THE REVELATION OF LORD JESUS CHRIST

Por Maria Martinez

The book of Revelation or The Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ is not just a book of bad news, judgments, epidemics, great cosmic cataclysms, and a future world government full of darkness. It is also the message of the greatest love that can exist, God's love to save humanity from the terrible end that all those who did not want to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and chose to distance themselves from him will have to face. It is a book worth studying because of its placement at the end of the gospels and the Epistles. Furthermore, it represents the final act to complete the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and is the only book in the Bible that speaks of the beginning and the end of all times.

• Idioma: Español
• Editorial: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Fecha de lanzamiento: 3 ene 2024
• ISBN: 9781662497421

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THE REVELATION OF LORD JESUS CHRIST

Maria Martinez

Copyright © 2023 María Martínez

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2023

ISBN 978-1-6624-9726-1 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-6624-9742-1 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Tabla de contenido

Read and Save the Scriptures

Study of the book of Revelation

The Seven Churches of Revelation

About the Author

Read and Save the Scriptures

Why should you study this book? Because it is the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Apocalypse in Greek means revelation, uncovering, or declaring something that is hidden.) In this book, the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed in all his splendor as well as his authority, power, and function in the perfect and wonderful plan of salvation of the Father for his creation. This book also reveals much important information about the final events, the Second Coming of Christ, and his millennial reign.

Studying this book of Revelation helps to have a greater understanding of the resurrected and glorified Son of God as well as his message of love and hope throughout the history of the earth. This book brings a very important message for all those who have given their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ to remain faithful to him and to testify in any circumstance that may arise, even in the midst of persecution and trials.

Study of the book of Revelation

For many people, the Book of Revelation is a scary book. Every time a movie is made about it, it speaks of destruction, pain, and death. In addition, they say they do not understand it. However, the book of Revelation was not written to confuse anyone but to clarify doubts, to not be afraid, and to have peace of mind.

It is true that it is a symbolic book with a language that is sometimes difficult to understand. It was written so that the unconverted cannot receive this information, and if they receive it, they cannot understand it. In Acts 8:30–31, it speaks about this, Philip heard the eunuch reading from the Prophet Isaiah and asked him, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?' He replied, ‘How can I, unless someone explains it to me?' And he begged Philip to explain it to him.

The information in this book, if it falls into the hands of the unconverted, they will not understand it simply because the Holy Spirit is the one who reveals the word. The unconverted person does not have the Holy Spirit because they have not confessed Jesus Christ as their only Lord and Savior. However, believers have the foundation and the proper functioning to be able to understand the information that the blessed Word of God provides through the Bible.

The word apocalypse does not mean destruction but rather revelation. In the Old Testament, there was only the hope of revelation given by God to the prophets. Today, to complete the revelation, it is necessary to unite the book of Revelation with Genesis, the first and last books of the Bible, in order to understand the beginning and end of things. In Genesis, the earth was created, and in Revelation, it ended. In Genesis, the enemy of God succeeds in his rebellion while in Revelation, his rebellion fails completely. In Genesis, the sun, moon, and stars were for the benefit of the earth while in Revelation, they will be the ones to judge the earth. In Genesis, the sun was to rule the day, but in Revelation, it would no longer be necessary.

In Genesis, sin enters the earth, but in Revelation, sin is removed from the earth. In Genesis, pain, sadness, and suffering are introduced, but in Revelation, all sadness, pain, and tears will end. In Genesis, we have the wedding of Adam and Eve while in Revelation, we will celebrate the wedding of the Lamb, the union of Christ with the church. In Genesis, death enters the world, but in Revelation, death will be banished from the world. In Genesis, judgment is pronounced against Satan, and in Revelation, judgment is executed against Satan and the third of the fallen angels. So let us begin our journey through the last book of the Bible, the only prophetic book of the New Testament.

It is interesting to note that the book of the Prophet Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament and links perfectly with the book of Revelation. Because the book of Malachi concludes by telling the fallen and discouraged Jews that the sun of righteousness will rise, bringing hope, faith, and comfort.

This final prophecy is a great hope for a land cursed by sin. And the book of Revelation concludes by mentioning the bright morning star. A clear hope in the Old Testament for the people of God and in the New Testament for the Church of Christ.

