Authentic Righteousness

Throughout his first epistle, the apostle John emphasizes the need of those who claim to know God to demonstrate the reality of their transformed state in their conduct as well as the assurance that believers have that they are truly in a right relationship with God because of His work in their lives. In 1 John 1:5 through 2:2, John lays a foundation of God's pure holiness using the illustration of light, then provides a logical argument showing that those who claim to be in fellowship with God must themselves live lives of holiness just as He does; otherwise, they are hypocrites living a lie. Those who have trusted in the finished work of the Lord Jesus freely confess their sin and need of a Savior, continually receiving His forgiveness and cleansing, but those who deny their sin are lying to themselves. Anyone who denies that they have ever sinned accuse God of lying because His Word tells us that we are estranged from Him and need to be reconciled through the sacrifice of Christ. John assures those whom he tenderly regards as his little children that Jesus Christ is their perfect representative; He has fully averted God's righteous wrath and His sacrifice is sufficient for everyone, so everyone may be invited to take refuge in Christ by faith, confessing their sin and turning from it with His help.