Revelation: Christ and the Churches

The Divine Advocate

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2012-02-20

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver expounds 1 John 2:1-2, explaining that Jesus Christ is our advocate (parakletos) with the Father. He defines advocacy as a blessing reserved for God's children, contrasting it with the Holy Spirit's role as our earthly advocate. Weaver emphasizes that sin interrupts fellowship but not sonship, and that Christ's advocacy is grounded in His perfect righteousness and propitiatory sacrifice, which expiates sin and appeases God's wrath. He clarifies that propitiation applies to the world of believers, not universally, and concludes by stressing that all Christian success depends on Christ's intercession.

[John Weaver] Well, let's open our Bibles if we would please today to 1 John chapter 2. 1 John chapter 2. And let me make this statement before I get started. I would really encourage you to be here for the next 4 or 5 messages. Today I'm going to be laying a groundwork because I'm dealing with the divine advocate or the advocacy of Jesus Christ. Next week I'm going to be showing how that this was understood in the Old Testament. In fact, I'm just about convinced that some of those Old Testament saints understood this a whole lot better than we do today and we have the completed Word of God. And this is going to lead me into three or four messages on imprecatory prayer. And that's why I said I'm going to be dealing with those verses just shortly. So, I want you to look, if you would please, to 1 John chapter 2, and let's read the first two verses. John writes, My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

[John Weaver] And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. Now look at verse 1, He said, My little children, these things write unto you that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. So you need to ask immediately, what does it mean to have an advocate with the Father? Why do we need an advocate? You might also ask, what in the world does our advocate do for us?

[John Weaver] Let me give you two definitions just to show you how originally A lot of our legal terminology had a Christian influence upon it. From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, the word advocate, it says this, civil and ecclesiastical law, an officer who maintains or defends the rights of his client in the same manner as the counselor does in common law. And then for Black's Law Dictionary, advocate, one who assists, defends, or pleads for another, one who renders legal advice and aid and pleads the cause of another before court or a tribunal, a counselor, a person learned in the law and duly admitted to practice, who assists his client with advice and pleads for him in open court, and then a pleader of causes.

[John Weaver] Now when you think of the term advocate, most of the time we don't think of the Lord Jesus Christ. But the Greek term is a little more specific than even Bouvier's and Black's Law Dictionary. In fact, the Greek word is parakletos. Para is a preposition in the Greek, which literally means alongside of. And kletos is from the verb kleo, which literally means I call. So a parakletos, or advocate, literally means one called alongside of to help. It's someone who is called to stand beside us in order to help us. So the word then is also translated in our Bibles as comforter.

[John Weaver] I'll show you that in just a moment. So in the widest sense of the word, the word advocate therefore means a helper, a succorer, one who aids, or an assistant. In the strictest sense of the word, the word advocate refers to one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, a counsel for defense, a legal assistant, or advocate.

[John Weaver] Now, very quickly, I want you to hold 1 John, but look in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 14. I want to show you some verses, and every time you see the word comforter in these verses, it is the same word that is translated as advocate in 1 John chapter 2. And I'm going to point this out for a very specific reason. Notice John chapter 14, if you would please, and verse 16. John 14 and verse 16. Look what our Lord says, and He is referring now to the Holy Spirit. John 14 verse 16, And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another comforter, that is another paraclete or another advocate, that He may abide with you forever. If you'll look in verse 26, He says, but the comforter, that is the paraclete or the advocate, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. Look in John 15 and verse 26.

[John Weaver] John 15 verse 26, but when the comforter, the paraclete or the advocate has come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeded from the Father, he shall testify of me." And then in John 16 in verse 7, our Lord says this, Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the Comforter, the Advocate, the Paraclete, will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will send him unto you.

[John Weaver] Now hopefully you understand now why if you ever read theological books, or even sometimes devotional books, you'll find that the Holy Spirit is referred to as the divine paraclete. It is taken from the Greek word parakletos, which means one called alongside off to help. So our Lord is saying that in his absence, we're going to have an advocate here on earth, and it is none other than the Holy Spirit. He is our comforter. He is our teacher. He is our illuminator. He is our instructor. He is our guide. He is our counselor. In fact, if you would look in Romans 8 very quickly, just to show you one simple ministry that the Holy Spirit performs on our behalf. Look in Romans 8 at verses 26 and 27. Here is the comforter spoken of in a ministry of intercession. Romans 8 verse 26, likewise the Spirit, that is the Holy Spirit, also helpeth our infirmities. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

[John Weaver] And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. So there are times that you and I are so burdened, and sometimes we're so ignorant, we don't even know what to pray for. We don't know how to pray. And the Bible tells us the Holy Spirit himself then makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." We may not be able to form the word, but he understands our thoughts, he understands our desires, and he then makes intercession for us according to the will of God.

[John Weaver] So what the scripture is teaching is basically this. We have an advocate here with us who is the Holy Spirit. And we also have an advocate in heaven who is the Lord Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, listen to this statement very carefully. Advocacy is God's family's blessing. There are other blessings that God bestows upon the righteous and the unrighteous. But when you come to such things as justification and sanctification and continued intercession and peace and advocacy, those are only for the saints of God. They're only given to His children alone. The unsaved do not have the benefit of advocacy. According to the Word of God, they stand alone.

[John Weaver] And they are helpless and hopeless before the judge of all the earth. You stop and think about that. What a terrifying experience to stand before the sovereign God of heaven and earth and have no hope and no help. Advocacy is for the children of God alone.

[John Weaver] Now, if you look in 1 John 2 again, at verse 1, first of all, John immediately gives us the reason that he is writing. Look what he says. My little children, these things I write unto you, that you sin not. Interestingly, John writes, first and foremost, to encourage us not to sin. He encourages us to live a holy, godly, obedient life. Now, the word sin is very unique here. He said, my little children, these things I write on you that you sin not. It is not the word for lawlessness.

[John Weaver] We are not lawless individuals because we are under the law to Jesus Christ. But the word here refers to trespassing. It refers to offending. It refers to missing the mark. It refers to falling short. In other words, he is encouraging each of us not to fall short, not to miss the mark, not to trespass, not to offend. Well, you say, how in the world do we not trespass? How do we not fall short? Well, let me give you a couple of answers.

[John Weaver] David said, in Psalm 119 verse 80, that he wanted his heart to be sound in God's statutes, that he might not be ashamed. I might deal with that verse in the not too distant future. Wonderful verse. But David also said in Psalm 119 verses 9 through 11, now listen carefully, although he's quoting about a young man, it applies to a young woman, it applies to an old man, it applies to an old woman as well. David said in Psalm 119 beginning in verse 9, Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way, by taking heed thereto according to thy word? With my whole heart have I sought thee, O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."

[John Weaver] Now notice what he said. If you want to cleanse your way, how do you do so? By taking heed thereto according to His Word. Then He said, Oh, let me not wander from my commandments. Don't let me stray from the Word of God. Thy Word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against Thee. So He's encouraging us up front not to trespass, not to offend, not to miss the mark, not to fall short. Now notice if you would secondly in verse 1, He writes, my little children, these things write unto you that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Now I want you to note, John says, if any man sin, if we do fall short, if we do trespass, if we do miss the mark, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

[John Weaver] Now let me tell you, whether you believe this or not, None of us are perfect. Now don't tell my wife because I try to tell her I'm perfect, but I'm afraid she knows better. Let me tell you, the godliest Christian, the most holy, the most gifted, the most godly individual, whoever he is, wherever he is, still falls short of the glory of God. He misses the mark in some area.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note what John is saying. Look at verse 1 again. My little children, these things write unto you that you sin not. And if any man sin, and when he says any man, he's referring to any Christian. Remember, advocacy is only for the children of God. The unsaved do not have an advocate with the Father. So when he says, if any man sin, he's referring to Christian men, because advocacy is only for the child of God. Now I want you to note that advocacy is here connected with the Father. He said, if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Now, what in the world does sin do for a child of God? Well, it interrupts, first of all, our communion with the Father. because it grieves Him. When a child of God sins, we do not lose our salvation.

[John Weaver] We do not fall from being a son. We do not lose our acceptance before the Father. The Bible says, let me just quote it, Ephesians 1 in verse 6, to the praise of the glory of His grace wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved." We are accepted in Jesus Christ. God made us accepted in the Beloved. I cannot lose my acceptance with God because I cannot lose Jesus Christ and I cannot lose the work of Christ. What Christ did was absolutely perfect and complete.

[John Weaver] So sin then does not affect our sonship. It does not affect our standing before God. But it does affect our fellowship, our joy, and our intimacy with the Father.

[John Weaver] Now, do you remember this? David sinned. And David sinned grievously. And he wrote a number of penitential Psalms. The most famous is Psalm 51. And in Psalm 51 in verse 12, I want you to listen to what David prayed. He's repenting over his sin. And by the way, let me just say this again. There are a lot of people who want to identify with David's sin, but very few who want to identify with his repentance. David repented. And in this penitential Psalm, in Psalm 51, in verse 12, he said, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit. David did not cease to become a son. David did not cease to become a believer. He did indeed have his joy and his fellowship and his intimacy interrupted because of that sin. And so he prays for the restoration of that joy in his repentance.

[John Weaver] Now, if you'll look whole 1 John please, but look in your Bibles, Romans 5 verse 1. I want you to see once again, this is not a question of our standing. Okay? Sin does not affect our standing. Look at verse 1, Romans chapter 5. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Notice, we stand in grace. We do not stand based upon our works. We do not stand based upon our obedience. We do not stand based upon our law keeping. We stand in grace. And God's grace does not change. So when we're talking about sin, we're not talking about losing our sonship. We're not talking about losing our standing. But we are talking about a loss of our fellowship.

[John Weaver] our joy, our communion, our intimacy with the Father. Now let me tell you something else about our sin that's bad. We not only sin, but we also have an accuser. If you'll look in your Bibles to Revelation chapter 12 and verse 10, I want you to note what the scripture says concerning Satan or the devil. Look in Revelation 12 and verse 10. Revelation 12 verse 10. God said in Revelation 12 and verse 10, And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now has come salvation and strength in the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ. For the accuser of our brethren is cast down who accused them before our God day and Now, you say, what does that have to do with our sin? Well, remember now, he's the accuser of our brethren, and he accuses us before God day and night. I want you to look in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 12. I want you to note what God told David when he was confronted by Nathan. Look in 2 Samuel chapter 12 and notice if you would please verse 19.

[John Weaver] Yes, David sinned. David tried to cover his sin. He was certainly unsuccessful. God saw his sin and God knew his sin. Notice if you would please, 2 Samuel chapter 12 and let's see.

[John Weaver] Let me see what verse I want right here. Hmm. Uh, I can quote the verse. I can't, I don't see it right now, but, uh, God told David, he said, how be it because I was done this deed that was given great occasion, listen, great occasion of, to the enemies of Lord, to blaspheme and the child that is given in the shall surely die. Verse 14, look at it. How be it because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born of thee shall surely die. Notice he would please, thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. One of the awful consequences of sin, when a child of God sins, the enemies of the Lord say, I knew he wasn't a Christian. Christ saves from sin. Look at you. They mock. They blaspheme. If you'll look in your Bibles to Psalm 79, you'll see the same truth given again. Psalm 79. And notice if you would please, verse 4.

[John Weaver] Psalm 79 and verse 4. Look what David writes. We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision of them that are round about us. That's one of the terrible consequences of sin. You become reproached and a reproach upon the name of Christ and upon his truth. Do you realize that's why the Bible in first Timothy chapter three in verse seven, talking about a pastor, moreover, he must have a good report of them who are without lest he fall into the reproach and the snare of the devil. When we sin, oftentimes we give the enemies of the Lord the opportunity to blaspheme.

[John Weaver] You've got to remember now that the scripture referred to Satan as the accuser of the brethren. Listen carefully. Satan will accuse us any way that he can. He will use lies. He will use innuendos. He will use half-truths. And He will also use the truth that we provide for Him. And He will use it to mock God. You say, what are you talking about? Look in your Bibles, go back to Job chapter 1. Let me just show you how Satan accused Job. And at the same time, he not only accused Job, he was actually mocking God at the same time. Look in Job 1, beginning there with verse 7. Job 1, verse 7. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, knowing that Satan had? Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth?

[John Weaver] a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil, that is, he spits out evil, he can't stand it. Then Satan answered the Lord and said, Doth Job fear God for naught? You think Job fears you for nothing? Ah, look, verse 10, Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

[John Weaver] Now put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face." Yeah, I've considered Job. Yeah, and I know about him. Job is nothing but a money-grubbing, covetous, selfish individual. And the only reason he serves you, God, is because you give him everything. But you take it away from him. He'll curse you to your face. He doesn't love you. The implications are that God is not lovable, that God is not desirable. And the only reason Job was serving him was because of what he could get out of God. And of course, you know the story how Job lost everything and he still retained his integrity. Notice in Job chapter two, beginning there in verse three, And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? And still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movest me against him, to destroy him without cause.

