Champion Defender

Today’s Verse:

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: ~1 John 2:1

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Advocacy work is when a person or group represents another person in a legal matter. The advocate stands in the place of the person in need, fully represents him, and makes a compelling argument that will be to his benefit. A successful advocate is a champion defender. He has a win-loss record that is unmatched. Let us see this morning the only Advocate Who has an unbeaten record and Who has never and will never allow His defendant to be found guilty.

We see our reality.

“If any man sin….” The reality is that all of us still have our sin nature after we get saved. We don’t want to sin, but we do sin. There is a spiritual war going on within us between the old nature and the new nature. When the new nature is strong, we are victorious. When the old nature is strong, we sin. Sin of any size is an offense to God. Sin breaks our fellowship with God. Sin in our life blocks our prayer line with God. Sin in our life makes us miserable. “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

We see our Representative.

“We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Not only is Jesus our Redeemer Who shed His precious blood and died for us, but He is also our Advocate with the Father. Jesus stands in our defense. He is ever living to make intercession for us. When we confess our sins to God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ is our constant Mediator between us and God. His blood keeps on cleansing us from sin. As He pleads on our behalf, God the Father sees the shed blood of His Son as having satisfied His demands for our sins in the past, present, and future. He never loses as He stands on our behalf.

We see His reliability.

“Jesus Christ the righteous.” His righteousness is His holy, sinless, truthful, and absolute nature. He is the Lord Our Righteousness. He has no scandal or skeletons in His closet that will make Him fallible and unable to advocate for us. He is righteous! In His righteousness, He makes a compelling representation for us. His righteousness declares Him equal with God. In His righteousness, He is always faithful and just. His righteousness is sufficient cause for the righteous Judge to forgive us of our sins.

We see our reprieve.

We have forgiveness with God the Father. We are the recipients of mercy and grace. We are given a clean and new start. Our fellowship is restored. Our prayer line is reopened. Our effectiveness is enabled. We draw near to God, and He draws near to us. God makes His face to shine upon us because of Jesus.

We have the perfect and most-loving Advocate with the Father: our Lord Jesus Christ. Be thankful today for this, and make sure all accounts with God are clear.

Have a renewed God Morning!

Bible Reading Schedule: Proverbs 1-3

#Sin #1John #Forgiveness #Advocate #Jesus