In Charles Dickens Christmas Classic, A Christmas Carol, Mr. Scrooge says, "Humbug! Merry Christmas? What right have you to be merry? What reason do you have to be merry?" Well, there is an answer for Mr. Scrooge, and there is an answer for "Scrooges" everywhere this Advent season because believers, indeed, have every right to be merry at Christmas. Why? Simply because Jesus Christ has appeared! "Scrooge, did you hear that? Christ as appeared!"

In the pages of I John, Jesus' appearing is mentioned. John refers to the first Christmas and he does so to encourage believers, those who have been born anew by the Spirit of God. He encourages believers to rejoice and celebrate because of this fundamental and simple fact, Jesus Christ has appeared.

But the question is: "Why did He appear?" He appeared to dispel your sins. That's what John tells us. He appeared to deal with sin once and for all. Note in I John 3:5, And you know that He appeared to take away sins. And in Him there is no sin. Jesus Christ appeared, to carry away, to remove, sins (our sins), to give us forgiveness. To give us a relationship with God. To provide for us escape from the wrath of God, the judgment of God upon our sins. He appeared in order to take away, to remove sins and in Him there is no sin. He is the perfect one. And really the emphasis here in this verse in upon the fact that Jesus Christ, who came to remove our sins, stands against sin. There is no sin in Him. He is holy, He is pure and those who would have their sins taken away; those who are trusting Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of all of their sins, are then called to stand against sin and hate it with the kind of holy hatred that God has for sin. In Him there is no sin.

I like Billy Sunday's attitude toward sin. Billy Sunday was an evangelist in the early part of this century. He said, "I am against sin. I'll kick it as long as I have a foot. I'll fight it as long as I have a fist. I'll bite it as long as I have a tooth. And when I'm old and footless, and fistless and toothless, I'll gum it until I go home to glory." That's hatred of sin.

You see, this is the time of the year when the release from sins should be a cause of great joy for us. That's why He appeared to take away our sins and He stands against sin. And those who name His Name are called to stand with Him in a holy hatred of sin. Now you won't hear much about sin at Christmas but the reality of sin and Jesus having taken away sins is at the heart of Christmas. He appeared to dispel your sins. Because He did that, then, John is saying to believers, don't compromise with sin. Don't see how close you can get to it. Stand against it. Don't practice sin. Don't continue in it without any sensitivity to God and God's will for your life. He came to deliver from sins. In fact, He was made to be sin for you, that you might become the righteousness of God in Him (II. Cor. 5:21). He took all of your sins. All of the past, failures, shame, He died for you, He loves you, He cares for you. He won't let you go. He'll run after you all the way to the very gates of hell. Jesus Christ has appeared. He appeared to dispel your sins.