[John Weaver] And Satan answered the Lord and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone, and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And guess what? God allowed Satan to touch him. I mean, from the top of his head to the toe of his foot, he was full of putrefied sores.

[John Weaver] He took potsherds and scraped himself. And all that, the Bible tells us, Job sinned not with his lips. In all of his affliction, he still honored God. We have an accuser. Therefore, we need an advocate. We're sinners. Therefore, we need an advocate. Our advocate not only pleads for us, he defends us as well. He defends us from defamation. He defends us from false accusation. He defends us from outright lies. He represents us and he pleads on our behalf.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to go back to 1 John chapter 2 and look if you would please at verse 1. For He says, My little children, these things I write unto you, that you sin not. Yet He said, And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Now, I want you to pay close attention to the fact that our advocate is Jesus Christ the righteous. Our Advocate is not only the Lord of Glory, He is the Righteous One. Which means this, He's not a shyster, He's not a trickster, He's not a sham, He's not an unethical man, He is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Righteous One. He is righteous, He is eminently righteous, and He possesses the ability to make others righteous. Now when the Bible refers to Jesus Christ as the righteous one, it refers to him as the just one, the righteous one, the virtuous one, one who keeps the commandments of God. He is the innocent one. He is the perfect one. He's the one that is acceptable with God.

[John Weaver] Do you remember what our Lord said in John 8 in verse 29? Let me just quote it. Our Lord said, and he that sent me is with me. The Father hath not left me alone, listen, for I do always those things that please Him. And the Bible tells us in Psalm 11 verse 7, For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness, and his countenance doth behold the upright. So Jesus Christ is the righteous one, and the righteous Lord loveth righteousness. That means this, our righteousness that we have is only in Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] I want you to think about this. Jesus Christ is the only individual that ever obeyed the law of God personally, perfectly, and perpetually. He never sinned. He never violated the law of God. The only standing that you and I have, the only righteousness that you and I have, is that which is found in Jesus Christ. So when I come to my Father in prayer, and I say, Lord, You know I've tried to do that which is right, and I did this, and I did that. I'm sorry. That is unacceptable. Why is it unacceptable? Because I'm not righteous. Do you realize even in our righteous deeds, listen carefully, even in our righteous deeds, there's enough sin to damn us. How many of you ever tried praying?

[John Weaver] And as you prayed, vile, wicked thoughts came into your mind? Or wrong motives? wrong desires. Do you follow me? When we come to our Heavenly Father, we come standing only in the merits and the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Hear me, Lord, not because I've tried to obey You, not because I've obeyed You, but hear me because of Christ who has perfectly acceptable unto thee. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 1 in verse 30 and 31.

[John Weaver] Now let me just quote it. Listen carefully. But off him, that is off God the Father, are you in Christ Jesus, who off God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Wait a minute. We are in Jesus Christ made wise, we're made righteous, we're sanctified, we're redeemed. Why? That according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. We don't glory in ourselves. We glory in that which Jesus Christ has done for us. That's why in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 21, the Bible says, For he, God, hath made him Christ, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of Christ. God has made Him to be sin for us, that we might be made righteous in Him.

[John Weaver] If you look in your Bibles, hold 1 John, but go back in your Bibles to the book of Philippians chapter 3, Philippians chapter 3, and as you go back there, I want you to remember Paul's pedigree. In fact, we'll read it. Notice if you would, beginning there with verse 4, Philippians chapter 3. Paul wrote, though I might also have confidence in the flesh. Paul says, you want to brag? Well, I'll brag. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more. If you want to trust in the flesh, here's my boast. circumcised of the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin a Hebrew of the Hebrews is touching the law of Pharisee Concerning zeal persecuting the church touching the righteousness, which is in the law blameless Now wait a minute was Paul not a sinner. Oh, yes Paul was a sinner but when he says it's touching the righteousness which in the law blameless he's talking about the external righteousness, which the Pharisees had Then he says this, watch carefully.

[John Weaver] But what things were gained to me, that is his self-righteousness, his Phariseeism, his ancestry, everything. But what things were gained to me, I counted lost for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. Watch, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." What's Paul saying? I don't want my righteousness. I want the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Now I want you to look back in your Bibles. I want you to look in 1 John 2 verse 1. Look what he says. My little children, these things write unto you that you sin not. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Which means this. Jesus Christ is the only one who has the credentials to practice law in the divine court of the judge of all the earth.

[John Weaver] No one else has ever passed the bar exam. Because no one else has ever kept God's law personally, perfectly and perpetually. He is the righteous one and therefore he has personal standing in that he has kept that law of God. He has earned a perfect righteousness. Moreover, he's also the son of the judge. He's the only advocate that has never, ever lost a case. Christ has perfect standing to be our advocate.

[John Weaver] He stands before the Father. Are you listening? And He also has the perfect plea. So when we are accused of saying, when we are accused before the Father saying, well look at that man, he claims to be a Christian, he's not perfect, he's false, God look at him, you claim him as a son? Our Lord Jesus Christ, our Advocate says, Father, look at him through me. I gave him my righteousness. It's not our righteousness. It's His righteousness.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to watch this. Look in verse 2. I want to read verses 1 and 2. My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not, and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

[John Weaver] Now, I have been asked a question many times that taxes many people. The question is usually put forward like this. I know that we are forgiven for all of our sins that we committed before we were saved. But what about those sins that we have committed after we have been saved? Is not God angry with us over those sins and do they not affect our standing with the Father? So many people say, well, yeah, I understand. We've been forgiven of all those sins before we got saved. But what about those sins afterwards? Well, let me answer that two ways.

[John Weaver] First of all, think about this. Here's a good question for you. How many sins did you commit before Jesus Christ died? What's the answer? None. You weren't alive. You weren't even around. That means that Christ died for future sins as well as past sins. Secondly, the Old Testament saints were saved by looking forward to the coming work of Christ And New Testament saints are saved by looking backwards in faith to the completed work of Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now this truth hopefully will become more evident when we look at this word propitiation. The Bible says, and he is the propitiation for our sins. Unhappily, Many Christians cannot even pronounce the word propitiation, and most Christians have no earthly idea what it even means. The word propitiation occurs three times in the New Testament. I want you to turn to the first one, which is Romans chapter 3. Romans chapter 3. The second time it occurs is in our text in 1 John 2 and verse 2. And the third time it occurs is in 1 John 4 and verse 10. And I'll just quote 1 John 4 and verse 10 just shortly. But when you read Romans 3 verses 25 and 26, hopefully you will perceive that God saved the Old Testament saints by faith as they look forward to the completed work of Jesus Christ. So look in Romans 3 verse 25. In fact, let's read verse 24. Romans 3 verse 24, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

[John Weaver] So we're talking about the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Now watch verse 25, whom God, talking about Christ now, whom God has sent forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God, to declare, I say at this time, His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus."

[John Weaver] Now what Romans 3 verses 25 and 26 teaches very clearly, it teaches us the justice of God in forgiving and saving the Old Testament saints as well as the New Testament saints. He is just and the justifier. What does that mean? It means God did not cut any corners. He did not allow anyone to get away with sin. He did everything according to His law and according to His justice. Notice again verse 25, whom God has set forth to be of propitiation through faith in His blood. Why?

[John Weaver] Number one, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past. Those Old Testament saints, they were saved by faith in Christ. He forgave them based upon the fact that Jesus Christ is indeed the Lamb of God that had taken away the sin of the world. They looked forward in faith to that. God forbore with them. And then He says to declare, I say at this time His righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Christ. So we see now that Jesus Christ is our propitiation.

[John Weaver] We read it in 1 John 2 and verse 2. 1 John 4 and verse 10 just simply says this, that God sent forth His Son to be a propitiation for our sins. So here's the question that you have to ask. What is propitiation? And how does our Lord's propitiatory sacrifice relate to His advocacy? First of all, let me try to answer this question, what is propitiation? Let me give you a little hint by asking you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 9. And I'm going to show you one other word which is the same Greek word as propitiation. Look at Hebrews chapter 9 verse 5. Hebrews 9 verse 5, And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat of which we cannot now speak particularly. Now, everyone knows that in the Holy of Holies, you had the mercy seat. You remember Aaron went in once a year and sprinkled blood upon the mercy seat. Guess what? The word mercy seat And Hebrews 9 and verse 5 is the word propitiation.

[John Weaver] It is the same Greek word hilasmos. So you ought to know something now. You ought to know that the word propitiation is related to the day of atonement. Therefore, it should not surprise you to learn that the word propitiation refers to an expiatory sacrifice, and expiation refers then to the washing away of sin. Yes, propitiation includes the washing away of sin, but it includes more than that. Because the word propitiation not only means to expiate, to wash away, it refers to the expiatory sacrifice of Jesus Christ, but it also refers to placation and appeasement.

[John Weaver] when you placate someone or when you appease someone. Now since you're in the book of Hebrews, look very quickly at Hebrews chapter 10. Notice if you would please, let's begin reading there in verse 1. For the law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. Skip down if you would please to verse 3. But in those sacrifices, those Old Testament sacrifices, there's remembrance again made of sins every year.

[John Weaver] That's why you had to keep doing it. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he said, Sacrifice an offering thou wouldst not, but a body is thou prepared for me. Hebrews 10 verse 6, In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure, Then said I, Lo, I come in the volume of this book, it is written to me to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice an offering, and burn offering, and for sin thou wouldest not, neither has pleasure therein which are offered by the law. Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second."

[John Weaver] Now what's the Bible saying? The Bible is saying that those Old Testament sacrifices were not the true propitiation. They were not the true expiation. They were just pictures. Jesus Christ came and it was the blood of Jesus Christ that was the true expiation and the true propitiation. Now listen carefully. The Bible says, and He is the propitiation for our sins. The word propitiation means to placate. It means to satisfy. It means to appease.

[John Weaver] How does that apply to us? You have to remember that God is holy. And the holiness of God, there was a righteous indignation and a righteous anger against us because of our sins. God was very upset and very angry and His wrath abode upon us. That's what the Bible says. And what did our Lord do in His propitiation? He not only expiated and washed away our sins, He appeased, He satisfied, He placated the righteous anger and wrath of God.

[John Weaver] Let that sink in, folks. Jesus Christ not only expiated, that is, He washed away our sins, He appeased, He satisfied, and he placated the righteous anger and wrath of God. So someone's going to say, well, certainly after we've been saved and we sin, surely it angers God. I'm sure that sin does anger God. But when you're a child of God, our divine advocate points to himself and says, Father, don't be angry. Here I am. I've placated. I've satisfied. I've appeased your righteous anger and your righteous wrath. Jesus Christ is not only the expiation, He's the propitiation. He's our mediator. He's our advocate. He's our defender.

[John Weaver] Martin Luther said it like this. Listen carefully. He said, Christ is not a mere suppliant petitioner. He pleads for us on the ground of justice or righteousness as well as mercy. Though He can say nothing good of us, He can say much for us. It is His righteousness or obedience to the law and endurance of its full penalty for us on which He grounds His claim for our acquittal.

[John Weaver] The sense thereof is in that He is righteous, in contrast to our sin, if any man sin, the Father, by raising Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand, has once for all accepted Christ's claim for us. Therefore, the accuser's charges against God's children are in vain. The righteousness of Christ stands on our side, for God's righteousness is in Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is ours. Isn't that wonderful?

[John Weaver] What shall we say then to these things as Paul? If God be for us, who can be against us?

[John Weaver] Now, there's one other phrase I've got to deal with. I want you to look at it. 1 John 2 and verse 2 because there will be questions. He says, and He is our propitiation, He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a question. How can Jesus Christ be the propitiation for the sins of the whole world? Here is the answer. He is the propitiation for the sins of the world of believers. I told you earlier, advocacy is only for the children of God. It is not for the unsaved. I want you to look in your Bibles, if you would, to John 1 and verse 10. John 1 and verse 10. There's a reason. I have in times preached an entire message just on the word world.

[John Weaver] Perhaps I should do it again. But the word world is used in many different ways in the Bible. At least 13 different ways. And usually when most people hear the word world, they think it means everyone in the world. No. Many times it does not mean that. I want you to look in John 1 in verse 10. Here's the word world. It's the same Greek word. And it means three different things in one simple verse. Look in John 1 and verse 10. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. Cosmos each time. He was in the world. What does that mean? He was in the earth, and the world was made by Him.

[John Weaver] That would be the universe and everything contained therein. and the world knew him not, that is the world of his own people." So here the one word world is used three different ways in one verse. Moreover, I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Peter 2 and look at verse 5, because you're going to find that the Bible even speaks of the world of the ungodly. Look in 2 Peter it is, chapter 2 and verse 5. 2 Peter 2 and verse 5. Look what the Bible says, And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing the flood upon the world of the ungodly. Now if there was a world of the ungodly, very obviously there's a world of the godly. If there's a world of unbelievers, there's a world of believers.

