Why DID He Write That?

There are a great many things in the Bible which make you go "hmmmmm." If you just take a cursory glance through the scripture you will pick up quite a bit about amazing exploits and adventures. You'll read stories of wars and imprisonment, the building and tearing down of walls and cities, the birth and death of peoples across thousands of years many, many things which are of interest. If you will stop along the way and 'turn over a few rocks to see what's underneath' you will find a cornucopia of knowledge and wisdom. Slow down a little more and you'll find diamonds and rubies, emeralds and sapphires and numerous other gemstones in God's Word. Along the way, you'll run into things that make you wonder exactly WHY that was preserved by God for you to read.

This would be a great point to tell you about some of them but I'm going in the opposite direction. Because there are a couple of places where the author tells you exactly why their writing is before you. Consider my study verse of today

1 John 2:1 (NIV)

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 Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984

John tells us plainly why he is writing. He repeatedly informs the reader as to why he is writing as though he is anticipating my question of 'why?'

In this passage, John starts by addressing his audience "dear children" which may also be translated as "dear little ones." So it is with great affection that John is addressing the church and by the power of the Holy Spirit, you and I. And it is as a loving father that he is teaching the believers that they may have victory over sin. The purpose of his loving labor is that they may know that they need not sin. It is not teaching that they 'will not' sin but rather that as children of God or as one who 'lives in the light' they are no longer slaves to sin. They understand the choice and have the power to choose appropriately.

Knowing their human weaknesses he encourages them that even if someone sins, there is already an 'advocate' for them in the presence of God the Father who has, is and will come to our defense. Thus they and us too are freed from the bondage of sinfulness.

That's rather the point of the Bible isn't it? To let us know in a thousand different ways, through verses long and short that we have been redeemed. That God through his mercy has given us strength by way of the Spirit to live a different life than the world would have us live. We have the right to live as children of God, to walk in the light and lead of life of openness, honesty and sincerity. That our debts have been paid, the punishment meted out onto Jesus who bore our iniquities that we may come to God. That when by our human weakness we do fail he is always there to come to our aid.

That's one thing I never ask 'why' about. Instead I just give praise and glory for the fact that he DID do that. And I thank God for His Word, for writing that.

Shalom,

Carl