By Evangelist John BJ Hall
There is only one Advocate in the entire universe that can plead our cause in the last judgment. Sometimes in earthly courts attorneys have specialties, and one man specializes in patent cases, another in insurance cases, another in criminal cases, another in land cases, another in will cases, and his success generally depends upon his sticking to that specialty.
1 John 2:1 (NASB) says, “My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;”
Christ can do many things; but it seems to me that His specialty is to take the hard case of the sinner, and plead it before God until He gets eternal acquittal. But what plea can He make? Sometimes an attorney in court will plead the innocence of the prisoner. That would be inappropriate for us; we are all guilty. Sometimes he tries to prove an alibi. Such a plea will not do in our case. The Lord found us in all our sins, and in the very place of our iniquity. Sometimes an attorney will plead the insanity of the prisoner, and say he is not responsible on that account. That plea will never do in our case. We sinned against light, knowledge, and the dictates of our own consciences. What, then, shall the plea be? Christ will say:
"Look at all these wounds. By all these sufferings, I demand the rescue of this man from sin and death and hell. Bailiff, take off the handcuffs—let the prisoner go free." "Who is he that condemneth?"
This is what Christ did for us. He is the Great Advocate. But who is this one who could pay for our sins?
F. W. Farrar, D.D. wrote, “Sometimes there were more kings than one at Sparta, who governed by joint authority. A king was occasionally sent to some neighboring state in character of a Spartan ambassador. Did he, when so sent, cease to be a king of Sparta, because he was also an ambassador? No, he did not divest himself of his royal dignity, but only added to it that of public deputation. So Christ, in becoming man, did not cease to be God; but though He ever was, and still continued to be, King of the whole creation, acted as the voluntary Servant and Messenger of the Father." He is the God/Man. He had to be related to us to be our kindred redeemer and pay the debt He did not owe.
Where do I turn?
Troubles come on every side
They rise and fall just like a tide.
Seems no matter where I turn
Troubled waters rip and churn.
I am deserted and alone,
Like a piece of trash that’s thrown.
There’s no peace, there’s no hope,
I’m at the end of my own rope.
Where do I turn, where can I go?
Who will hope to this life show?
I’ll turn to Jesus, He’s the one
He’ll shine His light, bright as the sun.
I turn to Him. What do I find?
He’s been right there, all of the time.
He always knew the hope I need
As before God’s throne, He stood to plead.
And now I know that there is joy
To overcome the Devil’s ploy.
I’ll turn to Jesus, He’s my friend.
He’ll be beside me to the end.
© Copyright 1995, By Passages Ministries, All Rights Reserved.
For permission to use this poem contact Passages Ministries.