[John Weaver] We could use that same word today because I'm going to tell you folks, the world of the humanist is not my world. I live in a totally different world than they live in. And they live in a totally different world than I live in. Moreover, when you look at the word propitiation, which means to placate, to appease, to satisfy, it has to refer to the world of believers.

[John Weaver] How can I say that? Very simply because of what the scripture teaches. Let me ask you, Is God still angry with the wicked? Yes, the Bible says in Psalm 711, God judges the righteous, but God is angry with the wicked every day. And He is so angry that when He judges them, according to Revelation 19, that the smoke of their torment will ascend up forever and ever and ever.

[John Weaver] So clearly, when you look at the word propitiation, In 1 John 2 and the word world in 1 John 2 and verse 2, it has to refer to the world of believers whoever they are and wherever they may be. Because Christ has not satisfied nor placated nor appeased God the Father for those wicked who refuse Him and will not repent and bow to Him. So scripture says we have an advocate with the Father. Jesus Christ the righteous. We have an advocate here on earth, the Holy Spirit, but we also have an advocate in heaven who pleads for us, who defends us.

[John Weaver] Now let me make just one application. I want you to understand that Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of God, constantly, continually interceding for us. He constantly and continually pleads for us before the throne of God. He is none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, the Righteous One. And what He pleads is not, Father, they're doing the best they can. No. What He pleads is His work, His merit, His righteousness.

[John Weaver] It is His intercession for us that keeps us alive and keeps us living. Let me make a statement. Any success we have in our Christian life, any righteousness, any godliness, any obedience, any success we have in the ministry is due only to the intercession and work and merits of Jesus Christ. Paul said, I am what I am only by the grace of God. We have an advocate and I trust in the next four or five weeks you're going to see how important the advocacy of Jesus Christ is. what it really means to have an advocate with the Father. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we do ask for Your blessing and Your help. We pray that You would teach us, dear Lord, build us up in the most holy faith, and may we see and understand and comprehend the greatness of Jesus Christ and the greatness of His ministry of intercession and the fact that He is our advocate. May we give Thee praise In the name of Christ, we ask and pray.

[John Weaver] Amen.

The Divine Advocate

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	IgEx-gKDTGU
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Revelation: Christ and the Churches
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-20
Dictation Name
Book	Book 156: The Divine Advocate — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	67

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Series Overview

Weaver introduces the topic of the divine advocate from 1 John 2:1-2 and previews upcoming messages on Old Testament understanding and imprecatory prayer.

Well, let's open our Bibles if we would please today to 1 John chapter 2. 1 John chapter 2. And let me make this statement before I get started. I would really encourage you to be here for the next 4 or 5 messages. Today I'm going to be laying a groundwork because I'm dealing with the divine advocate or the advocacy of Jesus Christ. Next week I'm going to be showing how that this was understood in the Old Testament. In fact, I'm just about convinced that some of those Old Testament saints understood this a whole lot better than we do today and we have the completed Word of God. And this is going to lead me into three or four messages on imprecatory prayer. And that's why I said I'm going to be dealing with those verses just shortly. So, I want you to look, if you would please, to 1 John chapter 2, and let's read the first two verses. John writes,

Scripture Reading — 1 John 2:1-2

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

Definition of Advocate

The Greek word parakletos means 'one called alongside to help,' and is translated as both advocate and comforter, referring to a legal defender and helper.

Now when you think of the term advocate, most of the time we don't think of the Lord Jesus Christ. But the Greek term is a little more specific than even Bouvier's and Black's Law Dictionary. In fact, the Greek word is parakletos. Para is a preposition in the Greek, which literally means alongside of. And kletos is from the verb kaleo, which literally means I call. So a parakletos, or advocate, literally means one called alongside of to help. It's someone who is called to stand beside us in order to help us. So the word then is also translated in our Bibles as comforter.

I'll show you that in just a moment. So in the widest sense of the word, the word advocate therefore means a helper, a succorer, one who aids, or an assistant. In the strictest sense of the word, the word advocate refers to one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, a counsel for defense, a legal assistant, or advocate.

The Holy Spirit as Earthly Advocate

Jesus promised another Comforter (parakletos), the Holy Spirit, who teaches, guides, and intercedes for believers with groanings, acting as our advocate on earth.

Now, very quickly, I want you to hold 1 John, but look in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 14. I want to show you some verses, and every time you see the word comforter in these verses, it is the same word that is translated as advocate in 1 John chapter 2. And I'm going to point this out for a very specific reason. Notice John chapter 14, if you would please, and verse 16. John 14 and verse 16. Look what our Lord says, and He is referring now to the Holy Spirit. John 14 verse 16,

Scripture Reading — John 14:16

"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that is another Paraclete or another advocate, that He may abide with you forever."

If you'll look in verse 26, He says, "But the Comforter, that is the Paraclete or the advocate, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you." Look in John 15 and verse 26.

John 15 verse 26, "But when the Comforter, the Paraclete or the advocate has come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeded from the Father, He shall testify of me." And then in John 16 in verse 7, our Lord says this,

Scripture Reading — John 16:7

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the Comforter, the Advocate, the Paraclete, will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will send Him unto you."

Now hopefully you understand now why if you ever read theological books, or even sometimes devotional books, you'll find that the Holy Spirit is referred to as the divine Paraclete. It is taken from the Greek word parakletos, which means one called alongside of to help. So our Lord is saying that in His absence, we're going to have an advocate here on earth, and it is none other than the Holy Spirit. He is our comforter. He is our teacher. He is our illuminator. He is our instructor. He is our guide. He is our counselor. In fact, if you would look in Romans 8 very quickly, just to show you one simple ministry that the Holy Spirit performs on our behalf. Look in Romans 8 at verses 26 and 27. Here is the Comforter spoken of in a ministry of intercession. Romans 8 verse 26, "Likewise the Spirit, that is the Holy Spirit, also helpeth our infirmities. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

"And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." So there are times that you and I are so burdened, and sometimes we're so ignorant, we don't even know what to pray for. We don't know how to pray. And the Bible tells us the Holy Spirit Himself then makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. We may not be able to form the word, but He understands our thoughts, He understands our desires, and He then makes intercession for us according to the will of God.

Advocacy as a Family Blessing

Advocacy is exclusively for God's children; the unsaved stand alone before God without hope or help.

Now, listen to this statement very carefully. Advocacy is God's family's blessing. There are other blessings that God bestows upon the righteous and the unrighteous. But when you come to such things as justification and sanctification and continued intercession and peace and advocacy, those are only for the saints of God. They're only given to His children alone. The unsaved do not have the benefit of advocacy. According to the Word of God, they stand alone.

And they are helpless and hopeless before the judge of all the earth. You stop and think about that. What a terrifying experience to stand before the sovereign God of heaven and earth and have no hope and no help. Advocacy is for the children of God alone.

Sin and the Need for an Advocate

John writes to encourage holiness, but acknowledges that believers still sin, which interrupts fellowship and joy, though not sonship or standing in grace.

We are not lawless individuals because we are under the law to Jesus Christ. But the word here refers to trespassing. It refers to offending. It refers to missing the mark. It refers to falling short. In other words, he is encouraging each of us not to fall short, not to miss the mark, not to trespass, not to offend. Well, you say, how in the world do we not trespass? How do we not fall short? Well, let me give you a couple of answers.

David said, in Psalm 119 verse 80, that he wanted his heart to be sound in God's statutes, that he might not be ashamed. I might deal with that verse in the not too distant future. Wonderful verse. But David also said in Psalm 119 verses 9 through 11, now listen carefully, although he's quoting about a young man, it applies to a young woman, it applies to an old man, it applies to an old woman as well. David said in Psalm 119 beginning in verse 9,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 119:9-11

"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word. With my whole heart have I sought Thee: O let me not wander from Thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee."

Now notice what he said. If you want to cleanse your way, how do you do so? By taking heed thereto according to His Word. Then He said, "O let me not wander from Thy commandments." Don't let me stray from the Word of God. "Thy word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against Thee." So He's encouraging us up front not to trespass, not to offend, not to miss the mark, not to fall short. Now notice if you would secondly in verse 1, He writes, "My little children, these things write unto you that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Now I want you to note, John says, "if any man sin," if we do fall short, if we do trespass, if we do miss the mark, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Now let me tell you, whether you believe this or not, none of us are perfect. Now don't tell my wife because I try to tell her I'm perfect, but I'm afraid she knows better. Let me tell you, the godliest Christian, the most holy, the most gifted, the most godly individual, whoever he is, wherever he is, still falls short of the glory of God. He misses the mark in some area.

Now, I want you to note what John is saying. Look at verse 1 again. "My little children, these things write unto you that you sin not. And if any man sin," and when he says any man, he's referring to any Christian. Remember, advocacy is only for the children of God. The unsaved do not have an advocate with the Father. So when he says, "if any man sin," he's referring to Christian men, because advocacy is only for the child of God. Now I want you to note that advocacy is here connected with the Father. He said, "if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Now, what in the world does sin do for a child of God? Well, it interrupts, first of all, our communion with the Father, because it grieves Him. When a child of God sins, we do not lose our salvation.

We do not fall from being a son. We do not lose our acceptance before the Father. The Bible says, let me just quote it, Ephesians 1 in verse 6,

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 1:6

"To the praise of the glory of His grace wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved."

We are accepted in Jesus Christ. God made us accepted in the Beloved. I cannot lose my acceptance with God because I cannot lose Jesus Christ and I cannot lose the work of Christ. What Christ did was absolutely perfect and complete.

So sin then does not affect our sonship. It does not affect our standing before God. But it does affect our fellowship, our joy, and our intimacy with the Father. Now, do you remember this? David sinned. And David sinned grievously. And he wrote a number of penitential Psalms. The most famous is Psalm 51. And in Psalm 51 in verse 12, I want you to listen to what David prayed. He's repenting over his sin. And by the way, let me just say this again. There are a lot of people who want to identify with David's sin, but very few who want to identify with his repentance. David repented. And in this penitential Psalm, in Psalm 51, in verse 12, he said,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 51:12

"Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation and uphold me with Thy free spirit."

David did not cease to become a son. David did not cease to become a believer. He did indeed have his joy and his fellowship and his intimacy interrupted because of that sin. And so he prays for the restoration of that joy in his repentance.

Now, if you'll look hold 1 John please, but look in your Bibles, Romans 5 verse 1. I want you to see once again, this is not a question of our standing. Okay? Sin does not affect our standing. Look at verse 1, Romans chapter 5.

Scripture Reading — Romans 5:1-2

"Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

Notice, we stand in grace. We do not stand based upon our works. We do not stand based upon our obedience. We do not stand based upon our law keeping. We stand in grace. And God's grace does not change. So when we're talking about sin, we're not talking about losing our sonship. We're not talking about losing our standing. But we are talking about a loss of our fellowship,

The Accuser and the Consequences of Sin

Satan accuses believers day and night, and sin gives occasion for God's enemies to blaspheme, as seen in David's life and Job's trials.

our joy, our communion, our intimacy with the Father. Now let me tell you something else about our sin that's bad. We not only sin, but we also have an accuser. If you'll look in your Bibles to Revelation chapter 12 and verse 10, I want you to note what the scripture says concerning Satan or the devil. Look in Revelation 12 and verse 10. Revelation 12 verse 10. God said in Revelation 12 and verse 10, "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now has come salvation and strength in the kingdom of our God and the power of His Christ. For the accuser of our brethren is cast down who accused them before our God day and night." Now, you say, what does that have to do with our sin? Well, remember now, he's the accuser of our brethren, and he accuses us before God day and night. I want you to look in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 12. I want you to note what God told David when he was confronted by Nathan. Look in 2 Samuel chapter 12 and notice if you would please verse 19.

Yes, David sinned. David tried to cover his sin. He was certainly unsuccessful. God saw his sin and God knew his sin. Notice if you would please, 2 Samuel chapter 12 and let's see.

Let me see what verse I want right here. Hmm. I can quote the verse. I can't, I don't see it right now, but God told David, He said, "Howbeit because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born of thee shall surely die." Verse 14, look at it. "Howbeit because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born of thee shall surely die." Notice he would please, "thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme." One of the awful consequences of sin, when a child of God sins, the enemies of the Lord say, "I knew he wasn't a Christian. Christ saves from sin. Look at you." They mock. They blaspheme. If you'll look in your Bibles to Psalm 79, you'll see the same truth given again. Psalm 79. And notice if you would please, verse 4.

Psalm 79 and verse 4. Look what David writes.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 79:4

"We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision of them that are round about us."