First topic: read and keep the scriptures

Reading and obeying what is written in the Bible is keeping the Word of God in our hearts to obey it. The Apostle John was ordered to write down all the things he had seen, which means the things of the past, the things that are, the present ones, that are related to the church. And then he would have to write about the things that will come after these, the ones in the future. Here we have the person of Christ, in his glorious splendor, revealing himself as the High Priest in charge of his church. In the gospels, the Lord reveals himself as meek, humble, and dying on a cross. However, in Revelation, he comes as the King of kings and Lord of lords who will rule the nations with an iron character, he who is in control of everything with authority and power in such a way that the whole earth is terrified. Since the main theme of this book is the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, directing God's program, the sacred scriptures are both God and Christ-centered. As they are centered on God and Christ, it is necessary to always keep in mind that he has total control, authority, and dominion over all things. As we delve into the book of Revelation, we can see that it is divided into three parts: chapter 1 is the things you have seen, the vision of Jesus; chapter 2 is the things that are, the condition of the churches (where he will do a sort of x-ray of each one); and chapter 3 is the things that will be, the victory of Jesus Christ when God takes control of his creation, ruling again. And that's how we come to the title of this book of Revelation.

The revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ

This is the revelation that God gave to the Lord Jesus Christ to show his servants what must happen soon. He sent his angel to make it known to his servant John, who confirmed everything he saw. This is the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1–2).

The word revelation is a Greek word that means disclosure. It is never used in the plural in this book because there is only one disclosure, and it is that of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the book of the Prophet Daniel located in the Old Testament, Daniel was told to seal the book. But in this book, John is told, Do not seal up the words of the prophecy in this book (Revelation 22:10). The Lord Jesus Christ presented his ministry in Matthew 13 and Mark 4:11 with parables, saying, To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables. Now here, the curtain is pulled back, and Christ is shown in all his beauty, power, and glory.

In the gospels, only a part of the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed. However, in Revelation, the information is completed, which can only be understood if the Holy Spirit is the teacher. In John 16:13, it says, He will guide us into all truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. In this book, the Lord Jesus Christ himself reveals all the secrets to us so that we can uncover all the false prophecies.

It is very important that all those who call themselves believers study this book with confidence because it says that this prophecy has been given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God to his servants as it is made known in Revelation 1:1, which he declared by sending it through his Apostle John. In 2 Peter 1:20, the Apostle Peter gave us a very important rule for the correct interpretation of prophecy. He said, Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In fact, in the book of Revelation, each specific symbol is of something real. Because the things that John reveals are not chimeras, ethereal, or ephemeral but the core of real objects and events. When John mentions these things that must happen soon, he indicates that it is something important to highlight.

For example, in Luke 18:8, the Lord Jesus says, I tell you that he will quickly grant them justice. What does the Lord mean? That when divine justice begins, it will be fast. This does not mean that he will come quickly, but that when these things begin to happen, they will happen quickly. In Revelation 1:1, it is telling us that Jehovah God gave the revelation to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord to the angels, and they delivered it to John and from John to the servants. This is how it came to you and me through the Bible.

As we advance in our study of the Word of God, it will be necessary to understand that angels are not connected to the era of the church. The angel mentioned here is a heavenly messenger who will speak to us about the future things that Christ will do. All the topics have a projection toward the future after the church is raptured from earth to heaven. So once the church leaves the earth, angels will once again take their place as things develop.

John has put in writing the whole truth of the word of God and of Jesus Christ to testify to all the things he has seen (Revelation 1:2).

Here, John is indicating that he also testifies to the Word of God as well as the content of this book. When the written word reveals Jesus Christ to us, it is precisely because he is the living word. Basically, John is saying that he is a witness to the way the Father presented the Son as the main key character through his angels to make known to us what God wants. As we enter verse 3, we are offered a triple blessing of the seven beatitudes contained in Revelation. Blessed is he who reads, and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep the things written in it; for the time is near (Revelation 1:3).

Note: Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy. Here it is saying that God blesses those who read this message as well as those who hear it and obey it! Here he is speaking to both the teacher and the whole congregation; both must not only be hearers of the word but also doers of it. This is the triple blessing: reading, hearing, and keeping. I truly believe that anyone who passes through the pages of this book receives many promises of blessings. The ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ began on the day of Pentecost. As we delve into this impactful book, we will have a clearer understanding of the meaning of everything that Christ has done, is doing, and will do in the heart that thirsts for justice and longs to know more of the perfect love that can only be found in the Lord Jesus Christ who loved us to death from the beginning to the end of time. Just as it says in Hebrews 13:8 because he is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow, and always.

