YOU REALLY NEED A GOOD LAWYER!

And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  1 John 2:1b

I like to watch old episodes of Perry Mason.  The stories are always intriguing and mysterious as to who committed the crime.  While I always get lost in the details, Mason ALWAYS figures out who is guilty to the chagrin of prosecutor Hamilton Burger and successfully defends the client.  In real life, lawyers win AND lose.  They are not all knowing or invincible.  Often they have no chance to succeed because their clients are truly guilty and no cleverness on their part will ever change that fact.

Jesus Christ is our defense attorney/advocate (1 John 2:1-2).  1 John tells us how we can be assured that we are saved giving several characteristics which should be evident in a true Christian’s life: 1) obeying, keeping God’s commands (2:3-5), 2) living a Christ-like life (2:6), 3) avoiding sin and living righteously (3:6-10) and 4) sincerely loving others (3:11-18).  John emphasizes that sin is now the exception NOT the rule of life.  So what do Christians do WHEN they sin?  1 John 1:9 declares, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Sin never cancels our relationship with the Father, BUT it does cause us to lose valuable fellowship with Him and others (1:6-7).  Praise God that Jesus’ blood cleanses us from ALL sin (1 John 1:7)! 

However, our enemy the devil  hates us for defecting from his team and maliciously accuses us day and night before God’s throne (Revelation 12:10).  As our Advocate, Jesus defends us with His shed blood, His Word and His mighty power (Revelation 12:16).  Jesus never loses a single case!  He never charges legal fees either!  He, the best defense attorney ever, will defend you all the way to heaven!

Bob Kulp