God does not expect you to be perfect today. But He does expect you to be growing.
You do not have to live under the dark cloud of guilt and shame today if you sin. Surprising to you? It may be. Here’s the reality though: God knows you will not be perfect today and, thankfully, has provided a way forward for you.
Jesus Christ is Your Advocate
Read these words from the First Epistle of John:
1 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. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 John 2:1-2).
John helps us understand our relationship with God in light of our daily struggle with sin. We all sin. There’s no denying that. However, when we sin, God has provided an advocate for us. Jesus Christ. He serves as our defense attorney before God. Whenever we are guilty of sin, Jesus, the righteous one, advocates for us.
How can Jesus be our Advocate?
Jesus serves as your Advocate today because as a follower of Jesus, you are in Christ. As an in-Christ person, you enjoy the righteousness of Christ. How? Not because you earned it; instead, when you get saved, you receive the righteousness of Christ as part of the gift of salvation (cf., 2 Cor 5:21; Eph 4:24; Col 3:3, 10). Even though you still sin, God considers you righteous. Crazy, isn’t it?
On the cross, Jesus bore God’s anger toward your sin for you. He is your wrath-bearing substitute. Therefore, God can be patient with your sin because Jesus paid for your sin on the cross.
So how should you respond today?
As John says, strive to live without sin. But when you do, remember, you have an Advocate, Jesus Christ.
And since you do, God is faithful to forgive your sins (1 John 1:9). That’s good news on a Monday.
