Our Great Advocate to the Father
My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 1 John 2:1-3 NLT
The reason why the Lord Jesus Christ is our Great Advocate to the Father is because He is sinless. No matter how much we are conversant with God’s laws and precepts, we will sin and stumble. And when we sin, we need someone who will help us get up and get back to the path God had set for us. John points to Jesus for He alone is the one who can help us. The term John used to address his readers, “my dear children,” signifies how much he wanted to provide comfort and encouragement to believers who are prone to commit sin. He provides this encouragement so that we will learn from our mistakes and not repeat them again, thus, the admonition “so that you will not sin.” He knows that believers who are committed to God and to obey His commands will find themselves at times struggling to fulfill their commitment. So, when it happens, John tells us that “we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father, He is Jesus Christ.” Sin disrupts the joy and the fellowship between the Father and His children. David, after he sinned, he confessed and prayed to God: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you” (Psalm 51:12). The Lord Jesus Christ intercedes for us for “he is truly righteous.” He is acquainted with our weaknesses. “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Despite our sinfulness, He saved us. “He is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf” (Hebrews 7:25). “He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins” (1 John 2:2a). It is because of God’s love that He is willing to atone or pay the price for our sin. “It was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17). And because we have responded to His love by surrendering our lives to Him, now we have peace with God. “Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Romans 5:1).
Blessings,
