We have an ADVOCATE ~ JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS!

"If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." —I John 2:1 [KJV]

In the glass of God's holy and righteous law we see what an unholy and unrighteous thing sin is; it is hateful in the eyes of a pure God; it has separated between God and the sinner, and tends to his eternal destruction. The gospel in no wise renders sin less odious to God, less heinous in His sight; far from it. Yea, rather it paints sin in the blackest colours, and shews its deepest malignancy, by the gracious method of its atonement. View the holy Lamb suffering for sin on the cross; see the streaming blood, and hear the direful agonies of the Son of God on account of sin; and say, O believer, is sin a little matter, a trifling thing? Learn daily sin's evil by its remedy—sin's poison by its antidote—the hell it deserved by the Person Who redeems. And ever, O my soul, hold fast this as a sacred truth, though God loves thy person in Christ Jesus, yet He hates thy sins, though reconciled to thy soul through the Son of His love, yet He never can be reconciled to sin, though at peace with thee through the blood of the cross, yet ever at enmity against thy sins. Hence the beloved disciple declares, "These things write I unto you, little children, that ye sin not." Beware of sin as the worst evil; watch against sin as a deadly foe; strive against it, oppose, resist it in the power of the Spirit, as your worst enemy: as most hateful and displeasing to your best Friend.

But if any man sin, (for none are perfectly free from sin in their nature, nor wholly exempt from it in their practice), what then? must he lie down and despair? No; "We have an Advocate with the Father:" Jesus Christ pleads the cause of sinners, though He is not an advocate for sin; for He is THE RIGHTEOUS. Therefore He doth not deny the charge that we are sinners, guilty in ourselves; He extenuates none of our sins, but owns every accusation brought into court against us by a perfect law and strict justice; with every aggravating circumstance which can be urged. Against all that law and justice can charge upon us, He pleads His own undertaking, His work, His life and death, His blood and righteousness. His people have sinned; His blood hath atoned. They have contracted guilt; He hath suffered the punishment. They have deserved the curse of the law; He has borne it for them. They have deserved hell; He has opened the kingdom of heaven. They are unrighteous in themselves; Jesus hath fulfilled the law for them, and clothes them with His perfect righteousness. Therefore he pleads that sin may not be imputed to them; but that pardon of sin and peace of conscience may be bestowed upon them by the word and Spirit; and that they may be sanctified in Him, and glorified with Him. Thus saith our dear Lord to us, "I will not leave you comfortless." —John 14:18.

-William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)