That's one of the terrible consequences of sin. You become reproached and a reproach upon the name of Christ and upon His truth. Do you realize that's why the Bible in 1 Timothy chapter 3 in verse 7, talking about a pastor, "Moreover he must have a good report of them who are without lest he fall into the reproach and the snare of the devil." When we sin, oftentimes we give the enemies of the Lord the opportunity to blaspheme. You've got to remember now that the scripture referred to Satan as the accuser of the brethren. Listen carefully. Satan will accuse us any way that he can. He will use lies. He will use innuendos. He will use half-truths. And He will also use the truth that we provide for Him. And He will use it to mock God. You say, what are you talking about? Look in your Bibles, go back to Job chapter 1. Let me just show you how Satan accused Job. And at the same time, he not only accused Job, he was actually mocking God at the same time. Look in Job 1, beginning there with verse 7. Job 1, verse 7. "And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, knowing that Satan had? Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth,

a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil, that is, he spits out evil, he can't stand it. Then Satan answered the Lord and said, Doth Job fear God for naught? You think Job fears you for nothing? Ah, look, verse 10,

Scripture Reading — Job 1:7-11

"Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land." "Now put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face."

Yeah, I've considered Job. Yeah, and I know about him. Job is nothing but a money-grubbing, covetous, selfish individual. And the only reason he serves you, God, is because you give him everything. But you take it away from him. He'll curse you to your face. He doesn't love you. The implications are that God is not lovable, that God is not desirable. And the only reason Job was serving him was because of what he could get out of God. And of course, you know the story how Job lost everything and he still retained his integrity. Notice in Job chapter 2, beginning there in verse 3,

Scripture Reading — Job 1:7-11

"And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? And still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause."

"And Satan answered the Lord and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone, and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face." And guess what? God allowed Satan to touch him. I mean, from the top of his head to the toe of his foot, he was full of putrefied sores. He took potsherds and scraped himself. And all that, the Bible tells us, Job sinned not with his lips. In all of his affliction, he still honored God. We have an accuser. Therefore, we need an advocate. We're sinners. Therefore, we need an advocate. Our advocate not only pleads for us, he defends us as well. He defends us from defamation. He defends us from false accusation. He defends us from outright lies. He represents us and he pleads on our behalf.

Jesus Christ the Righteous Advocate

Christ is uniquely qualified as our advocate because He is the righteous one who perfectly kept God's law, and His righteousness is imputed to believers.

Now I want you to go back to 1 John chapter 2 and look if you would please at verse 1. For He says, "My little children, these things I write unto you, that you sin not." Yet He said, "And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Now, I want you to pay close attention to the fact that our advocate is Jesus Christ the righteous. Our Advocate is not only the Lord of Glory, He is the Righteous One. Which means this, He's not a shyster, He's not a trickster, He's not a sham, He's not an unethical man, He is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Righteous One. He is righteous, He is eminently righteous, and He possesses the ability to make others righteous. Now when the Bible refers to Jesus Christ as the righteous one, it refers to him as the just one, the righteous one, the virtuous one, one who keeps the commandments of God. He is the innocent one. He is the perfect one. He's the one that is acceptable with God.

Do you remember what our Lord said in John 8 in verse 29? Let me just quote it. Our Lord said, "And He that sent me is with me. The Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please Him." And the Bible tells us in Psalm 11 verse 7, "For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness, and His countenance doth behold the upright." So Jesus Christ is the righteous one, and the righteous Lord loveth righteousness. That means this, our righteousness that we have is only in Jesus Christ. I want you to think about this. Jesus Christ is the only individual that ever obeyed the law of God personally, perfectly, and perpetually. He never sinned. He never violated the law of God. The only standing that you and I have, the only righteousness that you and I have, is that which is found in Jesus Christ. So when I come to my Father in prayer, and I say, "Lord, You know I've tried to do that which is right, and I did this, and I did that." I'm sorry. That is unacceptable. Why is it unacceptable? Because I'm not righteous. Do you realize even in our righteous deeds, listen carefully, even in our righteous deeds, there's enough sin to damn us. How many of you ever tried praying?

And as you prayed, vile, wicked thoughts came into your mind? Or wrong motives? Wrong desires. Do you follow me? When we come to our Heavenly Father, we come standing only in the merits and the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Hear me, Lord, not because I've tried to obey You, not because I've obeyed You, but hear me because of Christ who is perfectly acceptable unto Thee. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 1 in verse 30 and 31.

Now let me just quote it. Listen carefully. "But of Him, that is of God the Father, are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption." Wait a minute. We are in Jesus Christ made wise, we're made righteous, we're sanctified, we're redeemed. Why? "That according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." We don't glory in ourselves. We glory in that which Jesus Christ has done for us. That's why in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 21, the Bible says, "For He, God, hath made Him Christ, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of Christ." God has made Him to be sin for us, that we might be made righteous in Him.

If you look in your Bibles, hold 1 John, but go back in your Bibles to the book of Philippians chapter 3, Philippians chapter 3, and as you go back there, I want you to remember Paul's pedigree. In fact, we'll read it. Notice if you would, beginning there with verse 4, Philippians chapter 3. Paul wrote,

Scripture Reading — Philippians 3:4-9

"Though I might also have confidence in the flesh."

Paul says, you want to brag? Well, I'll brag.

Scripture Reading — Philippians 3:4-9

"If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more. If you want to trust in the flesh, here's my boast. Circumcised of the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless."

Now wait a minute, was Paul not a sinner? Oh, yes, Paul was a sinner. But when he says

Scripture Reading — Philippians 3:4-9

"touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless,"

he's talking about the external righteousness which the Pharisees had. Then he says this, watch carefully.

"But what things were gain to me, that is his self-righteousness, his Phariseeism, his ancestry, everything. But what things were gain to me, I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. Watch, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." What's Paul saying? I don't want my righteousness. I want the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Now I want you to look back in your Bibles. I want you to look in 1 John 2 verse 1. Look what he says. "My little children, these things write unto you that you sin not. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Which means this. Jesus Christ is the only one who has the credentials to practice law in the divine court of the judge of all the earth.

No one else has ever passed the bar exam. Because no one else has ever kept God's law personally, perfectly and perpetually. He is the righteous one and therefore he has personal standing in that he has kept that law of God. He has earned a perfect righteousness. Moreover, he's also the son of the judge. He's the only advocate that has never, ever lost a case. Christ has perfect standing to be our advocate.

Propitiation: Expiation and Appeasement

Christ is the propitiation for our sins, meaning He both washes away sin and satisfies God's righteous wrath, securing forgiveness for past, present, and future sins.

Now, I have been asked a question many times that taxes many people. The question is usually put forward like this. "I know that we are forgiven for all of our sins that we committed before we were saved. But what about those sins that we have committed after we have been saved? Is not God angry with us over those sins and do they not affect our standing with the Father?" So many people say, "Well, yeah, I understand. We've been forgiven of all those sins before we got saved. But what about those sins afterwards?" Well, let me answer that two ways.

First of all, think about this. Here's a good question for you. How many sins did you commit before Jesus Christ died? What's the answer? None. You weren't alive. You weren't even around. That means that Christ died for future sins as well as past sins. Secondly, the Old Testament saints were saved by looking forward to the coming work of Christ, and New Testament saints are saved by looking backwards in faith to the completed work of Jesus Christ.

Now this truth hopefully will become more evident when we look at this word propitiation. The Bible says, "and He is the propitiation for our sins." Unhappily, many Christians cannot even pronounce the word propitiation, and most Christians have no earthly idea what it even means. The word propitiation occurs three times in the New Testament. I want you to turn to the first one, which is Romans chapter 3. Romans chapter 3. The second time it occurs is in our text in 1 John 2 and verse 2. And the third time it occurs is in 1 John 4 and verse 10. And I'll just quote 1 John 4 and verse 10 just shortly. But when you read Romans 3 verses 25 and 26, hopefully you will perceive that God saved the Old Testament saints by faith as they look forward to the completed work of Jesus Christ. So look in Romans 3 verse 25. In fact, let's read verse 24. Romans 3 verse 24, "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

So we're talking about the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Now watch verse 25,

Scripture Reading — Romans 3:24-26

"Whom God, talking about Christ now, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God, to declare, I say at this time, His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus."

Now what Romans 3 verses 25 and 26 teaches very clearly, it teaches us the justice of God in forgiving and saving the Old Testament saints as well as the New Testament saints. He is just and the justifier. What does that mean? It means God did not cut any corners. He did not allow anyone to get away with sin. He did everything according to His law and according to His justice. Notice again verse 25,

Scripture Reading — Romans 3:24-26

"Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood."

Why?

Number one, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past. Those Old Testament saints, they were saved by faith in Christ. He forgave them based upon the fact that Jesus Christ is indeed the Lamb of God that had taken away the sin of the world. They looked forward in faith to that. God forbore with them. And then He says to declare, I say at this time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Christ. So we see now that Jesus Christ is our propitiation.

We read it in 1 John 2 and verse 2. 1 John 4 and verse 10 just simply says this, that God sent forth His Son to be a propitiation for our sins. So here's the question that you have to ask. What is propitiation? And how does our Lord's propitiatory sacrifice relate to His advocacy? First of all, let me try to answer this question, what is propitiation? Let me give you a little hint by asking you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 9. And I'm going to show you one other word which is the same Greek word as propitiation. Look at Hebrews chapter 9 verse 5. Hebrews 9 verse 5, "And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat of which we cannot now speak particularly." Now, everyone knows that in the Holy of Holies, you had the mercy seat. You remember Aaron went in once a year and sprinkled blood upon the mercy seat. Guess what? The word mercy seat in Hebrews 9 and verse 5 is the word propitiation.

It is the same Greek word hilasmos. So you ought to know something now. You ought to know that the word propitiation is related to the day of atonement. Therefore, it should not surprise you to learn that the word propitiation refers to an expiatory sacrifice, and expiation refers then to the washing away of sin. Yes, propitiation includes the washing away of sin, but it includes more than that. Because the word propitiation not only means to expiate, to wash away, it refers to the expiatory sacrifice of Jesus Christ, but it also refers to placation and appeasement.

When you placate someone or when you appease someone. Now since you're in the book of Hebrews, look very quickly at Hebrews chapter 10. Notice if you would please, let's begin reading there in verse 1.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:1-9

"For the law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect."

Skip down if you would please to verse 3.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:1-9

"But in those sacrifices, those Old Testament sacrifices, there's remembrance again made of sins every year."

That's why you had to keep doing it.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:1-9

"For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Wherefore, when He cometh into the world, He said, Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared for Me."

Hebrews 10 verse 6,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:1-9

"In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come in the volume of this book, it is written of Me to do Thy will, O God. Above when He said, Sacrifice and offering, and burnt offering, and for sin Thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein which are offered by the law. Then said He, Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second."

Now what's the Bible saying? The Bible is saying that those Old Testament sacrifices were not the true propitiation. They were not the true expiation. They were just pictures. Jesus Christ came and it was the blood of Jesus Christ that was the true expiation and the true propitiation. Now listen carefully. The Bible says, "and He is the propitiation for our sins." The word propitiation means to placate. It means to satisfy. It means to appease.

How does that apply to us? You have to remember that God is holy. And the holiness of God, there was a righteous indignation and a righteous anger against us because of our sins. God was very upset and very angry and His wrath abode upon us. That's what the Bible says. And what did our Lord do in His propitiation? He not only expiated and washed away our sins, He appeased, He satisfied, He placated the righteous anger and wrath of God.

Let that sink in, folks. Jesus Christ not only expiated, that is, He washed away our sins, He appeased, He satisfied, and He placated the righteous anger and wrath of God. So someone's going to say, "Well, certainly after we've been saved and we sin, surely it angers God." I'm sure that sin does anger God. But when you're a child of God, our divine advocate points to Himself and says, "Father, don't be angry. Here I am. I've placated. I've satisfied. I've appeased Your righteous anger and Your righteous wrath." Jesus Christ is not only the expiation, He's the propitiation. He's our mediator. He's our advocate. He's our defender.

The World of Believers

The 'whole world' in 1 John 2:2 refers to the world of believers, not every individual, because God's wrath remains on the unrepentant wicked.

Now let me ask you a question. How can Jesus Christ be the propitiation for the sins of the whole world? Here is the answer. He is the propitiation for the sins of the world of believers. I told you earlier, advocacy is only for the children of God. It is not for the unsaved. I want you to look in your Bibles, if you would, to John 1 and verse 10. John 1 and verse 10. There's a reason. I have in times preached an entire message just on the word world.

Perhaps I should do it again. But the word world is used in many different ways in the Bible. At least 13 different ways. And usually when most people hear the word world, they think it means everyone in the world. No. Many times it does not mean that. I want you to look in John 1 in verse 10. Here's the word world. It's the same Greek word. And it means three different things in one simple verse. Look in John 1 and verse 10.

Scripture Reading — John 1:10

"He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not."

Cosmos each time.

Scripture Reading — John 1:10

"He was in the world."

What does that mean? He was in the earth.

Scripture Reading — John 1:10

"And the world was made by Him."

