(1 John 2:1-2), “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”
The problem is, and always has been sin. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23). God determined to solve the problem of sin by sending His only begotten Son as a sufficient sacrifice. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17). “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:12-14). Of course, this was in the mind of God since before the creation of the worlds (cf. Ephesians 1:4).
For the child of God, one who has entered into a relationship with the Father, that shed blood of our Lord has the exact same purpose. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9). This is where the concept of an Advocate comes in for us. Jesus, by His life on earth is qualified to be a “go between” for man to God. He understands us! “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).
Jesus Christ wants us to go to heaven. He is longsuffering, loving and sympathetic. (cf. 2 Peter 3:9). He is our high priest, and unlike the priests of the Old Testament, He is in heaven itself, at the right hand of the Father, and He has the Father’s ear. When we pray to God in the name of Jesus Christ, and with a penitent heart ask forgiveness for the sins we have committed, God hears Jesus’ intercession for us, and always forgives! Thank God for our Advocate!
