Christ Our Advocate

Christ Our Advocate By Russ Kujawski

1John 2:1-6

1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

What does it mean Jesus Christ is our advocate?

·         What is an Advocate?

·         Why do we need an advocate?

·         Who is Jesus that he can be our advocate?

·         How does Jesus being our advocate compare with the Holy Spirit being our advocate? Final Thoughts

Advocate Defined

Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of an advocate

·         :  one who pleads the cause of another; specifically:  one who pleads the cause of another before a tribunal or judicial court

Holman Bible Dictionary defines advocate

·         :one who intercedes in behalf of another

Blue Letter Bible Strong’s #G3875

·         Greek: paraklētos

·         The KJV translates Strong's G3875 in the following manner: comforter (4x), advocate (1x).

Outline of Biblical Usage:

·         summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid

·         one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate

·         one who pleads another's cause with one, an intercessor

·         of Christ in his exaltation at God's right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins

·         in the widest sense, a helper, aider, assistant

·         of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom

Strong’s Definitions (Strong’s Definitions Legend)

·         παράκλητος paráklētos, par-ak'-lay-tos; an intercessor, consoler: —advocate, comforter.

An advocate is someone who is the go between an advocate intercedes on behalf of someone. An advocate comes to the defense of someone. Christ is our advocate on our behalf before the father. He gives a defense and if I may use the word in a broader context than its normal use he gives and “apologia”.  

Why do we need an Advocate?

1 John2: 2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

 Why do we need an advocate? Because even Christians fail, make mistakes, the word some Christians don’t like using “we sin”. We are not perfect, for if we where we would have no need for Christ as our advocate. Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 do not be conformed by the world but be transformed by the renewing of our mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

 What is Paul saying? as a Christian we are not to be going the way of the world but go the way of Christ by renewing our mind. How do we renew our mind? Prayer, study Gods word, meditate on God’s word, be in a good Bible teaching church and or Bible study. If I can say this with out to much blow back. Renewing your mind is a DAILY ACTIVITY not in a legalistic sense of works but because you desire to, its Gods will for us too. Not just on Sunday, or Wednesday or when you might be feeling guilty. It’s a daily life long process. Not a once a week thing. There are too many people who call themselves “Christians” Who go to church on Sunday because that’s how they were raised it’s their tradition. TRADITION WON” T SAVE YOU

In Mark 7 the Pharisees asked Jesus why did his disciples break from tradition of the elders and eat with unclean hands. Jesus response goes straight to the point.

Mark 7: ⁶ And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

“‘This people honors me with their lips,
    but their heart is far from me;
⁷ in vain do they worship me,
    teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

What’s this verse saying? you honor me (God) with your lips, you say you love me, you say I’ll follow you but your heart follows the teachings of man not God. As part of those teachings there would be some traditions that are not Godly traditions, but man made traditions. Traditions are not equal to the to the word of God. If the tradition is supported by the Word of God then its probably OK but if not supported, then it’s not OK.  Example there are some who pray to the dead for intersession as the go-between to God. What’s scripture say about praying to the dead or making inquiries of the dead?

Deuteronomy 18:9-12English Standard Version (ESV)

⁹ “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations.¹⁰ There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer ¹¹ or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, ¹² for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you.

The Hebrews or Israelites are coming into the land that God has given them and God tells them “you shall not follow the practices of the nations they are entering it is an **abomination**” God is pretty clear here it doesn’t say “try not to, you shouldn’t, it says you SHALL NOT!!!” it’s a command not a suggestion. Verse 10 again YOU SHALL NOT, there’s the command have among you then the list of things that’s an abomination, but focus on the last one “inquires of the dead” These type of people who practiced the things listed in v10 and v11  were being driven out before them because of the practices, then how much more of an abomination is it for those who are Gods children that practice these things “praying to the dead” Praying to the dead does indeed go against God and his command of “you shall not” Herse another verse in Leviticus.

Leviticus 20:6-7English Standard Version (ESV)

⁶ “If a person turns to mediums and **necromancers**, whoring after them, I(God) will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. ⁷ Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.