That would be the universe and everything contained therein. "And the world knew Him not," that is the world of His own people. So here the one word world is used three different ways in one verse. Moreover, I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Peter 2 and look at verse 5, because you're going to find that the Bible even speaks of the world of the ungodly. Look in 2 Peter it is, chapter 2 and verse 5. 2 Peter 2 and verse 5. Look what the Bible says, "And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing the flood upon the world of the ungodly." Now if there was a world of the ungodly, very obviously there's a world of the godly. If there's a world of unbelievers, there's a world of believers.

We could use that same word today because I'm going to tell you folks, the world of the humanist is not my world. I live in a totally different world than they live in. And they live in a totally different world than I live in. Moreover, when you look at the word propitiation, which means to placate, to appease, to satisfy, it has to refer to the world of believers. How can I say that? Very simply because of what the scripture teaches. Let me ask you, is God still angry with the wicked? Yes, the Bible says in Psalm 7:11, "God judgeth the righteous, but God is angry with the wicked every day." And He is so angry that when He judges them, according to Revelation 19, that the smoke of their torment will ascend up forever and ever and ever.

So clearly, when you look at the word propitiation in 1 John 2 and the word world in 1 John 2 and verse 2, it has to refer to the world of believers whoever they are and wherever they may be. Because Christ has not satisfied nor placated nor appeased God the Father for those wicked who refuse Him and will not repent and bow to Him. So scripture says we have an advocate with the Father. Jesus Christ the righteous. We have an advocate here on earth, the Holy Spirit, but we also have an advocate in heaven who pleads for us, who defends us.

Application: Dependence on Christ's Intercession

All Christian success and godliness stem from Christ's continual intercession and merits, not our own efforts.

Now let me make just one application. I want you to understand that Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of God, constantly, continually interceding for us. He constantly and continually pleads for us before the throne of God. He is none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, the Righteous One. And what He pleads is not, "Father, they're doing the best they can." No. What He pleads is His work, His merit, His righteousness. It is His intercession for us that keeps us alive and keeps us living. Let me make a statement. Any success we have in our Christian life, any righteousness, any godliness, any obedience, any success we have in the ministry is due only to the intercession and work and merits of Jesus Christ. Paul said, "I am what I am only by the grace of God." We have an advocate and I trust in the next four or five weeks you're going to see how important the advocacy of Jesus Christ is, what it really means to have an advocate with the Father. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we do ask for Your blessing and Your help. We pray that You would teach us, dear Lord, build us up in the most holy faith, and may we see and understand and comprehend the greatness of Jesus Christ and the greatness of His ministry of intercession and the fact that He is our advocate. May we give Thee praise. In the name of Christ, we ask and pray.

Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Dual Advocacy of Christ and the Holy Spirit

Summary: Believers have two advocates: the Holy Spirit on earth who intercedes and guides, and Jesus Christ in heaven who pleads our case before the Father.

Evidence: Weaver explains that parakletos is used for both the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7) and Christ (1 John 2:1), and that the Spirit intercedes with groanings (Romans 8:26-27).

Sin's Effect on Fellowship, Not Sonship

Summary: While sin does not cause a believer to lose salvation or standing in grace, it disrupts communion, joy, and intimacy with God.

Evidence: Weaver cites David's prayer in Psalm 51:12 for restoration of joy, and Romans 5:1-2 to show we stand in grace, not works.

Christ's Righteousness as the Basis of Advocacy

Summary: Jesus Christ is the righteous one who perfectly obeyed God's law, and His imputed righteousness is the only acceptable plea before the Father.

Evidence: Weaver references Philippians 3:4-9 where Paul counts his own righteousness as dung, and 2 Corinthians 5:21 on being made the righteousness of God in Christ.

Propitiation as Expiation and Appeasement

Summary: Christ's sacrifice not only cleanses sin but also satisfies God's holy wrath, making Him both just and the justifier of believers.

Evidence: Weaver defines propitiation (hilasmos) using Hebrews 9:5 (mercy seat) and Romans 3:25-26, and explains it includes placating God's anger.

The Limited Scope of Propitiation

Summary: The 'whole world' in 1 John 2:2 refers to the world of believers, not every person, because God remains angry with the unrepentant wicked.

Evidence: Weaver argues from Psalm 7:11 and Revelation 19 that God's wrath abides on the wicked, and from John 1:10 and 2 Peter 2:5 that 'world' has multiple meanings.

The Accuser and the Need for Defense

Summary: Satan accuses believers before God, using lies and even their sins to mock God, necessitating Christ's advocacy as defender.

Evidence: Weaver cites Revelation 12:10, Job 1-2, and 2 Samuel 12:14 to show Satan's accusations and the blasphemy that results from believers' sins.

Key Arguments

Advocacy is exclusively for believers

Summary: Only God's children have an advocate; the unsaved face God's judgment alone without intercession.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Advocacy is God's family's blessing... The unsaved do not have the benefit of advocacy. According to the Word of God, they stand alone.'

Sin interrupts fellowship but not standing

Summary: Believers' sin grieves God and breaks communion, but does not revoke sonship or acceptance in Christ.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We do not lose our salvation. We do not fall from being a son. We do not lose our acceptance before the Father... But it does affect our fellowship, our joy, and our intimacy with the Father.'

Christ's righteousness is the sole basis for our acceptance

Summary: Our own righteousness is insufficient; only Christ's perfect obedience and imputed righteousness make us acceptable to God.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'The only standing that you and I have, the only righteousness that you and I have, is that which is found in Jesus Christ... even in our righteous deeds, there's enough sin to damn us.'

Propitiation includes appeasement of God's wrath

Summary: Christ's death not only removes sin but also satisfies God's righteous anger, so that He is no longer angry with believers.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'He not only expiated and washed away our sins, He appeased, He satisfied, He placated the righteous anger and wrath of God.'

The 'world' in 1 John 2:2 means the world of believers

Summary: Because God's wrath remains on the wicked, Christ's propitiation cannot apply to every individual; it applies to believers from all nations.

Evidence: Weaver argues, 'Christ has not satisfied nor placated nor appeased God the Father for those wicked who refuse Him and will not repent and bow to Him.'

All Christian success depends on Christ's intercession

Summary: Any growth, obedience, or ministry fruitfulness is solely due to the ongoing intercessory work of Jesus Christ.

Evidence: Weaver concludes, 'Any success we have in our Christian life... is due only to the intercession and work and merits of Jesus Christ.'

Scripture References

1 John 2:1-2

Context: Primary text: Jesus Christ is our advocate and propitiation.

John 14:16

Context: Jesus promises another Comforter (parakletos), the Holy Spirit.

John 14:26

Context: The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, will teach and remind believers.

John 15:26

Context: The Spirit of truth testifies of Christ.

John 16:7

Context: Jesus must depart for the Comforter to come.

Romans 8:26-27

Context: The Holy Spirit intercedes for believers with groanings.

Psalm 119:9-11

Context: Hiding God's Word in the heart to avoid sin.

Ephesians 1:6

Context: Believers are accepted in the Beloved (Christ).

Psalm 51:12

Context: David prays for restoration of joy after sin.

Romans 5:1-2

Context: Justified by faith, we have peace and stand in grace.

Revelation 12:10

Context: Satan is the accuser of the brethren.

2 Samuel 12:14

Context: David's sin gave occasion for God's enemies to blaspheme.

Psalm 79:4

Context: Sin makes believers a reproach to neighbors.

Job 1:7-11

Context: Satan accuses Job of serving God for selfish gain.

Job 2:3-5

Context: Satan accuses Job again, claiming he will curse God if afflicted.

Philippians 3:4-9

Context: Paul counts his own righteousness as loss to gain Christ's righteousness.

Romans 3:24-26

Context: Christ is set forth as a propitiation to declare God's righteousness.

Hebrews 9:5

Context: The mercy seat (hilasmos) is the same word as propitiation.

Hebrews 10:1-9

Context: Old Testament sacrifices could not take away sins; Christ's body was prepared.

John 1:10

Context: The word 'world' is used in three different senses in one verse.

Historical References

Bouvier's Law Dictionary

Context: Weaver quotes Bouvier's definition of advocate as an officer who maintains or defends rights of a client.

Black's Law Dictionary

Context: Weaver quotes Black's definition of advocate as one who assists, defends, or pleads for another before a court.

Martin Luther

Context: Weaver quotes Luther on Christ pleading on the ground of justice, not mere mercy, and His righteousness being our claim.

Important Quotes

Advocacy is God's family's blessing. There are other blessings that God bestows upon the righteous and the unrighteous. But when you come to such things as justification and sanctification and continued intercession and peace and advocacy, those are only for the saints of God.

Significance: Establishes the exclusive nature of advocacy for believers, a key doctrinal point.

The only standing that you and I have, the only righteousness that you and I have, is that which is found in Jesus Christ. So when I come to my Father in prayer, and I say, 'Lord, You know I've tried to do that which is right, and I did this, and I did that.' I'm sorry. That is unacceptable. Why is it unacceptable? Because I'm not righteous.

Significance: Underscores the insufficiency of self-righteousness and the necessity of Christ's imputed righteousness.

He not only expiated and washed away our sins, He appeased, He satisfied, He placated the righteous anger and wrath of God.

Significance: Defines propitiation as both expiation and appeasement, central to understanding Christ's work.

Christ has not satisfied nor placated nor appeased God the Father for those wicked who refuse Him and will not repent and bow to Him.

Significance: Limits the scope of propitiation to believers, a key interpretive point on 1 John 2:2.

Any success we have in our Christian life, any righteousness, any godliness, any obedience, any success we have in the ministry is due only to the intercession and work and merits of Jesus Christ.

Significance: Practical application emphasizing total dependence on Christ's ongoing intercession.

Discussion Questions

How does understanding the dual advocacy of the Holy Spirit on earth and Jesus Christ in heaven affect your daily prayer life?

Context: Weaver explains that the Holy Spirit intercedes with groanings (Romans 8:26-27) and Christ pleads our case before the Father (1 John 2:1).

In what ways can sin disrupt our fellowship with God without affecting our sonship, and how should this truth motivate us to pursue holiness?

Context: Weaver distinguishes between standing in grace and loss of joy, using David's example in Psalm 51.

Why is it essential that our advocate is 'Jesus Christ the righteous' and not merely a merciful petitioner?

Context: Weaver emphasizes Christ's perfect law-keeping and imputed righteousness as the basis for His advocacy.

How does the concept of propitiation as both expiation and appeasement deepen your appreciation for Christ's sacrifice?

Context: Weaver explains that Christ's death satisfied God's wrath, not just cleansed sin, using Hebrews 9-10.

What are the practical implications of knowing that Satan accuses believers before God, and how does Christ's advocacy defend us?

Context: Weaver cites Revelation 12:10 and Job 1-2 to show Satan's accusations and Christ's defense.

How should the truth that all Christian success depends on Christ's intercession shape our attitude toward ministry and personal growth?

Context: Weaver concludes that any godliness or success is due solely to Christ's merits and intercession.

Applications

Rest in Christ's finished work, not self-effort

Summary: Believers should cease relying on their own righteousness and instead trust solely in Christ's imputed righteousness for acceptance with God.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Hear me, Lord, not because I've tried to obey You, not because I've obeyed You, but hear me because of Christ who is perfectly acceptable unto Thee.'

Pursue holiness to maintain fellowship

Summary: While sin does not sever sonship, it disrupts joy and intimacy with God, so believers should strive to avoid sin to preserve close communion.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'He encourages us to live a holy, godly, obedient life... sin then does not affect our sonship... But it does affect our fellowship, our joy, and our intimacy with the Father.'

Take comfort in Christ's continual intercession

Summary: Knowing that Jesus constantly pleads our case before the Father should bring peace and assurance, especially when we fail.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of God, constantly, continually interceding for us... What He pleads is His work, His merit, His righteousness.'

Recognize the seriousness of sin's public reproach

Summary: Believers should be aware that their sin gives occasion for God's enemies to blaspheme, motivating careful conduct.

Evidence: Weaver cites 2 Samuel 12:14: 'thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.'

Depend on the Holy Spirit's help in prayer

Summary: When unsure how to pray, believers can rely on the Holy Spirit to intercede according to God's will.

