1 John 2:2–6

Perfect propitiation

“He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” (1 John 2:3–6 ESV)

One of the false doctrines in our day teaches that being “a good person” is sufficient for salvation. Another common falsehood contends that believing in Jesus as Lord is the end of the matter for eternal life. The first comes from the culture; the second often appears in the church. Both are lies.

Paul dealt with the “good person” fallacy, especially in his letter to the Romans, saying,

“We have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks are under sin, as it is written: ‘ None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one ‘…For by works of the law, no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10–23).

Paul continued to lay out his case against self-made goodness when he wrote that Christ Jesus redeemed us by his blood “as a propitiation…to be received by…