The Advocate

2021-09-25

Jesus, having risen from the dead, is our advocate in heaven.

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: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1-2)

When we first believe in the Savior, we may be tempted to think that there is no way we would sin again. We are overwhelmed with the goodness of God, that it does not seem like an option. Given time, we see this to not be the case. The longer we go in the faith, the more tragic sin becomes to us. The work of Christ to deliver us from our sins has already been accomplished at Calvary, and this is a wonderful fact.

However, Jesus continues to be our advocate. Interestingly, this word is the same word “Comforter” in the latter chapters of John’s gospel, which is used of the Holy Spirit (“Paraclete”). The Spirit is our Comforter because Jesus reigns in heaven as our Comforter.

What does an advocate do? He speaks in favor of something. Jesus speaks in favor of us. This is not a credit to us; rather it is His blood that has purchased His people: “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel” (Hebrews 12:24).

It is not enough for Jesus to be our intercessor and our mediator between God and us. He is our advocate. For His name’s sake.