Evidence: Weaver explains Romans 8:26-27: 'the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:11:43Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-05T23:57:36Z

Clean Transcript

The Divine Advocate

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Well, let's open our Bibles if we would please today to 1 John chapter 2. 1 John chapter 2. And let me make this statement before I get started. I would really encourage you to be here for the next 4 or 5 messages. Today I'm going to be laying a groundwork because I'm dealing with the divine advocate or the advocacy of Jesus Christ. Next week I'm going to be showing how that this was understood in the Old Testament. In fact, I'm just about convinced that some of those Old Testament saints understood this a whole lot better than we do today and we have the completed Word of God. And this is going to lead me into three or four messages on imprecatory prayer. And that's why I said I'm going to be dealing with those verses just shortly. So, I want you to look, if you would please, to 1 John chapter 2, and let's read the first two verses. John writes, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."
#1 | 0:16 to 1:34 | cleaned
"And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." Now look at verse 1, He said, "My little children, these things write unto you that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." So you need to ask immediately, what does it mean to have an advocate with the Father? Why do we need an advocate? You might also ask, what in the world does our advocate do for us?
#2 | 1:35 to 2:04 | cleaned
Let me give you two definitions just to show you how originally a lot of our legal terminology had a Christian influence upon it. From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, the word advocate, it says this: "Civil and ecclesiastical law, an officer who maintains or defends the rights of his client in the same manner as the counselor does in common law." And then from Black's Law Dictionary, advocate: "One who assists, defends, or pleads for another; one who renders legal advice and aid and pleads the cause of another before court or a tribunal; a counselor; a person learned in the law and duly admitted to practice, who assists his client with advice and pleads for him in open court; and then a pleader of causes."
#3 | 2:05 to 2:59 | cleaned
Now when you think of the term advocate, most of the time we don't think of the Lord Jesus Christ. But the Greek term is a little more specific than even Bouvier's and Black's Law Dictionary. In fact, the Greek word is parakletos. Para is a preposition in the Greek, which literally means alongside of. And kletos is from the verb kaleo, which literally means I call. So a parakletos, or advocate, literally means one called alongside of to help. It's someone who is called to stand beside us in order to help us. So the word then is also translated in our Bibles as comforter.
#4 | 3:00 to 3:46 | cleaned
I'll show you that in just a moment. So in the widest sense of the word, the word advocate therefore means a helper, a succorer, one who aids, or an assistant. In the strictest sense of the word, the word advocate refers to one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, a counsel for defense, a legal assistant, or advocate.
#5 | 3:46 to 4:11 | cleaned
Now, very quickly, I want you to hold 1 John, but look in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 14. I want to show you some verses, and every time you see the word comforter in these verses, it is the same word that is translated as advocate in 1 John chapter 2. And I'm going to point this out for a very specific reason. Notice John chapter 14, if you would please, and verse 16. John 14 and verse 16. Look what our Lord says, and He is referring now to the Holy Spirit. John 14 verse 16, "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that is another Paraclete or another advocate, that He may abide with you forever." If you'll look in verse 26, He says, "But the Comforter, that is the Paraclete or the advocate, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you." Look in John 15 and verse 26.
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John 15 verse 26, "But when the Comforter, the Paraclete or the advocate has come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeded from the Father, He shall testify of me." And then in John 16 in verse 7, our Lord says this, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the Comforter, the Advocate, the Paraclete, will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will send Him unto you."
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Now hopefully you understand now why if you ever read theological books, or even sometimes devotional books, you'll find that the Holy Spirit is referred to as the divine Paraclete. It is taken from the Greek word parakletos, which means one called alongside of to help. So our Lord is saying that in His absence, we're going to have an advocate here on earth, and it is none other than the Holy Spirit. He is our comforter. He is our teacher. He is our illuminator. He is our instructor. He is our guide. He is our counselor. In fact, if you would look in Romans 8 very quickly, just to show you one simple ministry that the Holy Spirit performs on our behalf. Look in Romans 8 at verses 26 and 27. Here is the Comforter spoken of in a ministry of intercession. Romans 8 verse 26, "Likewise the Spirit, that is the Holy Spirit, also helpeth our infirmities. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."
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"And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." So there are times that you and I are so burdened, and sometimes we're so ignorant, we don't even know what to pray for. We don't know how to pray. And the Bible tells us the Holy Spirit Himself then makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. We may not be able to form the word, but He understands our thoughts, He understands our desires, and He then makes intercession for us according to the will of God.
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So what the scripture is teaching is basically this. We have an advocate here with us who is the Holy Spirit. And we also have an advocate in heaven who is the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Now, listen to this statement very carefully. Advocacy is God's family's blessing. There are other blessings that God bestows upon the righteous and the unrighteous. But when you come to such things as justification and sanctification and continued intercession and peace and advocacy, those are only for the saints of God. They're only given to His children alone. The unsaved do not have the benefit of advocacy. According to the Word of God, they stand alone.
#11 | 7:53 to 8:32 | cleaned
And they are helpless and hopeless before the judge of all the earth. You stop and think about that. What a terrifying experience to stand before the sovereign God of heaven and earth and have no hope and no help. Advocacy is for the children of God alone.
#12 | 8:34 to 9:00 | cleaned
Now, if you look in 1 John 2 again, at verse 1, first of all, John immediately gives us the reason that he is writing. Look what he says. "My little children, these things I write unto you, that you sin not." Interestingly, John writes, first and foremost, to encourage us not to sin. He encourages us to live a holy, godly, obedient life. Now, the word sin is very unique here. He said, "My little children, these things I write unto you that you sin not." It is not the word for lawlessness.
#13 | 9:00 to 9:38 | cleaned
We are not lawless individuals because we are under the law to Jesus Christ. But the word here refers to trespassing. It refers to offending. It refers to missing the mark. It refers to falling short. In other words, he is encouraging each of us not to fall short, not to miss the mark, not to trespass, not to offend. Well, you say, how in the world do we not trespass? How do we not fall short? Well, let me give you a couple of answers.
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David said, in Psalm 119 verse 80, that he wanted his heart to be sound in God's statutes, that he might not be ashamed. I might deal with that verse in the not too distant future. Wonderful verse. But David also said in Psalm 119 verses 9 through 11, now listen carefully, although he's quoting about a young man, it applies to a young woman, it applies to an old man, it applies to an old woman as well. David said in Psalm 119 beginning in verse 9, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word. With my whole heart have I sought Thee: O let me not wander from Thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee."
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Now notice what he said. If you want to cleanse your way, how do you do so? By taking heed thereto according to His Word. Then He said, "O let me not wander from Thy commandments." Don't let me stray from the Word of God. "Thy word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against Thee." So He's encouraging us up front not to trespass, not to offend, not to miss the mark, not to fall short. Now notice if you would secondly in verse 1, He writes, "My little children, these things write unto you that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Now I want you to note, John says, "if any man sin," if we do fall short, if we do trespass, if we do miss the mark, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
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Now let me tell you, whether you believe this or not, none of us are perfect. Now don't tell my wife because I try to tell her I'm perfect, but I'm afraid she knows better. Let me tell you, the godliest Christian, the most holy, the most gifted, the most godly individual, whoever he is, wherever he is, still falls short of the glory of God. He misses the mark in some area.
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Now, I want you to note what John is saying. Look at verse 1 again. "My little children, these things write unto you that you sin not. And if any man sin," and when he says any man, he's referring to any Christian. Remember, advocacy is only for the children of God. The unsaved do not have an advocate with the Father. So when he says, "if any man sin," he's referring to Christian men, because advocacy is only for the child of God. Now I want you to note that advocacy is here connected with the Father. He said, "if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Now, what in the world does sin do for a child of God? Well, it interrupts, first of all, our communion with the Father, because it grieves Him. When a child of God sins, we do not lose our salvation.
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We do not fall from being a son. We do not lose our acceptance before the Father. The Bible says, let me just quote it, Ephesians 1 in verse 6, "To the praise of the glory of His grace wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved." We are accepted in Jesus Christ. God made us accepted in the Beloved. I cannot lose my acceptance with God because I cannot lose Jesus Christ and I cannot lose the work of Christ. What Christ did was absolutely perfect and complete.
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So sin then does not affect our sonship. It does not affect our standing before God. But it does affect our fellowship, our joy, and our intimacy with the Father.
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Now, do you remember this? David sinned. And David sinned grievously. And he wrote a number of penitential Psalms. The most famous is Psalm 51. And in Psalm 51 in verse 12, I want you to listen to what David prayed. He's repenting over his sin. And by the way, let me just say this again. There are a lot of people who want to identify with David's sin, but very few who want to identify with his repentance. David repented. And in this penitential Psalm, in Psalm 51, in verse 12, he said, "Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation and uphold me with Thy free spirit." David did not cease to become a son. David did not cease to become a believer. He did indeed have his joy and his fellowship and his intimacy interrupted because of that sin. And so he prays for the restoration of that joy in his repentance.
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Now, if you'll look hold 1 John please, but look in your Bibles, Romans 5 verse 1. I want you to see once again, this is not a question of our standing. Okay? Sin does not affect our standing. Look at verse 1, Romans chapter 5. "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Notice, we stand in grace. We do not stand based upon our works. We do not stand based upon our obedience. We do not stand based upon our law keeping. We stand in grace. And God's grace does not change. So when we're talking about sin, we're not talking about losing our sonship. We're not talking about losing our standing. But we are talking about a loss of our fellowship,
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our joy, our communion, our intimacy with the Father. Now let me tell you something else about our sin that's bad. We not only sin, but we also have an accuser. If you'll look in your Bibles to Revelation chapter 12 and verse 10, I want you to note what the scripture says concerning Satan or the devil. Look in Revelation 12 and verse 10. Revelation 12 verse 10. God said in Revelation 12 and verse 10, "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now has come salvation and strength in the kingdom of our God and the power of His Christ. For the accuser of our brethren is cast down who accused them before our God day and night." Now, you say, what does that have to do with our sin? Well, remember now, he's the accuser of our brethren, and he accuses us before God day and night. I want you to look in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 12. I want you to note what God told David when he was confronted by Nathan. Look in 2 Samuel chapter 12 and notice if you would please verse 19.
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Yes, David sinned. David tried to cover his sin. He was certainly unsuccessful. God saw his sin and God knew his sin. Notice if you would please, 2 Samuel chapter 12 and let's see.
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Let me see what verse I want right here. Hmm. I can quote the verse. I can't, I don't see it right now, but God told David, He said, "Howbeit because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born of thee shall surely die." Verse 14, look at it. "Howbeit because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born of thee shall surely die." Notice he would please, "thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme." One of the awful consequences of sin, when a child of God sins, the enemies of the Lord say, "I knew he wasn't a Christian. Christ saves from sin. Look at you." They mock. They blaspheme. If you'll look in your Bibles to Psalm 79, you'll see the same truth given again. Psalm 79. And notice if you would please, verse 4.
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Psalm 79 and verse 4. Look what David writes. "We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision of them that are round about us." That's one of the terrible consequences of sin. You become reproached and a reproach upon the name of Christ and upon His truth. Do you realize that's why the Bible in 1 Timothy chapter 3 in verse 7, talking about a pastor, "Moreover he must have a good report of them who are without lest he fall into the reproach and the snare of the devil." When we sin, oftentimes we give the enemies of the Lord the opportunity to blaspheme.
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You've got to remember now that the scripture referred to Satan as the accuser of the brethren. Listen carefully. Satan will accuse us any way that he can. He will use lies. He will use innuendos. He will use half-truths. And He will also use the truth that we provide for Him. And He will use it to mock God. You say, what are you talking about? Look in your Bibles, go back to Job chapter 1. Let me just show you how Satan accused Job. And at the same time, he not only accused Job, he was actually mocking God at the same time. Look in Job 1, beginning there with verse 7. Job 1, verse 7. "And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, knowing that Satan had? Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth,
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a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil, that is, he spits out evil, he can't stand it. Then Satan answered the Lord and said, Doth Job fear God for naught? You think Job fears you for nothing? Ah, look, verse 10, "Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land."
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"Now put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face." Yeah, I've considered Job. Yeah, and I know about him. Job is nothing but a money-grubbing, covetous, selfish individual. And the only reason he serves you, God, is because you give him everything. But you take it away from him. He'll curse you to your face. He doesn't love you. The implications are that God is not lovable, that God is not desirable. And the only reason Job was serving him was because of what he could get out of God. And of course, you know the story how Job lost everything and he still retained his integrity. Notice in Job chapter 2, beginning there in verse 3, "And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? And still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause."
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"And Satan answered the Lord and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone, and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face." And guess what? God allowed Satan to touch him. I mean, from the top of his head to the toe of his foot, he was full of putrefied sores.
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He took potsherds and scraped himself. And all that, the Bible tells us, Job sinned not with his lips. In all of his affliction, he still honored God. We have an accuser. Therefore, we need an advocate. We're sinners. Therefore, we need an advocate. Our advocate not only pleads for us, he defends us as well. He defends us from defamation. He defends us from false accusation. He defends us from outright lies. He represents us and he pleads on our behalf.
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Now I want you to go back to 1 John chapter 2 and look if you would please at verse 1. For He says, "My little children, these things I write unto you, that you sin not." Yet He said, "And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Now, I want you to pay close attention to the fact that our advocate is Jesus Christ the righteous. Our Advocate is not only the Lord of Glory, He is the Righteous One. Which means this, He's not a shyster, He's not a trickster, He's not a sham, He's not an unethical man, He is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Righteous One. He is righteous, He is eminently righteous, and He possesses the ability to make others righteous. Now when the Bible refers to Jesus Christ as the righteous one, it refers to him as the just one, the righteous one, the virtuous one, one who keeps the commandments of God. He is the innocent one. He is the perfect one. He's the one that is acceptable with God.
