God demands payment for sin, but He balances His justice with mercy to insure that all sinners including—you and I—wouldn’t be separated from Him forever. A little story will help explain, keeping in mind that God is fully aware of Jesus’ sacrifice and our position.

 

When a man is arrested, he either hires legal counsel or is assigned a public defender. Everyone needs legal assistance to guide them through the maze of legal rulings and filings. They need a helper—an advocate—who is familiar with the system.

 

Jesus is our advocate before God the creator/judge. He represents us in God’s courtroom, where God demands justice for sin. Jesus comes before God with a list of the sins we’ve committed. He states that we’re guilty, on all counts, of the sin for which we have been accused. But that’s not the end of our Advocate’s speech. Jesus reminds the Judge that He Himself has already paid for our sins through His death on the cross. Jesus already bore our death sentence for all our sins—current and future.

 

Jesus reminds the Judge that it isn’t fair to punish us for the sins for which He’s already paid. God accepts Jesus’ death on our behalf, and He declares us “not guilty.” Our record is expunged. When He looks at us and our sin, He sees His sinless Son and His sacrifice.

 

Because Jesus paid the debt for our sin, God pardons us. He sees us as righteous, blameless, honorable, and upright. We can do nothing to earn this pardon. It’s grace, a free gift Jesus gives us to pardon us from the death sentence brought on by our sin.

 

However that is not the end, our advocate then brings up another legal ma!er regarding the same client. He then states a ma!er of adoption that needs to be finalized. Our legal advocate states “My client has been offered adoption into your Honor’s own family and he would like to take you up on that offer. Starting today He wants to take on your family name committing His life to your care and leadership. What does your Honor have to say on this matter.” Standing up, the Judge, states that this ma!er has already been finalize, he then slams the gavel, leaves the bench, approaches the restored man saying “it is so good to have you back my son, there is so much I want us to do together”

 

Oh what a wonderful advocate we have in Christ– Thank God today and don’t waste the new relationship with your Father!

 

In His Service,

Eric Barnes