Let me begin with a question: If you suddenly found yourself having to defend your life in a courtroom, who would you want standing beside you?

Most of us would want the very best attorney—someone wise, experienced, and fully committed to our case. We would want a champion, an advocate, standing right at our side.

In a similar—and far more profound—way, Jesus Christ is our Chief Advocate when we sin. The apostle John describes this role with beautiful clarity:

“My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
— 1 John 2:1 (NKJV)

Let me ask you another question: Why do we need an Advocate with the Father?
Understanding the answer helps us better appreciate the love of our Father and the role of Christ as our Advocate.

The Meaning of “Advocate”: Paraklétos

The word John uses—paraklétos—is rich with meaning. It comes from two Greek parts:

• pará — “close beside”
• kaléō — “to call”

Together, they paint the picture of someone called to stand right beside you—one who pleads, supports, comforts, and speaks wisely on your behalf.

John’s intent was that we strive not to sin. But when we do—and Scripture makes clear that sin is the transgression of God’s law—we have One who lived perfectly in the flesh, who faced every temptation yet never sinned, and who now stands with the Father as our Advocate.

Let’s explore how this works so that we may approach our Father confidently, knowing that any sin can be forgiven and washed away, restoring our relationship with Him.

How Our Sins Are Washed Away

We do not become guiltless by appealing to our own righteousness—because we have none.
We stand guiltless only through the sacrifice of the One who is perfectly righteous.

Christ’s death is the propitiation—the atoning sacrifice—that reconciles us to the Father. Paul explains the extraordinary result of Christ’s sacrifice:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith…”
— Romans 3:23–25 (NKJV)

It is through faith in Christ’s sacrifice and His shed blood that our sins are washed away when we sincerely repent. Through this forgiveness, we enter—spiritually—the very Holy of Holies into the presence of our Father with a restored, Father-to-child relationship.

Hebrews affirms this:

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus…”
— Hebrews 10:19

Why We Need an Advocate Beside Us

Revelation 12 shows another reason we need Christ as our Advocate:
We have a prosecutor—an accuser—who continually highlights our failures.

“…the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night…”
— Revelation 12:10 (NKJV)

Satan sees our missteps and aggressively presents them before God. He is a relentless prosecutor who can make a convincing case against us. (see Job 1:9 as an example)

But thankfully, we have a Chief Counsel who possesses a credibility Satan does not. Christ lived in the flesh and was tempted in every way, yet He never sinned.

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
— Hebrews 4:15 (NKJV)

Christ understands our weaknesses. He knows our battles. And through His sacrifice, every charge the adversary brings can be dismissed upon repentance.

Revelation continues:

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;and they did not love their lives to the death.”
 — Revelation 12:11

Satan cannot accuse us of sins that no longer exist.
Through repentance and the blood of the Lamb, every charge is removed.

We have a Counselor who cannot lose a case brought before the Father when repentance is sincere and faith is placed in Christ’s sacrifice.

Truly, we have an Advocate who stands close beside us.

Brethren, let us always appreciate the deep love of our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, shown through Christ’s ongoing role as our Advocate.

May you have a peaceful Sabbath, and as we faithfully honor God and the day He has sanctified.