If seeking the dead was ok to do then there wouldn’t be verses like this one in Leviticus, or Deuteronomy. Instead of seeking the dead we should **consecrate** ourselves to God that is dedicate ourselves to God and be Holy. Consecrate is a verb it’s an action word, Gods call for us to consecrate ourselves is a call to Action! A Call to Obideance!

Foot Notes

**Abomination=a thing that causes disgust or hatred**

**Necromancy=practice of magic involving communication with the deceased** 

**Consecrate=to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate**verb=action

So, as I have shown praying to the dead is wrong!!!!!! 1 Timothy2:5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man[fn] Christ Jesus,

[fn] men and man render the same Greek word that is translated people in verses 1 and 4

 Don’t get me wrong some traditions are good, going to church is a good tradition. But are you like the Pharisees and honor God with your lips but your heart is far away.

 Dan 10:12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.

Where is your heart set? To be transformed by the renewing of your mind is more than a traditional Sunday visit to church it is a daily activity that you participate in. And by doing so we get better at discerning the will of God and battling the fleshly desire to sin. Being transformed into the knowledge and image of the creator.

 Why do we sin as a Christian? There are several reasons but I’ll just speak of just one. As we renew are minds daily the complete renewal won’t happen until we go home to be with the Lord.

When we come to Christ we are a new creation as Colossians says put off the old that which is worldly in you, that is the old man, old self, old nature and put on the new man, new self, new nature that is being renewed in knowledge after the image of the creator. This is internal in our spirit. Yet our spirit is still surrounded by unredeemed flesh, decomposing flesh, sinful flesh, unregenerate flesh. The flesh is weak, the flesh doesn’t seem to stand up against sinful temptations very well. That’s why we need to renew our minds be in touch with God daily having put on the armor of God and not removing it. Before we were Christians our life style was to sin. When you come to Christ and repent we turn away from sin, we must stop living the life style of sin. As Jesus told the woman at the well who was a prostitute “John 8:10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” In other words, she was to no longer live that life style of sin. When we come to faith in Christ we are to no longer live a lifestyle of sin. But because of our sinful flesh we will have times of failure, times when we fail to listen to the Holy spirit.  We will sin. Call it a mistake or whatever you want if it goes against Gods moral laws it is sin. Hence why we need an Advocate before God.

Now to get back to the key verse: 1John 2:1-6

1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

When John say’s my little children he is speaking to believers, probably those he had a hand in bring to Christ. And he tells them “IF “(there’s that giant 2 letter word IF) 9 you do sin there is one to go before the father on your behalf. If Christians did not sin, then there would be no need for this verse or any others like it. But we do sin. Our earthly, worldly, unredeemed flesh is weak it doesn’t fight against sin very well.

Who is Jesus that he can be are advocate to the Father?

To determine this, we need to look at what was required for a sacrifice when Old Testament people sinned. In Leviticus 4 are the laws for a sin offering. In this portion of scripture, it mentions the requirements for sin whether it’s a priest, elder, the whole congregation of Israel (nation), Or an individual. They were to bring an unblemished, spotless animal one without defects to be sacrificed. Depending on who sinned determined if it was to be a bull from the heard or a male or female goat. But the key word, or phrase for this study is “one without blemish, spotless.

For us today that sacrifice is Jesus the Christ he is the spotless lamb of God. Who died on the cross for our redemption, and was raised so that our hope and faith is in God.

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

John3: ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John call Jesus the “Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world.” John was the forerunner of Christ preparing the way for Christ’s ministry. Mary Jesus’s mom had gone to see Johns mother Elizabeth when she was pregnant with John. Mary and Elizabeth were relatives. (Luke 1:36a And behold, your relative Elizabeth) I may be taking a little liberty and speculation here, but I think John knew Jesus as a child and maybe as he grew up. They lived close enough for Mary to travel to see Elizabeth. Yet when John saw Jesus approaching he declared who Jesus was: The Lamb of God, and why he came: to take away the sins of the world.

