How Will You Answer?
I John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Rarely will anyone die for a righteous person though for a good person someone might consider dying to save him or her. The love of God caused Jesus to die for the whole world. His purpose was to redeem you and me from sin and to reconcile us back to Himself. Imagine that! Jesus died for you and me when we were unrighteous. Righteous in the Greek is defined as innocent, holy. According to the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary, it denotes one who is holy in heart and observant of the Divine commands; it is the righteous acts of a righteous man; it is applied to God, to his testimonies and to his saints, who are servants of God. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus made it possible to become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. The idea is that believers are dead to sin and made alive to God. True believers have the ability not to sin, but that ability must be exercised so that the restraint muscle may be developed. Paul asked and answered these questions, “Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” Therefore, if a person receives Jesus’ redemptive power, he gains an advocate with Father God. We are strongly encouraged not to sin. However, if we do, we have an attorney, Jesus Christ the Righteous, who will plead our case to our Father God. Again, shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? …? One final question, “Do you have an Advocate?”
Scripture References: Romans 5:6-8; I John 2:1-2; II Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:22; Romans 6:1-4
Prayer for today: Father, I too answer, “May it never be!” Thank you for the righteousness you have given me through faith in Jesus Christ. Thank you for my advocate, Jesus Christ, the Righteous. In JESUS name, AMEN.
Whatever you must do today, there is a grace for that. Accept the grace and make it a sweatless day.
Love
Dianne
