Webster defines an advocate as: 1)  a person who argues for or supports a cause or policy; 2) a person who works for a cause or group; 3) a person who argues for the cause of another person in a court of law. Let’s focus a bit on the third definition.   You may be thinking something like … “Thank goodness for the person who supported/defended me in my court appearance;” or  “I have never in my life needed such a person;” or “I don’t need such a person now as I am my own best advocate.”   Friend, no matter what you are thinking right now, there is an advocate that everyone needs …  His name is Jesus, The Christ, Our Divine Advocate!

1 John 2:1-2 (ESV) – My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  ² He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

John uses a courtroom setting in 1 John 2:1-2 to more fully explain how Jesus comes alongside us as Our Divine Advocate, our Parakletos.  Jesus acts as our defender before His righteous Father, Almighty God.   Jesus is the one and only practicing attorney in Heaven … the one and only qualified to defend sinners before God as the divine Judge.  Why?  Because only Jesus paid the price for ALL of the sins of ALL of mankind.  Jesus is the only absolutely perfect sacrifice, crucified on the cross, resurrected from the dead on the third day, ascended into Heaven, and seated at the right hand of God.

But even as professing Christians, confessed and born again sinners,  we are still prone to sin.  Jesus is present with God ALL of the time.  Jesus defends the saved sinner before God as the ultimate Judge even as we continue to sin.  The righteous Judge is just, never unjust.  And the righteous Judge must render justice.  Justice was not set aside nor compromised when salvation was gained.  Rather, justice was met.   Yes, God is a God of mercy and loving kindness … a God of grace.  But He is likewise a God of justice.   Teaching on this subject, John MacArthur says that “Salvation is the perfect action of divine justice and grace.”   1 John 1:9 (ESV) declares “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

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Father, thank you for sending your son Jesus to pay the only price sufficient for the forgiveness of our sins.  We praise you Jesus for continuing to serve as our advocate  with our holy and righteous God.  Amen and Amen.

For additional study on this topic see John MacArthur’s article Our Divine Defense Attorney.