1 Peter 1:  ¹⁸ knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 

We see that when John identified Jesus he called him “the lamb of God” and Peter tells us he is like a lame without blemish, and that Jesus paid the ransom for our sin, he is the ultimate and last sacrifice for sin that was needed .He came to take away sin although he did not sin,(1 John 3:5) Jesus died for the redemption of the world that is for those who choose to receive him. By this act of Christ death on the Cross he became our advocate to the Father in heaven.

Let’s look at Leviticus 4:27-31

27 “If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the Lord's commandments ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt, 28 or the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed. 29 And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and kill the sin offering in the place of burnt offering. 30 And the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. 31 And all its fat he shall remove, as the fat is removed from the peace offerings, and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a pleasing aroma to the Lord. And the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.

When the common person sinned, they brought a spotless animal the (type of animal depended on who sinned) for a sacrifice for their sin, and they killed the animal. The Priest then took the blood and performed the rest of the sacrificial ritual. Here is the key as far as this study is concerned” And the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.

 The priest makes the atonement for sin, the priest was the advocate between the sinner and God. Atonement mean: to cover over. As scripture tells us in 1 John 2:2 Christ is the propitiation for sin, that is he turns away Gods wrath, The KJ in Romans 5: ¹¹ And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.  That is a covering over of our sins. Most translation interpret the word for atonement in this verse as reconciliation. Our sin causes a rift between you and God, when sins are forgiven then that rift is reconciled by Christ atonement for us. Because of what Jesus Christ did he become’ our advocate to God, Our High Priest.

Hebrews 2: ¹⁷ Therefore he(Jesus) had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

My thoughts on this section of scripture, Jesus came in the likeness of his brothers or likeness of mankind Romans 8:3 tells us he came in the likeness of sinful flesh. By doing so he was and still is able to relate to mankind when we are tempted for he was also tempted and yet did not sin. 

Hebrews 4: ¹⁴ Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.¹⁶ Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 Again, we see Jesus as our high priest, that can relate to us in our weakness for he was tempted as we are in every way yet he did not sin. This not sinning is very important. The priest of old sinned and had to perform their own sacrifice. Jesus didn’t sin he didn’t have to provide a sacrifice for sin but he became the sacrifice for our sin, he bore our sin although he had no sin (1 Peter 2:24)

Hebrews5: ⁷ In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. ⁸ Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. ⁹ And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, ¹⁰ being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Let’s jump to verse 9-10 Jesus is the source of eternal salvation and is designated by God to be the high priest, after the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 6: ¹⁹ We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, ²⁰ where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus has entered the inner place behind the curtain that is he is in Heaven as our solid anchor, gone before us. Forerunner means; one who comes in advance to a place where the rest are to follow: He is our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. Here is something interesting about Melchizedek Hebrews 7: ³ He is without father or mother  or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

Interesting no mother or father, no genealogy, no beginning or end, resembles the Son of God. A priest forever. Who is this Priest? Off the top of my head I’m going to throw this out there. He is an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ. I have it in my green file folder to study and write about him at a future date.

The following is from Ligonier Ministries Titled: Our Righteous Advocate.

When John calls Jesus “our Advocate,” he means that our Savior stands before the Father to plead our case. Yet Jesus’ work as our Advocate goes far above and beyond the work of an earthly advocate, for His case for us is grounded in the work He has done to secure God’s favorable verdict

Romans 8:1-4

8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ² For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. ³ For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

For those who are in Christ, God is no longer the Judge who condemns us but the Father who adopts us into His family. We are guilty of sin and unable to meet the Lord’s demands, but the perfect righteousness of Jesus, imputed to us in our justification, sets us right with God. Matthew Henry writes: “The clients are guilty; their innocence and legal righteousness cannot be pleaded. It is the advocate’s own righteousness that he must plead for the criminals.”

