We each have an advocate in our corner!
"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all men…" (1 Timothy 2:5).
“…if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defence – Jesus Christ…” 1 John 2:1
The right way to deal with sin is to acknowledge it as an intrusion, confess any participation in it, and asks for Christ’s perfect cleansing and forgiveness.
We can never escape the specific command of Jesus, “sin no more” (John 5:14, John 8:11), but the Bible says that if any man sins then God has graciously made provision for his restoration. The word ‘advocate’ literally means someone ‘called alongside’ and describes anybody summoned to the assistance of another. It is particularly used in the law courts where the defence lawyer is responsible for pleading the case of the person on trial.
John the Apostle goes on to say that if we sin, we are not left in that awful sense of loneliness and estrangement which sin inevitably produces, for “we have one who speaks to the Father in our defence”. And what does He say to the Father? Jesus speaks the same words that He has always spoken – it is the language of loving kindness. He says, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Does this mean that Christ excuses our sins? No, for the Saviour cannot condone sin, but God has made provision for us in the One who speaks to the Father in our defence. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all men…” (1 Timothy 2:5).
Since the world began, man, feeling the estrangement between himself and God as a result of sin, has tried various ways to get back into fellowship with God. He has offered sacrifices, given of his possessions and endeavoured to perform righteous deeds. All these are man’s attempts to bridge the gulf between himself and the Deity. However, we cannot climb to God on any of these ladders – God must come to us. The Word must become flesh and bear our sins in His body. And the Good News is this: Jesus, God incarnate, did it!
A Prayer: Father, I am conscious that right now I am looking into the heart of the deepest mystery in the universe – Your sacrifice for me on that cruel tree. Help me to see it – really see it – for then I will see everything. Amen.
Acknowledgments: Every Day with Jesus – Selwyn Hughes