We just need to give God the opportunity to reveal himself to our lives, to have the most extraordinary experience we have ever imagined, God's perfect love! Which is precisely revealed in this book of Revelation. It begins by saying, Being the Apostle John banished on the island of Patmos, he is ordered to be the pen that God will use to make known what he dictated to the Lord Jesus Christ to manifest to his servants the things that will soon happen. What does that mean? That the things written in this book will happen quickly. Next, we will see the impactful greeting of the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven to the Apostle John on Earth.

John, to the seven churches in Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne (Revelation 1:4).

In this first section of chapter 1 verse 4, we see that the greeting begins with grace and peace. The word grace comes from the Greek word charis, which means a free, undeserved gift or, in other words, God's favor, which in turn means the necessary strength in the life of every Christian. And peace is the Hebrew greeting shalom, which means the serenity of the believer in the face of different circumstances in life. Grace and peace come from the very Trinity of God, which is precisely mentioned here when it says, from him who is, who was, and who is to come. And the seven spirits refer to the Holy Spirit of God in its fullness, emphasizing its eternity.

Before moving on, I want to talk about the number seven. We just read about the seven churches and the seven spirits. This number has religious significance, and humanity has given it some reverence, leading to superstition. But here, the Word of God does not say that the number seven always must mean perfection but that sometimes it will mean completeness or totality. On this occasion, when God uses the number seven, he is talking about something that has been completed. Also in the Old Testament, the number seven was representative of completeness related to God's covenants with Israel. For example, the Sabbath day, circumcision, and worship all revolve around the seventh day.

The Lord commanded his people to walk around Jericho for seven days and seven times to conquer the city, not by force but by the power of God. Naaman had to dip himself seven times in the Jordan River to receive healing from leprosy. Joseph in Egypt lived seven years of abundance and seven years of famine. King Nebuchadnezzar was mentally insane for seven years. The New Testament has seven beatitudes. In the Lord's Prayer, the Our Father, there are seven petitions. In Matthew 13, Jesus tells seven parables; he also fed the multitude with seven loaves of bread and mentioned seven words when he was crucified. So the number seven mentioned here in Revelation is not talking about perfection but about completion. There is a difference between these two terms.

At that time, there were hundreds of churches, but these seven were chosen by the Lord for the specific purpose of representing the characteristics of all the congregations in the province of Lydia, the area of Nicaea, some parts of Persia, and a large part of Asia along the coast. This verse also talks about grace and peace. Therefore, there should be no fear in studying this book because it refers to the grace and peace of God who is, who was, and who is to come. What it is saying is that the Lord Jesus Christ died for us for the forgiveness of our sins, was the first to rise from the dead, and reigns over all the kings of the earth.

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood (Revelation 1:5).

Seven titles are given to the Lord Jesus Christ. In this verse, we see the first five. The first is the faithful witness. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only trustworthy witness. The second title is the firstborn of the dead, which in Greek is "prototokos and is related to his resurrection because he was raised from the dead never to die again and because he is the only one who has returned from the dead with a glorified body. The third title is that he is the sovereign King of all the kings on earth. This speaks to us of Philippians 2:10–11, where it says, Every knee will bow before him! And every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord!"

The fourth title is that he is the one who has always loved us. It emphasizes his faithful attitude of constant love toward his own, not only when he died for us on the cross but also when he rose and ascended to heaven. He continues to love us to this day.

The fifth title is that he is the one who washed us from all sin with his precious blood. This is the supreme sacrifice of love that can exist. Leviticus 17:11 says, For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. He gave his life totally as Emmanuel (God with us), which is the title that the Lord Jesus Christ receives here. In 1 Peter 1:18–19, it says, Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Therefore, the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:5 to tell us, For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

And has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen (Revelation 1:6).

The sixth title is that he made us kings and priests to his Father God. Colossians 1:13 says, He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of his love. He is speaking of the only begotten Son of God. And through him, we were rescued from darkness to his admirable light, adopted as children of God to be kings and priests to God the Father.