God no longer condemns believers, for Christ has satisfied His Father’s just demands. This is clear in 1 John 2:2, which describes the foundation for Jesus’ work as our Advocate. He is the “propitiation” for us, the one who endured the wrath we deserve so that divine justice is fulfilled, not set aside. Christ is the propitiation for “the whole world,” not because He made atonement for every sinner, but because He redeemed not only Jews but people from all parts of the world. The Father accepts no atonement from anyone except the death of His only begotten Son. Thus, Jesus is the world’s Savior. Jesus’ priestly work as our Advocate, 1 John 2:1 explains, involves our ongoing sanctification and our once-for-all justification. When we first trust Jesus, His righteousness is imputed to us, giving us a righteous status (Rom. 5:9; 8:30). Yet even though there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ, we continue to sin until we are glorified. We continually need God’s forgiveness to encourage us to walk in holiness. As we repent, Jesus advocates for us to restore our fellowship with God.

One last verse

Hebrews 7:23-25

²³ The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, ²⁴ but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.²⁵ Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost^[a] those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Footnotes: [a]Hebrews 7:25 That is, completely; or at all times

High priest before Jesus was only momentary for they died, Jesus High priest hood is forever. He is alive

  How does Jesus being our advocate compare with the Holy Spirit being our advocate in John?

Before answering this question, we need to see were Jesus is today?

Jesus before the council

Luke 22: ⁶⁶ When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, ⁶⁷ “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, ⁶⁸ and if I ask you, you will not answer. ⁶⁹ But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

This verse is telling us that Jesus will be seated at the right hand of God. That is after his death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven.

In Mark 16: ¹⁹ So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

This scripture is telling us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God in Heaven. He said this after the great commission versus 15-18.

Just one more verse on Jesus location today.

Hebrews 1: 1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. ³ He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high

OK here are 3 sections of scripture Identifying the location of Jesus, and that is being seated at the right hand of God. What’s he doing? He is being our advocate to God in Heaven see 1John 2:1

The Greek word for advocate in 1John2:1 is paraklētos this verse is speaking of Jesus Christ the righteous being our advocate with the father when we sin. This is referring to believers Those who have faith in Christ. In the next few verses I’ll be looking at the Holy spirit as our helper. The Greek word for Helper is paraklētos it’s the same word It can also be translated Counselor and In the King James it’s also translated Comforter.

Prior to Jesus return to Heaven he told his disciples that he would ask the Father to send another Helper. Who is this Helper? It’s the Holy Spirit  Who Dwells In every Bible Christian

English Standard Version (ESV)

John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper,^[a] to be with you forever,

Footnotes: [a] John 14:16 Or Advocate, or Counselor; also 14:26; 15:26; 16:7

If you have a red-letter bible you will see that these are the words of Christ Jesus, he is speaking to his disciples. I find it kind of interesting that Jesus said” I will ask the father “was this like one of those situations where you may ask out of curtesy, but in your heart, you know it will happen because its only logical that it happens. As I stated above this helper is the Holy Spirit

John 14: ²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Just a couple of things here in verse 25. Jesus is again telling the disciples that he will be leaving them I’m not sure they truly understood what was going to happen in the near future looking at verses 1-11 nor who Jesus was. Thomas questions as to where it was Jesus was going verse 5 and Philip was asking for Jesus to show them the Father verse 8. Jesus responds to Thomas in verse 6-7 “⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Did this answer Thomas’s question was Jesus interrupted by Philip who apparently felt his question was more important that Thomas’s. Philip didn’t understand that uniqueness of Jesus and the father. Verse ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  Jesus had just got done telling them “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Yet Philip asked Jesus to show them the father.

Next thing is Jesus tells them who the Helper is, It’s the Holy spirit that the father will send in my name. His purpose is to teach you and bring to remembrance everything Jesus had taught them.

Last thing We have Jesus talking, the father mentioned and the Holy spirit all three parts of the triune God

John14: ²⁸ You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

As I was looking at this verse I had an observation about this verse, but first all the different commentaries that I looked at focused on “I’m going away and If you loved me you would rejoice” The observation I had is on this” and I will come to you” When Jesus says he is going away and then coming to you is this a hint of the second coming of Christ. Verse 3” ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”  Jesus make this statement after saying he was going to his father’s house to prepare a place for us. I think it’s a hint to the second coming but I’ll need to do more study on this. I’ll put it in the green file for future study. I think I may have gotten off track some.