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Do you remember what our Lord said in John 8 in verse 29? Let me just quote it. Our Lord said, "And He that sent me is with me. The Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please Him." And the Bible tells us in Psalm 11 verse 7, "For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness, and His countenance doth behold the upright." So Jesus Christ is the righteous one, and the righteous Lord loveth righteousness. That means this, our righteousness that we have is only in Jesus Christ.
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I want you to think about this. Jesus Christ is the only individual that ever obeyed the law of God personally, perfectly, and perpetually. He never sinned. He never violated the law of God. The only standing that you and I have, the only righteousness that you and I have, is that which is found in Jesus Christ. So when I come to my Father in prayer, and I say, "Lord, You know I've tried to do that which is right, and I did this, and I did that." I'm sorry. That is unacceptable. Why is it unacceptable? Because I'm not righteous. Do you realize even in our righteous deeds, listen carefully, even in our righteous deeds, there's enough sin to damn us. How many of you ever tried praying?
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And as you prayed, vile, wicked thoughts came into your mind? Or wrong motives? Wrong desires. Do you follow me? When we come to our Heavenly Father, we come standing only in the merits and the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Hear me, Lord, not because I've tried to obey You, not because I've obeyed You, but hear me because of Christ who is perfectly acceptable unto Thee. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 1 in verse 30 and 31.
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Now let me just quote it. Listen carefully. "But of Him, that is of God the Father, are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption." Wait a minute. We are in Jesus Christ made wise, we're made righteous, we're sanctified, we're redeemed. Why? "That according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." We don't glory in ourselves. We glory in that which Jesus Christ has done for us. That's why in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 21, the Bible says, "For He, God, hath made Him Christ, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of Christ." God has made Him to be sin for us, that we might be made righteous in Him.
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If you look in your Bibles, hold 1 John, but go back in your Bibles to the book of Philippians chapter 3, Philippians chapter 3, and as you go back there, I want you to remember Paul's pedigree. In fact, we'll read it. Notice if you would, beginning there with verse 4, Philippians chapter 3. Paul wrote, "Though I might also have confidence in the flesh." Paul says, you want to brag? Well, I'll brag. "If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more. If you want to trust in the flesh, here's my boast. Circumcised of the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." Now wait a minute, was Paul not a sinner? Oh, yes, Paul was a sinner. But when he says "touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless," he's talking about the external righteousness which the Pharisees had. Then he says this, watch carefully.
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"But what things were gain to me, that is his self-righteousness, his Phariseeism, his ancestry, everything. But what things were gain to me, I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. Watch, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." What's Paul saying? I don't want my righteousness. I want the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Now I want you to look back in your Bibles. I want you to look in 1 John 2 verse 1. Look what he says. "My little children, these things write unto you that you sin not. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Which means this. Jesus Christ is the only one who has the credentials to practice law in the divine court of the judge of all the earth.
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No one else has ever passed the bar exam. Because no one else has ever kept God's law personally, perfectly and perpetually. He is the righteous one and therefore he has personal standing in that he has kept that law of God. He has earned a perfect righteousness. Moreover, he's also the son of the judge. He's the only advocate that has never, ever lost a case. Christ has perfect standing to be our advocate.
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He stands before the Father. Are you listening? And He also has the perfect plea. So when we are accused of sin, when we are accused before the Father saying, "Well look at that man, he claims to be a Christian, he's not perfect, he's false, God look at him, you claim him as a son?" Our Lord Jesus Christ, our Advocate says, "Father, look at him through me. I gave him my righteousness." It's not our righteousness. It's His righteousness.
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Now, I want you to watch this. Look in verse 2. I want to read verses 1 and 2. "My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not, and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."
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Now, I have been asked a question many times that taxes many people. The question is usually put forward like this. "I know that we are forgiven for all of our sins that we committed before we were saved. But what about those sins that we have committed after we have been saved? Is not God angry with us over those sins and do they not affect our standing with the Father?" So many people say, "Well, yeah, I understand. We've been forgiven of all those sins before we got saved. But what about those sins afterwards?" Well, let me answer that two ways.
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First of all, think about this. Here's a good question for you. How many sins did you commit before Jesus Christ died? What's the answer? None. You weren't alive. You weren't even around. That means that Christ died for future sins as well as past sins. Secondly, the Old Testament saints were saved by looking forward to the coming work of Christ, and New Testament saints are saved by looking backwards in faith to the completed work of Jesus Christ.
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Now this truth hopefully will become more evident when we look at this word propitiation. The Bible says, "and He is the propitiation for our sins." Unhappily, many Christians cannot even pronounce the word propitiation, and most Christians have no earthly idea what it even means. The word propitiation occurs three times in the New Testament. I want you to turn to the first one, which is Romans chapter 3. Romans chapter 3. The second time it occurs is in our text in 1 John 2 and verse 2. And the third time it occurs is in 1 John 4 and verse 10. And I'll just quote 1 John 4 and verse 10 just shortly. But when you read Romans 3 verses 25 and 26, hopefully you will perceive that God saved the Old Testament saints by faith as they look forward to the completed work of Jesus Christ. So look in Romans 3 verse 25. In fact, let's read verse 24. Romans 3 verse 24, "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."
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So we're talking about the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Now watch verse 25, "Whom God, talking about Christ now, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God, to declare, I say at this time, His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus."
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Now what Romans 3 verses 25 and 26 teaches very clearly, it teaches us the justice of God in forgiving and saving the Old Testament saints as well as the New Testament saints. He is just and the justifier. What does that mean? It means God did not cut any corners. He did not allow anyone to get away with sin. He did everything according to His law and according to His justice. Notice again verse 25, "Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood." Why?
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Number one, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past. Those Old Testament saints, they were saved by faith in Christ. He forgave them based upon the fact that Jesus Christ is indeed the Lamb of God that had taken away the sin of the world. They looked forward in faith to that. God forbore with them. And then He says to declare, I say at this time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Christ. So we see now that Jesus Christ is our propitiation.
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We read it in 1 John 2 and verse 2. 1 John 4 and verse 10 just simply says this, that God sent forth His Son to be a propitiation for our sins. So here's the question that you have to ask. What is propitiation? And how does our Lord's propitiatory sacrifice relate to His advocacy? First of all, let me try to answer this question, what is propitiation? Let me give you a little hint by asking you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 9. And I'm going to show you one other word which is the same Greek word as propitiation. Look at Hebrews chapter 9 verse 5. Hebrews 9 verse 5, "And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat of which we cannot now speak particularly." Now, everyone knows that in the Holy of Holies, you had the mercy seat. You remember Aaron went in once a year and sprinkled blood upon the mercy seat. Guess what? The word mercy seat in Hebrews 9 and verse 5 is the word propitiation.
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It is the same Greek word hilasmos. So you ought to know something now. You ought to know that the word propitiation is related to the day of atonement. Therefore, it should not surprise you to learn that the word propitiation refers to an expiatory sacrifice, and expiation refers then to the washing away of sin. Yes, propitiation includes the washing away of sin, but it includes more than that. Because the word propitiation not only means to expiate, to wash away, it refers to the expiatory sacrifice of Jesus Christ, but it also refers to placation and appeasement.
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When you placate someone or when you appease someone. Now since you're in the book of Hebrews, look very quickly at Hebrews chapter 10. Notice if you would please, let's begin reading there in verse 1. "For the law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect." Skip down if you would please to verse 3. "But in those sacrifices, those Old Testament sacrifices, there's remembrance again made of sins every year."
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That's why you had to keep doing it. "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Wherefore, when He cometh into the world, He said, Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared for Me." Hebrews 10 verse 6, "In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come in the volume of this book, it is written of Me to do Thy will, O God. Above when He said, Sacrifice and offering, and burnt offering, and for sin Thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein which are offered by the law. Then said He, Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second."
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Now what's the Bible saying? The Bible is saying that those Old Testament sacrifices were not the true propitiation. They were not the true expiation. They were just pictures. Jesus Christ came and it was the blood of Jesus Christ that was the true expiation and the true propitiation. Now listen carefully. The Bible says, "and He is the propitiation for our sins." The word propitiation means to placate. It means to satisfy. It means to appease.
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How does that apply to us? You have to remember that God is holy. And the holiness of God, there was a righteous indignation and a righteous anger against us because of our sins. God was very upset and very angry and His wrath abode upon us. That's what the Bible says. And what did our Lord do in His propitiation? He not only expiated and washed away our sins, He appeased, He satisfied, He placated the righteous anger and wrath of God.
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Let that sink in, folks. Jesus Christ not only expiated, that is, He washed away our sins, He appeased, He satisfied, and He placated the righteous anger and wrath of God. So someone's going to say, "Well, certainly after we've been saved and we sin, surely it angers God." I'm sure that sin does anger God. But when you're a child of God, our divine advocate points to Himself and says, "Father, don't be angry. Here I am. I've placated. I've satisfied. I've appeased Your righteous anger and Your righteous wrath." Jesus Christ is not only the expiation, He's the propitiation. He's our mediator. He's our advocate. He's our defender.
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Martin Luther said it like this. Listen carefully. He said, "Christ is not a mere suppliant petitioner. He pleads for us on the ground of justice or righteousness as well as mercy. Though He can say nothing good of us, He can say much for us. It is His righteousness or obedience to the law and endurance of its full penalty for us on which He grounds His claim for our acquittal."
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"The sense thereof is in that He is righteous, in contrast to our sin, if any man sin, the Father, by raising Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand, has once for all accepted Christ's claim for us. Therefore, the accuser's charges against God's children are in vain. The righteousness of Christ stands on our side, for God's righteousness is in Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is ours." Isn't that wonderful?
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What shall we say then to these things as Paul? "If God be for us, who can be against us?"
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Now, there's one other phrase I've got to deal with. I want you to look at it. 1 John 2 and verse 2 because there will be questions. He says, "and He is our propitiation, He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."
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Now let me ask you a question. How can Jesus Christ be the propitiation for the sins of the whole world? Here is the answer. He is the propitiation for the sins of the world of believers. I told you earlier, advocacy is only for the children of God. It is not for the unsaved. I want you to look in your Bibles, if you would, to John 1 and verse 10. John 1 and verse 10. There's a reason. I have in times preached an entire message just on the word world.
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Perhaps I should do it again. But the word world is used in many different ways in the Bible. At least 13 different ways. And usually when most people hear the word world, they think it means everyone in the world. No. Many times it does not mean that. I want you to look in John 1 in verse 10. Here's the word world. It's the same Greek word. And it means three different things in one simple verse. Look in John 1 and verse 10. "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not." Cosmos each time. "He was in the world." What does that mean? He was in the earth. "And the world was made by Him."
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That would be the universe and everything contained therein. "And the world knew Him not," that is the world of His own people. So here the one word world is used three different ways in one verse. Moreover, I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Peter 2 and look at verse 5, because you're going to find that the Bible even speaks of the world of the ungodly. Look in 2 Peter it is, chapter 2 and verse 5. 2 Peter 2 and verse 5. Look what the Bible says, "And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing the flood upon the world of the ungodly." Now if there was a world of the ungodly, very obviously there's a world of the godly. If there's a world of unbelievers, there's a world of believers.
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We could use that same word today because I'm going to tell you folks, the world of the humanist is not my world. I live in a totally different world than they live in. And they live in a totally different world than I live in. Moreover, when you look at the word propitiation, which means to placate, to appease, to satisfy, it has to refer to the world of believers.
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How can I say that? Very simply because of what the scripture teaches. Let me ask you, is God still angry with the wicked? Yes, the Bible says in Psalm 7:11, "God judgeth the righteous, but God is angry with the wicked every day." And He is so angry that when He judges them, according to Revelation 19, that the smoke of their torment will ascend up forever and ever and ever.
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So clearly, when you look at the word propitiation in 1 John 2 and the word world in 1 John 2 and verse 2, it has to refer to the world of believers whoever they are and wherever they may be. Because Christ has not satisfied nor placated nor appeased God the Father for those wicked who refuse Him and will not repent and bow to Him. So scripture says we have an advocate with the Father. Jesus Christ the righteous. We have an advocate here on earth, the Holy Spirit, but we also have an advocate in heaven who pleads for us, who defends us.
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Now let me make just one application. I want you to understand that Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of God, constantly, continually interceding for us. He constantly and continually pleads for us before the throne of God. He is none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, the Righteous One. And what He pleads is not, "Father, they're doing the best they can." No. What He pleads is His work, His merit, His righteousness.
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It is His intercession for us that keeps us alive and keeps us living. Let me make a statement. Any success we have in our Christian life, any righteousness, any godliness, any obedience, any success we have in the ministry is due only to the intercession and work and merits of Jesus Christ. Paul said, "I am what I am only by the grace of God." We have an advocate and I trust in the next four or five weeks you're going to see how important the advocacy of Jesus Christ is, what it really means to have an advocate with the Father. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we do ask for Your blessing and Your help. We pray that You would teach us, dear Lord, build us up in the most holy faith, and may we see and understand and comprehend the greatness of Jesus Christ and the greatness of His ministry of intercession and the fact that He is our advocate. May we give Thee praise. In the name of Christ, we ask and pray.
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Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:11:43Z

