1 John 2:1–2: “My little children, I’m writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one, and He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins, but also for the whole world.”

Sometimes we apply this passage to ourselves, right? We say, “I’ve committed this sin, and I know that God has forgiven me because of Jesus Christ.” But do we apply the same thing to other people—other Christians? Do we see them in the same light, the same light we see ourselves: as people who are forgiven by Christ, that God is not holding the past against us, that God has us secure in His hand, that it doesn’t matter what we do, Christ is our anchor, Christ is our succor?

So do we also have the same disposition to others? Do we give grace to ourselves but give judgment to others?

I believe this verse may help us begin to see others in a good light—to stop holding things over people’s heads. If God is not holding it over your head, then I should not hold it over your head. I’m talking about fellow Christians here, right? And even non‑Christians, because he said, “not only for our sins, but also for the whole world.”

People are sinning against us all the time. People do wrong things all the time, and we may be quick to say, “You’re going to be judged. Something bad is going to happen to you because of this bad thing you have done. God is going to do this to you.” Maybe not. Maybe not—because we see this passage talking about the fact that Christ is not just the reason for God’s favor coming upon us regardless of our sin, but is the reason for God’s favor coming on the people of the world regardless of their sin.

So: this person did this thing against me, that person did that against me, this person did this against me. And you wonder to yourself: “I am feeling this hurt.” Fine—that hurt can be valid. But don’t think God has joined you in that hurt, or is going to do something bad to the other person because the person hurt you.

Remember, He said, “Vengeance is Mine” (Romans 12:19). “Leave vengeance to Me; vengeance is Mine.” But the retribution we are told about is not necessarily next week or tomorrow. What we’re told is that at the final judgment everybody will stand before the judgment throne of Christ to give account for what they have done (2 Corinthians 5:10).

So in this world, God is still favorably disposed toward those people who have even hurt you. He is still favorably disposed to them. The Bible says that God does not want anyone to perish, but that everyone would come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Just as you are a recipient of God’s mercy, just as you see yourself as being a recipient of God’s mercy, just as you see yourself that “while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8), John here is saying it’s not just for us, but also for the sins of the whole world.

So why continue to hold what that person did over their head when that is not what God is doing? Because, of course, we want to think that maybe that is how God will feel, because it is just so painful. It seems like people stepped on our toes and did this thing and that thing, and in our estimation they have contravened the word of God, and the “bad thing” is supposed to happen.

But we are told that Jesus Christ is not just the sacrifice for our sins, not just those of us who have a personal relationship with God—not just for me—but for that person who hurt me, that person who said that thing, that person who did this thing, that person who did this thing today and will do another thing tomorrow.

God has a disposition of favor over humanity because of Christ.

What happened with Jesus on the cross? He said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). He is directing something positive toward the very people who did something harmful against Him. He is directing something positive to them, and they may not even become believers. It’s not as if they are all going to become believers and be saved.

So free your mind. Free your heart. The same flow of God’s grace that has come to you through Jesus Christ is not ending in your house. It has come to your neighbor. It has come to your child. It has come to your loved ones. It has come to your pastor. It has come to everyone.

Maybe we will stop holding things over their head. Why? Because they have sinned—and Jesus Christ, as He is for us, John says, is “not only for our sins, but also for the whole world.” He is the righteous One and their advocate before the Father, too.

God bless you. See you later.