Jesus Our Defense

1 John 1:8–2:2

Understanding sin and our need for someone to speak for us to God is really important. We’re kidding ourselves if we think we don’t sin. But when we admit our sins, Jesus Christ steps in for us, taking the punishment we deserve. It’s vital we see that we’re not perfect and we need Jesus to be our voice, because we can’t face God on our own.

1. What is an advocate?

When we say Jesus is our advocate, or “paraklētos” in Greek, it means He’s like a lawyer who presents our case to God the Father. This is a special belief in Christianity that says Jesus doesn’t just forgive us, but He also stands up for us because of the sacrifice He made. So, Jesus isn’t only our Savior who takes our punishment, but also our hero, winning righteousness for us.

3. How does that change your life?

God’s mercy and fairness work together to deal with our guilt, giving us not just forgiveness but also righteousness. Because of Jesus, God sees us as if we had done everything Jesus did, as if we were perfect. This changes how we see ourselves and how we live, helping us stand strong when others criticize or reject us, and bringing us joy and a deeper relationship with God.