“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have Jesus Christ the Righteous as an advocate before the Father. And He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (First Epistle of John, Ch. 2, v. 1-2*; the bold text is ours.)
Have you ever been told in conversation, “You’re the first person I’m telling this to,” or “Only you know about this”? Yes, it can be a bit daunting because you realize the weight of trust, but at the same time, it carries a very warm feeling. You know that someone feels you are close or worthy to keep and protect something precious for them. Someone feels safe in your presence, which means they believe you are strong, honest, trustworthy, and capable of protecting others. We share our secrets with people who have given us a reason to think the above about them. Trust comes from observation and shared experiences. This is how we function as humans; we build our trust with time and occasion.
Closeness also depends on how much you allow someone to enter your world, your daily life, your mind, and your heart. It is a decision that poses only one question: “Am I safe?” Those of us who have hired a lawyer know that they hire these professionals to protect them. They don't rely so much on their friendship or even their moral qualities, but on the contract they've made—they pay, and he does his job. In such contractual relationships, they tend to be very sincere because they know it's for their own good as the lawyer needs information to prepare his defense. They let him close to their past or present because he has the purpose of using what he learns for their good and to succeed in his work. Alas, we are more inclined to doubt our friends, because there things are not business-like, but are based on loyalty and love.
People prefer security, so we are ready to pay for it. We prefer to arrange it in a business-like manner, so we can be sure we will receive it.
However, in his first epistle, Apostle John says something else—we have an "officially appointed" Advocate, to whom, even if we wanted, we could not pay; it is simply impossible to cover the cost of His services with money. He is so close to us, knows every detail of our story, and uses this information to plead for us before God the Father. The Lord Jesus Christ stands at the right hand of God and intercedes for the saints or us (no matter how difficult it is for us to accept this designation for ourselves). The Greek word in the cited verse for advocate is παράκλητος (paraklétos), and according to James Strong's Dictionary, it translates as "one called alongside to help." It is used as advocate, defender, helper, comforter, intercessor. In the five instances where this word is used in the New Testament, it refers either to Jesus Christ or to the Holy Spirit, who is also called the Comforter.
“But I tell you the truth: it is for your benefit that I go away. For if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you, but if I go, I will send Him to you.” (Gospel of John, Ch. 16, v. 7*)
The word originates from the verb παρακαλέω (parakaléō), which consists of two parts: pará (close by) and kaléō (to call out, to invite). Thus an advocate is someone who can come close to the judge and present evidence in defense of someone.
This is what Jesus does for you, dear friend. He is the only One who can come so close to God the Father, stand at His right, and speak good on your behalf, for us, and for all who seek God's face. How much we should trust Him, share with Him, and expect from Him. Jesus is near, knows what you are going through, knows the whole story with all its details and circumstances, which is why His judgment is just, but also merciful.
Challenge for the week: Do you share with your Defender, or do you share on social networks and with friends? Can you this week limit sharing with people, spending each evening before bed alone with God, sharing your day and everything you experienced—good, bad, shameful, or worthy. He already knows it, but wants the details from us, this way we will build a deeper trust relationship with Christ.
*Biblical citations are according to the text of Bible, new translation from the original languages © Bulgarian Bible Society 2013.
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