Advocate
DAY 16 WRITTEN BY: MEAGAN HEISLER-
1 John 2:1
My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ the righteous one.
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As believers, our ultimate goal is to live the life that Jesus modeled for us when he was here on earth - one that is wholly pleasing to God, without sin. As humans, we know this is impossible. Because of God’s great kindness and love for us, He sent Jesus to die on our behalf and take the punishment for all the sins we have committed, are committing, and will commit. Through Jesus’ work on the cross, we are justified - our sins paid in full once-for-all (1 John 2:2, Romans 5:9).
The beauty of this truth is that God created the world with this plan in mind. Our proclivity to keep sinning did not thwart His plans - Jesus was present in the Trinity at creation knowing that one day he would satisfy the Father’s wrath on our behalf.
But Jesus’s work on our behalf didn’t stop at the cross! It is as if each time we sin, Jesus is there at the right hand of God as our Advocate to the Judge to plead our innocence before Him because we stand clothed not in our own righteousness but in the righteousness that Jesus afforded us through his death and resurrection (1 Peter 3:18).
1 John 1:8-10 tells us that we would be lying to ourselves if we said we could live a sinless life but since we have Jesus as our all-sufficient Advocate, we can confess our sins knowing that the Father is “faithful to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.
In light of our great Advocate that we have in Christ, we should rejoice in our forgiven sins! It is like David writes in Psalm 32:1-2, “How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How joyful is a person whom the Lord does not charge with iniquity and in whose spirit is no deceit!”
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Thank you, Lord, for sending Jesus to die for my sins so that I can have fellowship with you. Thank you that Jesus’ work for me didn’t stop at the cross! Examine my heart and help me to see areas in my life where I have sinned against you and need to repent. Sanctify me today through your Word, which we know is truth, and through the Advocate’s continued work in my life.
