Absolution - 1 John 1-3
“This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.” (1 John 3:11)
As a teenager, I vividly recall watching Robert de Niro and Jeremy Irons in The Mission, a powerful film with a beautiful score composed by Ennio Morricone. The film tracks the redemption of a slave trader, Rodrigo Mendoza (de Niro), under the watchful eye of a Jesuit Priest, Father Gabriel, (Irons). As penance for killing his half-brother in a fit of jealousy, Mendoza is challenged by Father Gabriel to return with him on a journey deep in to the jungle in Paraguay from where Mendoza previously kidnapped slaves, lugging his sword and armour behind him.
Father Gabriel’s goal is to free Mendoza from the guilt and depression that has gripped him. Father Gabirel knows that Mendoza can’t receive LOVE’s absolution from his sin just by hearing it, he needs to experience it. It is a very long walk to reach the Guarani community deep in the jungle, involving dangerous climbs up waterfalls also. It is painful to watch Mendoza dragging the tools of his former evil behind him all the way. There is a powerful moment when he eventually reaches the tribe. They recognise him. He deserves to die and he submits to them. Will they kill him or not?
Our own sins may be less dramatic than Mendoza’s. But we have all done wrong and owe God and those we have hurt a great debt. John writes, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Perhaps like Mendoza, our redemption begins when we admit our faults and start to make reparations. John continues, “If we confess our sins, he [LOVE] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9-10). Jesus has paid this debt for us. As Mendoza dragged his armour, Jesus dragged the cross to Golgotha.
The good news about Jesus is that he has done what we could not do – he has paid for our sins and is therefore the only one in a position to offer forgiveness, which he does for all who will place their trust in him, confess they have done wrong and turn away from those things to follow his ways instead.
John’s goal was to help everyone in the communities that made up the early church, to “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7). 1 John is a book of tremendous warmth: 15 times John uses the phrase “dear children” or “dear friends” – by far the most times these phrases are used in any book in the whole bible, even though it is one of the shortest books too. John is at pains, then, to woo those who follow Jesus to turn away from sin and darkness and learn to walk in the light that Jesus brings. “If we walk in the light, as he [LOVE] is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his [LOVE’s] Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
Let’s be honest with LOVE in prayer, seeking his forgiveness for anything we have done wrong. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything specific in your life that he wants you to confess and turn away from today. Ask LOVE for his help to walk in the light.
Aware of our own shortcomings, so praying without patronising, let’s then pray for the thousands of people in Bournemouth who are living in the darkness of sin, or living under condemnation. Many people carry a debilitating burden in life, and have a deep sense of guilt and depression for the wrong things that they have done in the past.
They are without hope because they have not heard and understood what Jesus has done for them. This is what we knew before we believed in Jesus. Let’s ask LOVE to lead us to them that we could show them what it means to walk in the light with LOVE, and explain to them what Jesus has done, so that they could know the wonderful freedom from guilt and shame too: absolution.
“This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:5-6)