The seventh title is that he is worthy. Therefore, to him be glory, honor, and dominion forever and ever. This phrase emphasizes the eternity of an immense love given unconditionally and incomparably forever. This verse ends with an Amen. Jesus Christ is the yes and Amen. He is the main subject and theme of all things in this book. In Colossians 1:16–17, it says, For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. In addition to being the third hierarchical group of the celestial choir composed of angels and archangels, he is also the potestates, which are angelic entities that possess virtues, authority, and dominion. They are the second in the angelic hierarchy.

The powers remain in our finite real plane and are responsible for maintaining universal balance and order. Everything was created by and for him, making the Lord Jesus Christ worthy of all praise, glory, honor, and worship. How beautiful are the feet of those who announce peace and meditate on the blessed Word of God.

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. So, it is to be. Amen (Revelation 1:7).

Behold, he is coming with the clouds reveals the physical coming of Christ. When John wrote, and every eye will see him, he means that it will be visually apparent. In 1 Thessalonians 4:17, it says, We will meet the Lord in the clouds. And what does those who pierced him refer to? The nation of Israel. Then it says, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him, meaning all the Gentiles will mourn for him. They will express great sorrow, weeping, and pain; this will be the reaction of all those who rejected him.

So be it. Amen means that it will be so because he is always faithful and constant in everything. He does not change his plan or his way of being, and if he says he will do something, he will fulfill it. For heaven and earth will pass away, but his word will never pass away (Matthew 24:35).

‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end,' says the Lord, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty' (Revelation 1:8).

The Alpha and the Omega

In the Hebrew language, it means the first and the last letter of the alphabet, the beginning and the end, meaning that all the letters of the alphabet serve to form the words that constitute an entire language. And Jesus Christ is called the Word of God. He is the complete revelation, the intelligent and understandable communication of the Word of God, which covers time and all eternity. He is the only one who put the beginning and will put the end to his program throughout the world. This is what the Lord Jesus Christ refers to when he says, I am the Alpha and the Omega.

The beginning and the end

This expression encompasses all eternity. At the same time, it affirms the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ in the present time, the crucified Christ in the past time, in the first coming of the Savior. And he will come as the sovereign of all the earth. Says the Lord, who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. In Hebrews 13:8, it says, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore, we should not listen to strange teachings that have nothing to do with what Jesus Christ taught us. This text from Revelation 1:8 undermines the ideas of many people who say that Jesus Christ is not God or Almighty. There are several sects that have arisen among them, such as Jehovah's Witnesses and henotheism among others, such as Marian teachings that attempt to discredit and minimize our Creator and Savior, denying in some way that he is the glorified Christ. Therefore, it is necessary at this point to summarize what we have studied so far. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end,' says the Lord, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.'

These are two viewpoints which we will analyze. Those who are against Christ argue that Christ was the protagonist until verse 7, then in verse 8, it refers to the Father, and then in verse 9, it talks about Christ again. However, the same verse 8 gives us the answer. To do this, we must analyze some terms used here.

Who says he is? He says, I am the Alpha and the Omega, and what does that mean? That he is the one who is, who was, and who is to come. Yes, all the answers to these questions point to Jesus then. We don't have to invent strange doctrines. So we will see the first response to the expression I am. It is common to see both the Father and the Son using the same expression of I am in both the Old and New Testaments, just as Jehovah God said to Abraham I am in Exodus 3:14. And the Lord Jesus said to some Jews in John 8:58, Before Abraham was, I am. And here in Revelation, the Greek "ego eimi is used, which is the same timeless expression used by Jesus to refer to himself. And in Revelation 1:17–18 it says, ¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.¹⁸ I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!'"

This refers to the fact that Lord Jesus Christ is the first and the last, the source of all things, the fulfillment of promises given in the Word of God, all prophecies, and all commandments. How great is our Savior and Lord! In two words, the beginning and the end!

In Revelation 1:11–13, it says, ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.' I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a Son of Man dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. There is another reference in Revelation 21:6 where the Father speaks and says, It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. And you can also read the same thing in Revelation 22:12–13. Jesus himself identifies as the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. And he warns us to be alert because he is coming soon! He will bring with him the reward each person deserves. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

Perhaps someone might argue that this passage does not say that the one speaking is Jesus. But later in verse 16, it clearly says, I, Jesus. This can be evidenced in Revelation 1:7, where it says that Christ is coming in the clouds. And everyone will see him with their own eyes. This requirement can be applied to know that Jesus Christ is the Almighty, referring to God the Father and Jesus Christ. For example, in Hosea 13:14, which is in the Old Testament, it tells us that Jehovah is the Redeemer, but in Revelation 5:9 in the New Testament, The Redeemer is Christ.