John 15:26 English Standard Version (ESV)

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

What is seen in this verse? First the Greek word for helper “paraklētos” is the same Greek word for advocate used in 1John 2:1 when speaking of Christ as our advocate. In this case, I am speaking of the Holy Spirit. Here is the definition as it relates to the Holy Spirit: of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom. Although this definition mentions the apostles, this also applies to Christians today. Just a quick look at other versions of this scripture and the word used for helper

·         KJV Comforter

·         NIV Advocate

·         ESV Helper

·         HCSB Counselor

·         NASB Helper

·         RSV Counselor

It’s the same Greek word “paraklētos” I don’t know how different translations determine what word to use. It has something to do with what original trans scripts are used, if it’s a though for thought translation or a word for word translation. Here is John 15:26 out of the Complete Jewish Bible. (CBJ)

26 "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send you from the Father -- the Spirit of Truth, who keeps going out from the Father -- he will testify on my behalf.

Here is an interesting part of this verse in the CJB “who keeps going out from the Father” all the other translations use’s “proceeds from the father. The CBJ give’s the idea that there is a continual connection with the father. What does the word proceed mean?

Proceed: Greek= ekporeuomai= verb

Means

·         to go forth, go out, depart

·         to come forth, to issue, to proceed / of feelings, affections, deeds, sayings

·         to flow forth / of a river

·         to project, from the mouth of one

·         to spread abroad, of a rumour

These are the definitions of “proceed” the third bullet point “to flow forth / of a river”

Fits best I think with the CJB translation it gives the idea of continuity, a continual flow of the Holy Spirit, an ongoing communication of the Holy Spirit with the father on our behalf here on this temporary home. The Holy Spirit doesn’t just come from the father, he’s in continual contact, speaking to the father on our behalf he is advocating for us.

John 16:7English Standard Version (ESV)

7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

Not going to say too much about this verse, I’ve already have gone over the “helper” and from where the helper comes from. I do want to look at one word “Advantage” What this mean our advantage?

Advantage =Greek= sympherō= verb = to help, be profitable, be expedient

Too start with its an action word, the Holy Spirit isn’t just sitting by waiting for us to fail he is taking action continually dwelling with us, making his home with us, His residence is in us. The Holy Spirit take an active role in our development as a Christian. In John 14:26 tells us the Holy Spirit teaches, and brings to remembrance what we have heard as it pertains to Christ “26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

In 2 Timothy1:13-14 we are instructed to follow the sound words that we have been taught in faith and love that is in Jesus Christ we are to guard that good deposit that we have. How do we guards it? By the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

2 Timothy 1: ¹³ Follow the pattern of the sound^[d] words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. [d] Or healthy

We don’t walk alone, we don’t have to guard, defend, share, study the Gospel, the Good News alone, we do it BY the Holy Spirit. Almost forgot this we also don’t have to fight temptation alone. We fight it BY the Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Romans 8:4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

 Gal 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh

What do all these verses have in common? The Holy Spirit is involved, we are to walk BY the Spirit. Not as if we are passing him, but by his power, and ability to keep us from failing. Now just want to add a note here. WE have the responsibility to listen, respond, and act on the directions of the Holy Spirit. We need to take God seriously, we need to take Jesus seriously, we need to study God’s word, we need to pray, we need to humble ourselves, and we need to not minimize the role or guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Final Thoughts

Christ came and died on the cross bearing the burden of sin for the whole world providing redemption for the whole world for those who choose to believe. He rose and is alive and went home to the father where he sits at the right hand of God as our advocate in heaven. When he left, another was sent to fill the void of Christ being gone. That is the Holy Spirit he is the other helper, the advocate here on earth. Christ dwelt among the people when he was here on earth and the Holy Spirit dwells in people here on earth that is those who chose to believe. The one advocate Christ sent the other advocate the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father.