Jesus our Advocate
Scripture reading for November 20: 1 John 2
“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. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. Whoever says “I know Him” but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in Him, but whoever keeps His Word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.” 1 John 2:1-6
Without repentance and confession of sin, there can be no forgiveness of sins. The false teachers were teaching that there was really no sin that needed confession because the flesh was evil by nature. So John taught the need for confessing our sins and Jesus faithfully and justly forgiving sins. As believers walk through life with Jesus and His Word lighting their paths, there would be exposure of sin enabling repentance and confessing and continuous cleansing. John alone in the New Testament reveals Jesus was also our Advocate. He is seated at God’s right hand, their interceding for us. He offered His own blood as the covering and cleansing for our sins. He offers this advocacy for the whole world as the Lamb of God Who took away the world’s sins. (John 1:29)
One of the tests of truly knowing God mentioned by John is obedience to His Word. Lots of people were confessing that they ‘knew’ Jesus but did not obey His commandments. John stated that they were deceived and liars. The only way to have assurance of salvation is to abide in Jesus and through the Holy Spirit walk with Him day by day. Our lives should not reflect ‘darkness’ but the light of Jesus. Love for God is perfected through willing submission and joyful obedience. John’s reason for writing this letter was to see the believers free from sin and living by faith.
As you walk with Jesus each day, have you relied on Him as an Advocate, speaking to God on your behalf? When outsiders view your life, what evidence would they find that you know Jesus? Is there one area of your life that you can take to Jesus for His advocacy and empowerment to live as He lives?
Prayer: Thank You Jesus for being my Advocate through life’s ups and downs. It is my desire to walk as You walked in obedience to Your Word. Use my life to reflect the light of Jesus Christ as Lord and the humility of daily cleansing through faith in Christ’s blood. Amen.
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