Jesus our Advocate

Open: There are many given standards in life of which we are aware. These include speed limits, test grades at school, building codes for new construction, and engineered specifications for NASA. When I worked at the shipyard in Charleston there were also established standards for the various jobs involved in an overhaul. There is even an abbreviation, STP that means “standard temperature and pressure”

Transition: Even though we are very familiar with standards, humans have the tendency to ignore them, change them, or try to get around them. How many people actually drive the speed limit? How many teachers grade on a curve? How many contractors take short cuts on building projects?

It doesn’t take us long to realize that most of us live our lives in a very loose sense when it comes to standards. And for some of these areas we can get by with little negative consequences when we “skirt” the standards. There is a very real problem when we take this same mentality into the spiritual world and attempt to place our idea of standards against God’s idea of standards.

The attempt to get around God’s standards is not new - humans have been trying (unsuccessfully) to circumvent God’s standards ever since we have been on this planet. One result of the attempts is what we call religion. Religion is man’s attempt to make peace with a “created god” who will be satisfied by human effort.

The Apostle John was familiar with this tactic, and he writes against it in his letter. Let’s examine the Scripture and witness the apostle’s inspired response to the Gnostics of his day.

READ the Text: 1 John 2:1-2

Believers have the ability to not sin

Explanation: The Gnostics were promoting the false doctrine of sinlessness. They were teaching that a person could not be in relationship with God if any amount of sin was present. This forces one to the accepting that sinlessness is a desired state, even if it means of false dichotomy between the spiritual and the physical. (e.g., it doesn’t matter what I do physically, such as lust, murder, lying, stealing, etc.; the only important thing is the purity of my spirit)

John begins to oppose this false teaching in 1:5-10 where he explicitly and clearly states how a person lives is incredibly important. As he continues, he makes clear his purpose: He is writing so that these Believers (and us in the future) may be free of sin.

Argument: John is not submitting that a Christian is capable of living a life that is free from the taint of sin while we live in this world. That is unreasonable and unattainable. John does, however, give us a reasonable expectation: the lives of Christ-followers are to display victory over the pattern of sin.

Romans 6:11 ESV

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Application: We set the bar too low with our expectations: I’m just a sorry, old sinner, saved by Grace. We should embrace our new identity in Christ: we are saints, empowered by the Holy Spirit to live in such a way as for God to get glory.

Jesus is our Advocate when we do sin

Explanation: The Greek word is Paraclete (one who comes alongside). In the Gospel of John, Paraclete is the term used for the Holy Spirit, the Helper who comes following the Ascension. In this instance the term refers to Jesus in one of His ministries for the Believer:

Jesus is our Divine Defense Attorney. He stands at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf and defending us from the attacks of Satan.

Illustrate:

Argument: Jesus holds this position of Eternal Advocate for several reasons, not the least of which He is the Second Person of the Trinity. However, the text states that He has this position because He is the Righteous. Of all who have ever lived, only Jesus is the One who had no sin. He lived in perfect obedience to the Father and His judgment is Just and Right.

Hebrews 7:25 ESV

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Jesus is our Satisfaction for our sin

Explanation: The concept of the Atonement is under discussion. The NIV translates this as the Atoning Sacrifice, but the Greek word hilasmos has a more specific meaning, one that refers back to the sacrifices of Leviticus 16

Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–3 John b. Expiatory Propitiation (2:2)

“Expiation” (cf. 1 John 2:2 RSV) in this sense means cancellation or dismissal. God simply waives the threatened penalty for transgressions.

Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–3 John b. Expiatory Propitiation (2:2)

propitiation, the turning away of wrath by an acceptable offering. It does not merely expiate in the sense of dismiss; it propitiates in the sense of averting God’s punishment in a substitutionary way

Argument: God has a settled disposition towards sin; He is totally against it, and His holy and righteous wrath is set upon it. Because He is holy, sin demands a payment. Jesus’ propitiation is the only satisfactory payment for sin. Nothing else short of the Eternal, Righteous Sacrifice of Jesus will appease the wrath of God.

This is the reason Jesus is the ONLY way to God

John 14:6 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Acts 4:12 ESV

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”