The Divine Advocate

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver expounds 1 John 2:1-2, explaining that Jesus Christ is our advocate (parakletos) with the Father. He defines advocacy as a blessing reserved for God's children, contrasting it with the Holy Spirit's role as our earthly advocate. Weaver emphasizes that sin interrupts fellowship but not sonship, and that Christ's advocacy is grounded in His perfect righteousness and propitiatory sacrifice, which expiates sin and appeases God's wrath. He clarifies that propitiation applies to the world of believers, not universally, and concludes by stressing that all Christian success depends on Christ's intercession.

Introduction and Series Overview

Weaver introduces the topic of the divine advocate from 1 John 2:1-2 and previews upcoming messages on Old Testament understanding and imprecatory prayer.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 2:1-2

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

Definition of Advocate

The Greek word parakletos means 'one called alongside to help,' and is translated as both advocate and comforter, referring to a legal defender and helper.

The Holy Spirit as Earthly Advocate

Jesus promised another Comforter (parakletos), the Holy Spirit, who teaches, guides, and intercedes for believers with groanings, acting as our advocate on earth.

Scripture Reading — John 14:16

"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that is another Paraclete or another advocate, that He may abide with you forever."

Scripture Reading — John 16:7

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the Comforter, the Advocate, the Paraclete, will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will send Him unto you."

Advocacy as a Family Blessing

Advocacy is exclusively for God's children; the unsaved stand alone before God without hope or help.

Sin and the Need for an Advocate

John writes to encourage holiness, but acknowledges that believers still sin, which interrupts fellowship and joy, though not sonship or standing in grace.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 119:9-11

"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word. With my whole heart have I sought Thee: O let me not wander from Thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee."

We do not fall from being a son. We do not lose our acceptance before the Father. The Bible says, let me just quote it, Ephesians 1 in verse 6,

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 1:6

"To the praise of the glory of His grace wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 51:12

"Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation and uphold me with Thy free spirit."

Scripture Reading — Romans 5:1-2

"Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

The Accuser and the Consequences of Sin

Satan accuses believers day and night, and sin gives occasion for God's enemies to blaspheme, as seen in David's life and Job's trials.

Yes, David sinned. David tried to cover his sin. He was certainly unsuccessful. God saw his sin and God knew his sin. Notice if you would please, 2 Samuel chapter 12 and let's see.

Psalm 79 and verse 4. Look what David writes.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 79:4

"We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision of them that are round about us."

Scripture Reading — Job 1:7-11

"Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land." "Now put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face."

Scripture Reading — Job 1:7-11

"And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? And still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause."

Jesus Christ the Righteous Advocate

Christ is uniquely qualified as our advocate because He is the righteous one who perfectly kept God's law, and His righteousness is imputed to believers.

Scripture Reading — Philippians 3:4-9

"Though I might also have confidence in the flesh."

Paul says, you want to brag? Well, I'll brag.

Scripture Reading — Philippians 3:4-9

"If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more. If you want to trust in the flesh, here's my boast. Circumcised of the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless."

Now wait a minute, was Paul not a sinner? Oh, yes, Paul was a sinner. But when he says

Scripture Reading — Philippians 3:4-9

"touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless,"

he's talking about the external righteousness which the Pharisees had. Then he says this, watch carefully.

Propitiation: Expiation and Appeasement

Christ is the propitiation for our sins, meaning He both washes away sin and satisfies God's righteous wrath, securing forgiveness for past, present, and future sins.

So we're talking about the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Now watch verse 25,

Scripture Reading — Romans 3:24-26

"Whom God, talking about Christ now, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God, to declare, I say at this time, His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus."

Scripture Reading — Romans 3:24-26

"Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood."

Why?

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:1-9

"For the law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect."

Skip down if you would please to verse 3.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:1-9

"But in those sacrifices, those Old Testament sacrifices, there's remembrance again made of sins every year."

That's why you had to keep doing it.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:1-9

"For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Wherefore, when He cometh into the world, He said, Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared for Me."

Hebrews 10 verse 6,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:1-9

"In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come in the volume of this book, it is written of Me to do Thy will, O God. Above when He said, Sacrifice and offering, and burnt offering, and for sin Thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein which are offered by the law. Then said He, Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second."

The World of Believers

The 'whole world' in 1 John 2:2 refers to the world of believers, not every individual, because God's wrath remains on the unrepentant wicked.

Scripture Reading — John 1:10

"He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not."

Cosmos each time.

Scripture Reading — John 1:10

"He was in the world."

What does that mean? He was in the earth.

Scripture Reading — John 1:10

"And the world was made by Him."

Application: Dependence on Christ's Intercession

All Christian success and godliness stem from Christ's continual intercession and merits, not our own efforts.

Amen.

The Divine Advocate

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	IgEx-gKDTGU
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Revelation: Christ and the Churches
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-20
Dictation Name
Book	Book 156: The Divine Advocate — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	67

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Series Overview: Weaver introduces the topic of the divine advocate from 1 John 2:1-2 and previews upcoming messages on Old Testament understanding and imprecatory prayer.
Definition of Advocate: The Greek word parakletos means 'one called alongside to help,' and is translated as both advocate and comforter, referring to a legal defender and helper.
The Holy Spirit as Earthly Advocate: Jesus promised another Comforter (parakletos), the Holy Spirit, who teaches, guides, and intercedes for believers with groanings, acting as our advocate on earth.
Advocacy as a Family Blessing: Advocacy is exclusively for God's children; the unsaved stand alone before God without hope or help.
Sin and the Need for an Advocate: John writes to encourage holiness, but acknowledges that believers still sin, which interrupts fellowship and joy, though not sonship or standing in grace.
The Accuser and the Consequences of Sin: Satan accuses believers day and night, and sin gives occasion for God's enemies to blaspheme, as seen in David's life and Job's trials.
Jesus Christ the Righteous Advocate: Christ is uniquely qualified as our advocate because He is the righteous one who perfectly kept God's law, and His righteousness is imputed to believers.
Propitiation: Expiation and Appeasement: Christ is the propitiation for our sins, meaning He both washes away sin and satisfies God's righteous wrath, securing forgiveness for past, present, and future sins.
The World of Believers: The 'whole world' in 1 John 2:2 refers to the world of believers, not every individual, because God's wrath remains on the unrepentant wicked.
Application: Dependence on Christ's Intercession: All Christian success and godliness stem from Christ's continual intercession and merits, not our own efforts.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Advocacy is exclusively for believers

Only God's children have an advocate; the unsaved face God's judgment alone without intercession.

Weaver states, 'Advocacy is God's family's blessing... The unsaved do not have the benefit of advocacy. According to the Word of God, they stand alone.'

Sin interrupts fellowship but not standing

Believers' sin grieves God and breaks communion, but does not revoke sonship or acceptance in Christ.

Weaver says, 'We do not lose our salvation. We do not fall from being a son. We do not lose our acceptance before the Father... But it does affect our fellowship, our joy, and our intimacy with the Father.'

Christ's righteousness is the sole basis for our acceptance

Our own righteousness is insufficient; only Christ's perfect obedience and imputed righteousness make us acceptable to God.

Weaver explains, 'The only standing that you and I have, the only righteousness that you and I have, is that which is found in Jesus Christ... even in our righteous deeds, there's enough sin to damn us.'

Propitiation includes appeasement of God's wrath

Christ's death not only removes sin but also satisfies God's righteous anger, so that He is no longer angry with believers.

Weaver states, 'He not only expiated and washed away our sins, He appeased, He satisfied, He placated the righteous anger and wrath of God.'

The 'world' in 1 John 2:2 means the world of believers

Because God's wrath remains on the wicked, Christ's propitiation cannot apply to every individual; it applies to believers from all nations.

Weaver argues, 'Christ has not satisfied nor placated nor appeased God the Father for those wicked who refuse Him and will not repent and bow to Him.'

All Christian success depends on Christ's intercession

Any growth, obedience, or ministry fruitfulness is solely due to the ongoing intercessory work of Jesus Christ.

Weaver concludes, 'Any success we have in our Christian life... is due only to the intercession and work and merits of Jesus Christ.'

Scripture References

1 John 2:1-2: Primary text: Jesus Christ is our advocate and propitiation.
John 14:16: Jesus promises another Comforter (parakletos), the Holy Spirit.
John 14:26: The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, will teach and remind believers.
John 15:26: The Spirit of truth testifies of Christ.
John 16:7: Jesus must depart for the Comforter to come.
Romans 8:26-27: The Holy Spirit intercedes for believers with groanings.
Psalm 119:9-11: Hiding God's Word in the heart to avoid sin.
Ephesians 1:6: Believers are accepted in the Beloved (Christ).
Psalm 51:12: David prays for restoration of joy after sin.
Romans 5:1-2: Justified by faith, we have peace and stand in grace.
Revelation 12:10: Satan is the accuser of the brethren.
2 Samuel 12:14: David's sin gave occasion for God's enemies to blaspheme.
Psalm 79:4: Sin makes believers a reproach to neighbors.
Job 1:7-11: Satan accuses Job of serving God for selfish gain.
Job 2:3-5: Satan accuses Job again, claiming he will curse God if afflicted.
Philippians 3:4-9: Paul counts his own righteousness as loss to gain Christ's righteousness.
Romans 3:24-26: Christ is set forth as a propitiation to declare God's righteousness.
Hebrews 9:5: The mercy seat (hilasmos) is the same word as propitiation.
Hebrews 10:1-9: Old Testament sacrifices could not take away sins; Christ's body was prepared.
John 1:10: The word 'world' is used in three different senses in one verse.

Historical References

Bouvier's Law Dictionary: Weaver quotes Bouvier's definition of advocate as an officer who maintains or defends rights of a client.
Black's Law Dictionary: Weaver quotes Black's definition of advocate as one who assists, defends, or pleads for another before a court.
Martin Luther: Weaver quotes Luther on Christ pleading on the ground of justice, not mere mercy, and His righteousness being our claim.

Important Quotes

Advocacy is God's family's blessing. There are other blessings that God bestows upon the righteous and the unrighteous. But when you come to such things as justification and sanctification and continued intercession and peace and advocacy, those are only for the saints of God.

Establishes the exclusive nature of advocacy for believers, a key doctrinal point.

The only standing that you and I have, the only righteousness that you and I have, is that which is found in Jesus Christ. So when I come to my Father in prayer, and I say, 'Lord, You know I've tried to do that which is right, and I did this, and I did that.' I'm sorry. That is unacceptable. Why is it unacceptable? Because I'm not righteous.

Underscores the insufficiency of self-righteousness and the necessity of Christ's imputed righteousness.

He not only expiated and washed away our sins, He appeased, He satisfied, He placated the righteous anger and wrath of God.

Defines propitiation as both expiation and appeasement, central to understanding Christ's work.

Christ has not satisfied nor placated nor appeased God the Father for those wicked who refuse Him and will not repent and bow to Him.

Limits the scope of propitiation to believers, a key interpretive point on 1 John 2:2.

Any success we have in our Christian life, any righteousness, any godliness, any obedience, any success we have in the ministry is due only to the intercession and work and merits of Jesus Christ.

Practical application emphasizing total dependence on Christ's ongoing intercession.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does understanding the dual advocacy of the Holy Spirit on earth and Jesus Christ in heaven affect your daily prayer life?

[Context]

Weaver explains that the Holy Spirit intercedes with groanings (Romans 8:26-27) and Christ pleads our case before the Father (1 John 2:1).

[Question]

In what ways can sin disrupt our fellowship with God without affecting our sonship, and how should this truth motivate us to pursue holiness?

[Context]

Weaver distinguishes between standing in grace and loss of joy, using David's example in Psalm 51.

[Question]

Why is it essential that our advocate is 'Jesus Christ the righteous' and not merely a merciful petitioner?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes Christ's perfect law-keeping and imputed righteousness as the basis for His advocacy.

[Question]

How does the concept of propitiation as both expiation and appeasement deepen your appreciation for Christ's sacrifice?

[Context]

Weaver explains that Christ's death satisfied God's wrath, not just cleansed sin, using Hebrews 9-10.

[Question]

What are the practical implications of knowing that Satan accuses believers before God, and how does Christ's advocacy defend us?

[Context]

Weaver cites Revelation 12:10 and Job 1-2 to show Satan's accusations and Christ's defense.

[Question]

How should the truth that all Christian success depends on Christ's intercession shape our attitude toward ministry and personal growth?

[Context]

Weaver concludes that any godliness or success is due solely to Christ's merits and intercession.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-05T23:57:36Z