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ence there in glorified bodies also. Where another’s side.” The implication is that,
the Risen Head is (heaven), so will the when we sin, we need someone to come to
members of His body be (Eph 1:20-23). our side, to represent us and to plead our
cause. That is exactly what the Lord Jesus
He Sent the Holy Spirit From does for His people as He is in heaven.
Heaven Christ is able to represent us because
If He had remained physically on earth He knows the subject – sin! Although He
after His resurrection, He could not have is the sinless One, He knows more than
been with every follower. But the sending anyone the seriousness of sin, the damage
of the Holy Spirit would enable all His fol- it causes, the rebellion it demonstrates,
lowers to enjoy His presence. And so the and the pain He Himself endured because
Savior ascended to His heavenly throne of it. There is no one who understands
to send the Holy Spirit, thus fulfilling His the subject better, not because He sinned
promise, “If I depart, I will send him unto Himself (an impossibility), but because
you” (Joh 16:7). Peter tells us that it was He “bore our sins in his body on the tree”
from His exalted position in heaven that (1Pe 2:24 ESV).
He sent the Spirit. “Therefore being by Our Advocate is not only fit to represent
the right hand of God exalted, and hav- us because of what He knows but also
ing received of the Father the promise of because of Who He is. He is fit to stand
the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth [i.e., for us because of His humanity (John
poured out] this, which ye now see and uses His human name “Jesus” here). He
hear” (Act 2:33). And the ascended Lord is fit to stand before the Father because
has given us power to witness (1:8) by His He is without sin (John also calls Him
Spirit and power to serve, being equipped “the Righteous”). When we sin, our Ad-
with gifts of the Spirit (Eph 4:8-12). Thank vocate stands for us in heaven before the
God that Christ ascended into heaven and Father and pleads the merits of His own
sent the Holy Spirit from heaven. sacrifice for sin on our behalf. We have
an accuser, Satan, who can say, “Sin was
He Became Our Advocate in committed!” But we thankfully have an
Heaven Advocate, Jesus Christ, who can say, “My
John writes, “My little children, these blood was shed!”
things write I unto you, that ye sin not. He Became Our High Priest in
And if any man sin, we have an Advocate Heaven
with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righ-
teous” (1Jn 2:1). First, notice that God’s Christ’s work as our Advocate is part of
desire for His people is that we “sin not.” His high priestly ministry in heaven. The
But what happens when we do sin? Do we writer to the Hebrews said, “We have such
lose our salvation? Absolutely not! John an high priest, who is set on the right hand
notes that God is still our “Father.” And of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
he does not say, “If any man sin, we have A minister of the sanctuary, and of the
a Savior.” He is writing to people already true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched,
saved. When believers sin, we need (and and not man” (Heb 8:1,2). If Christ had re-
have) an Advocate. The word “advocate” mained on earth, He could not be a priest
(Greek parakletos) means “one called to here (v4), since He was not from the line
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