This does not mean that one is not a redeemer because the other is; the equality of deity makes these titles shared as mentioned in John 10:30–33, which says, I and the Father are one. And in chapter 1 verse 8, it emphasizes the divinity of Jesus Christ as one with God the Father. And now to conclude this point, the Apostle John in his apocalyptic vision saw Jesus Christ returning to earth as: (1) the Alpha and the Omega, a figure that speaks of his greatness; (2) the beginning and the end, pointing out his sovereignty; and (3) the one who was and is to come, the Almighty (oh pantokrator), the one who has control over the entire universe.

As recorded in Revelation 4:8, Hebrews 1:3, and Ephesians 6:10, it says, Finally, be strong in the Lord Jesus Christ. So we complete this profound reflection in order to continue our study of the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I, John, your brother in Christ, who through proclaiming God's message, faced the same problems and difficulties that you have had. But with the strength that God gives to those who belong to his kingdom, we can endure the suffering that we have to go through. For proclaiming God's message and speaking of Christ Jesus, I was sent to the island of Patmos (Revelation 1:9).

The Apostle John was having serious problems. He had been exiled to the Island of Patmos by Domitian, the Roman emperor, because John had been very active in both the Church of Ephesus and all the other churches under his supervision.

John was being held captive for his loyalty to preach the word and speak of the testimony of Jesus Christ. I must clarify that here John is not talking about the great persecution that was falling upon believers. Rather, John is explaining the reason why he was exiled on the Island of Patmos. His exile took place between the years AD 86 to 96. Patmos was an arid volcanic island off the coast of Asia Minor, which was about sixteen kilometers long and ten kilometers wide. But his isolation and deprivation became a prelude to heaven as he received visions of the glory, power, and revelation of the judgment established by God. In the following verse, we will delve into some concepts about the dazzling and beautiful vision that the Apostle John had during his exile on the island of Patmos.

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet (Revelation 1:10).

The Lord's day

The Apostle John was in the Spirit and heard a loud voice, like a trumpet, Lord's Day. What does this day of the Lord mean? This expression indicates what we call Sunday, the first day of the week, because that was the day of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, on that same day, the disciples gathered to break bread, and Paul instructed the Corinthians to collect the offering on the Lord's Day, the first day of the week. John mentions that on that same day, he saw Christ glorified performing the function of the Great High Priest, carrying out his work before the golden altar in the Holy Place.

And as the High Priest, he intercedes for all those who have chosen to humble themselves before his presence, asking him with humility for forgiveness for their sins. The Lord Jesus Christ fulfills his promise: if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us.

John describes how the High Priest is dressed in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

This passage speaks to us about the deity of Christ, and the lamps of these lampstands refer to the Holy Spirit whom the Lord promised to send to the world after his ascension to console, accompany, help, remind, guide, teach, and reveal heavenly things from the Father and taking from the Son to enlighten our understanding and thus be able to shine in the darkness of the world. And the Lord Jesus Christ, during the lampstands, represents the purification of his church so that its light may shine more strongly around the world. John, contemplating the scene, stunned, and dazzled, heard the voice of the Lord like the sound of many waters.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades' (Revelation 1: 17–18).

Dead at their feet

John (John) was the youngest of the apostles, the one who leaned his head on the chest of Lord Jesus Christ during the Last Supper in the upper room. John had absolute confidence in his Lord and teacher; he was his friend and companion. In John 15:14, the Lord says, You are my friends if you do what I command you. When John heard the powerful voice of Lord Jesus Christ, he was struck by the impression. However, the Lord told him, Do not be afraid.

This is the expression of the deity of Christ, addressing the humanity of John. And he gives him four reasons not to fear:

Because I am the first and the last. In Psalm 90:2, it says, Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. He is saying that there is no one before him, and there will be no one after him.

Because I am alive and was dead. In Romans 8:34, it says, Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. This means that those who believe in Lord Jesus Christ have the opportunity to repent of sin and be born again. It is wonderful to know that he is alive and intercedes for us. In 1 John 2:1, it says, "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus