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I may not hold that title as my primary identity anymore, but I know what sinning is. I’ve had plenty of practice, both in secret and in public, for all to see. I sin. I’m not proud of this, but let's be honest, I’ve sinned throughout my entire life, and so have you.
When I first believed in Jesus, I was just a little boy, only 5years old, which means that I have sinned in my life more as a Christian than a non-Christian. Think about that for a moment, because you may have been a Christian for a long time, yet you still wrestle with sinful patterns and attitudes. Welcome to the club.
As a sinner, I can tell you that sin is more than just breaking God’s law. The root of all our sin begins in our hearts - doubting God’s love, questioning his instructions, and choosing to go my own way without God - all happen before I actually ‘do’ anything. You see, breaking his laws is simply the fruit of a selfish, rebellious heart toward God.
It is that internal attitude and the fruit it produces that together make us sinners, and our sin is what sent Jesus to the cross. He gave His life to pay for our selfish rebellion, to forgive us and unite us with God, to adopt us into His family so that we can turn away from sinning to walk in His ways and join Him in His mission to make all things new.
This is precisely what John is writing about in 1John 2 when he says, “I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.” (1 John 2:1) In fact, he says that “Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,” (1 John 2:3–4), that’s heavy! John also says, “whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” (1 John 2:6) That’s really what discipleship is: turning from our sinful ways to walk in the ways of Jesus together!
And yet, even though Jesus has changed the direction of my life, even though I’ve turned away from many sinful things, I still end up sinning. And I don’t just mean a general struggle with selfishness, but specific moments when I think and act in ways that I know are wrong. So what hope is there for a chronic sinner like me?
I have an advocate.
Right up front, John says: “But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1b)
That word advocate is powerful. An intercessor stands between two parties. But an advocate stands with the accused.
We often imagine God pulling away from us in disgust when we sin. But where is Jesus? He is right there, standing with me in the mess of my own making, advocating for me. Not because I’m a good guy, but because of who He is.
John goes on to say that Jesus is our advocate because, “He is the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 2:2) He is the sacrifice, the one thing in the universe, that turns away God’s rightful judgment and brings me under His favor.
So when I sin, Jesus doesn’t step back. He steps in. He springs into action, standing with me and saying, “Yes, Father, Matt has sinned. Yes, this is wrong and dishonors You. But I have paid for it. Look at the scars in My hands, the wound in My side. This offense has already been dealt with. Matt is still Your righteous son because of Me. My righteousness is his.”
When we grasp this truth, it changes everything.
1. Courage to face our sin honestly.
Because Jesus is our advocate who stands with anyone who trust in him, we don’t need to hide or pretend. He already knows and still advocates for us. His advocacy removes the fear of rejection and replaces it with grace. We can confess our sin freely, knowing He has already carried the shame of it on His cross.
2. Hope to get back up.
If Jesus only helped us after we cleaned up, there would be no hope. But He meets us in our failure. Like a doctor treating the sick, He steps into our brokenness and begins the cure. His advocacy silences accusation and reminds us that we are still His beloved children. Because of that, we can get back up to walk in his ways.
3. Motivation to obey.
Jesus doesn’t minimize our sin—He was crucified for it. His advocacy reminds us what our sin cost Him. When we see His wounds and realize that He stands with us even at our worst, our hearts are moved to obey. Love, not fear, becomes the motivation for discipleship.
As Dane Ortlund writes in his book Gentle and Lowly:
“When his brothers and sisters fail and stumble, he advocates on their behalf because of who he is. He cannot bear to leave us alone to fend for ourselves.”
Knowing Jesus as our Advocate makes walking in His ways possible. Fear may start us on the path of wisdom—but it is love that produces wholehearted obedience.
Reflection:
How can knowing Jesus as your Advocate, change the way you respond to God when you sin—and to others when they sin?
Prayer:
“Jesus, thank You for standing with me as my Advocate whenever I stumble. Give me courage to be honest, hope to get back up, and wholehearted love for you and your ways."
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