My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:1-2 (NIV)
Pray as we might, we’re still going to be tempted.
That’s just part of the big picture of this life, especially if we’re proclaiming Jesus as our Savior.
We’re going to have to face temptation.
And, in many cases, we’re going to fall into that temptation and ultimately sin.
That’s just part of our struggle with two different natures at war within us day after day.
. . . But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
1 John 2:1 (NIV)
Don’t get hung up on what seems to have a stronghold (or even stranglehold) against you or upon you. Like John wrote centuries ago, “we have an advocate with the Father” in Jesus Christ. He is the “atoning sacrifice” for both us who believe in Him and those within the world who have yet to hear of Him and claim Him as their personal Lord and Savior.
We’ve got a better shot at praying to the Lord and seeking forgiveness of our sins then we do at hitting a bullseye for holy perfection. The odds favor us sinning. We’re more likely to do so by word, thought or deed than we are likely to obtain some form of glorified godliness through our own efforts.
Our “advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One” is to our advantage.
Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
1 Peter 2:16 (ESV)
Much like Peter warned fellow believers, we are not to simply sin because we have this liberty provided by the Lord. The Lord’s sacrifice should cause us to submit to Him so earnestly that we “live as God’s slaves,” according to the NIV of this same verse. In this sense, we are to eagerly submit ourselves as bondservants to Him as Lord and Master. I like the way that Walking with God describes the title bondservant in a post regarding Philippians chapter 1 verse 1 and the cultural context of slavery for Paul’s epistle. Because we’ve been set free, we should recognize our ability to freely submit.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)
Our advocate makes it all possible. Our advocate provides us an advantage over those who seek to go at it on their own. He’s advocating for us based on His atoning sacrifice and He’s been where we are as a man in the flesh. He’s been tempted. He’s been pressured. He’s been there.
Don’t lose sight of how much on an advantage we have in our advocate.
Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens
Hebrews 8:1 (NKJV)
He’s seated at the right hand of the Father. He is ministering in the sanctuary and the “true tabernacle” set up by God, not any man, according to Hebrews 8:2. Dr. Reluctant points out how this new High Priest compares to the Old Testament model in one of his posts online. It’s Hebrews 12:2 that reminds us that Jesus serves as both “the author and finisher of our faith” and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
What’s happening over there on that right side of the throne of God?
Just what we need.
He’s advocating on behalf of us.
He’s showing evidence of his shed blood for us as atonement for our sins.
He’s presenting testimony of His own sacrifice as the Lamb of God for the remission of our sins.
He’s advocating for us.
He’s advocating to our advantage.
We need to not overlook this and do whatever we please and however we want.
We need to accept and embrace that our advocate is to our advantage.
Always pray and do not lose heart.
Rev Bruce's Blog 
Leave a comment