’re forgiven.  John quickly adds here . . . “No . . . listen, I’m writing to you so that you may not sin . . . so that you steer clear of sin . . . so that you avoid sin." But John isn't teaching sinless perfection either.  That a Christian can arrive at a place where he’s sinless.  John writes, “so that you may not sin.”  John isn’t encouraging Christians to never sin again; John is encouraging Christian to not want to sin again.  He isn’t encouraging our perfection . . . he’s encouraging our direction . . . in life.  And our direction is away from sin – we want to avoid sin . . . our daily prayer is, “Lead us away from temptation." Why? Because we have come to hate sin and love the Savior who we want to obey.

The word translated Counselor is the noun parakletos.  It’s the same title given to the Holy Spirit where it is translated Comforter or Helper (John 14:16).  Both the Holy Spirit and Jesus have similar roles but in different locations.  Even though they are the equally omnipresent deity, Jesus defines their roles in terms of geography for the sake of emphasis.  He said to His disciples, that when He ascended the Holy Spirit would descend, indwelling and anointing and teaching them.    The Holy Spirit is God’s Counselor for us on earth; Jesus is our Counselor in heaven; the Holy Spirit makes intercession from within us (Romans 8:26) on earth; Jesus Christ is making intercession on behalf of us in heaven (John 17).  That’s what you call being covered.  And we need that kind of coverage from our advocate because we have an accuser.  He is the biggest tattle tale the universe has ever known.  You thought your little sister or little brother was a tattletale.   They’re not even in the same ballpark.  And the frightening thing about it is that the accuser, Satan, doesn’t even have to make stuff up.  It’s probably the only time Satan ever tells the truth.

2 And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. 

He is not only our Defense Attorney, our Counselor, He is the One who paid our sentence of death and separation.  Christ not only pleads for us; He exchanged places with us. He Himself satisfied the payment for our sins.

The freedom from the penalty of sin is actual for the believer, and it is available for the unbeliever. 

3 This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. 

Reading this you’re probably thinking, “In that case, I’m toast . . . I’m never going to get into the family.”    Calm down. John’s letter is actually intended to encourage the Christian, not terrify the Christian.

4 One who says, “I know him,” and doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn’t in him. 

5 But whoever keeps his word, God’s love has most certainly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him: 

6 he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked.

7 Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. 

8 Again, I write a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shines. 

9 He who says he is in the light and hates his brother, is in the darkness even until now. 

10 He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him. 

11 But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

12 I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.

13 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.

I write to you, little children, because you know the Father.

14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.

I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

15 Don’t love the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him. 

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s.  

Until we deal with these things, we’ll find ourselves continually crawling off the altar to follow our own desires.

17 The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever.

18 Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the final hour. 

19 They went out from us, but they didn’t belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us. 

20 You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 

21 I have not written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 

22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 

23 Whoever denies the Son, the same doesn’t have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also.

24 Therefore, as for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son, and in the Father. 

25 This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life. 

26 These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray. 

27 As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don’t need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him. 

28 Now, little children, remain in him, that when he appears, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 

29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.