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Letter writing is a lost art. Today, people fire off emoji-laden text messages. Business communications are usually email. The slower, more thoughtful process of handwriting a personal letter is as rare today as some endangered species. I appreciate the craft, though I’m not sure I’m very good at it. Oh, sure, back in the day I wrote letters to my fiancé. But that ended with our marriage. But my wife and her mother exchanged weekly letters for decades.
Several books in the New Testament were written as letters, including 1 John. The book has an intimate tone. Listen to 1 John 2:1-2, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (NIV)
In two verses, John gives his purpose in writing and a solution. The purpose was to encourage the readers to live right with God. But if they didn’t, he reminded them of the solution – Jesus. His death was the payment of penalty that accomplished forgiveness. That’s what the words “atoning sacrifice” mean. His death as God’s Son has the power to provide forgiveness to the whole world. What a wonderful thing to remember today.
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Visit Elmer Fuller’s author website at: https://www.elmerfuller.com/
Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.