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So much of my Christian life has been spent wondering if I am doing enough.
At times, it has felt like the whole Christian experience is one long audition for a part I never believed I could get: being beloved, forgiven, and accepted by God. If I just pray more consistently, if I stop falling into that particular sin, if I become more patient and loving, if I could be a better husband and parent and son and friend, if I read the Bible more, if I served more faithfully. If … I could do this whole Christian life better, then perhaps I will finally feel like a real Christian—and perhaps God would finally be pleased with me.
It is a tiring cycle, and I have come to realize that many view their Christian walk this way, which inevitably leads to outcomes that get us no closer to what we actually desire, whether we do well or not!
You see, the problem with this performative view of Christianity is that our right standing with God is rooted in self and not Christ. That orientation takes us away from the gospel instead of toward it, whether we fail or succeed.
With this mindset, when we fail—and oh, how we fail—it can lead to despair. How will God ever accept me in this state of failure? When we “succeed” and have seasons of relative faithfulness, it can lead to pride and self-righteousness, which is about as far from God as you can actually be.
In 1 John 2:12, we have a world of gospel goodness and grace in one seemingly small verse:
“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.”
John gives us a radically different starting point. Even though he is writing to a group of “little children,” or those in the context who are clearly not as mature as others, he doesn't start with “GROW UP” or “BE BETTER” or “TRY HARDER!” John starts with … “Your sins are forgiven.”
What a word to start with. You may feel like a stumbling little child in the faith. You may be distraught at how you find yourself in this position of defeat and failure and shame again, but guess what? “Your sins are forgiven.” Forgiveness and mercy have been accomplished outside of you and therefore aren’t dependent on you, so you can breathe.
Your forgiveness is not about you.
What a thought.
In fact, John takes it a step further when he says, “Your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.”
John shifts the center of gravity of forgiveness away from us and hinges it on something far more certain, far more significant, and far more powerful: God forgives us for the sake of His own name.
In Scripture, God’s name represents His character and reputation (Exodus 34:6–7). He is known as the God who is powerful and loving enough to forgive sinners, and He upholds His reputation when He forgives. God’s forgiveness flows from who He is; forgiveness is what He does. God gets glory in the heavenlies when He secures and applies such phenomenal levels of forgiveness to the undeserving.
When we see God's forgiveness anchored in something so much bigger than us, there is very little room for self-focused despair or self-righteous pride. We are not the point, and yet we are loved and forgiven. That combo is the death knell to our self-centeredness that so bewitches and entices us.
So how then do we grow? If it isn’t about us, does that mean our obedience and maturity don’t matter? By no means! John has already said in his letter that it matters a lot! He wants us to live a life of faith marked by obedience. And the key to actually growing in that kind of life is remembering your sins are forgiven, and that it is all for His name’s sake! To lift our eyes off our own unsteady progress for a moment and fix our eyes on the perfect obedience and sufficient sacrifice of our King Jesus. When we secure our sense of forgiveness in Him, not in us, we discover the very fuel that helps us obey more!
Maybe today you feel like a failure. Maybe you've been trying desperately (and failing) to prove yourself to God. Maybe you're wondering whether God is still patient with you.
John gives you something to remember:
“Your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.”
Not because you've finally become the person you hoped you'd be, and not because you'll never fail again, but because Jesus has done what you could never do: He has forgiven you.
So get up. Confess your sin. Receive His mercy.
And then take the next faithful step in your Christian walk—not to become accepted, but because in Christ you already are.
Receive His forgiveness today.
For His name’s sake.
Want to dive deeper into the sermon series? Check out our sermon series guide on The Letters of John, or watch the most recent sermon from The Letters of John sermon series.
