Christ Our Advocate

Romans 8:34 (ESV) Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Hebrews 4:14-16 (ESV) 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. 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. 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.

Hebrews 7:25 He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

1 John 2:1 I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate (Paracletos; one called alongside to help) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous...

Westminster Larger Catechism

Q. 55. How doeth Christ make intercession?

A. Christ maketh intercession, by his appearing in our nature continually before the Father in heaven, in the merit of his obedience and sacrifice on earth, declaring his will to have it applied to all believers; answering all accusations against them, and procuring for them quiet of conscience, notwithstanding daily failings, access with boldness to the throne of grace, and acceptance of their persons and services.

John Bunyan The Work Of Jesus Christ As Advocate

http://truthinheart.com/EarlyOberlinCD/CD/Bunyan/text/Jesus.Christ.Advocate/Entire.Book.html

Christ Jesus is the advocate for all true children by adoption. Are you born of God by his Word? Have you the Spirit of adoption? Can you in faith call God, Father? Then, Christ is your advocate to appear in the presence of God for you and to plead the sacrifice he has offered.

No strength in this world secures one from the rage of hell. Any man may fall. The strongest are weak and the wisest are fools when sifted as wheat in Satan's sieve.

Have you seen your state to be desperate if the Lord Jesus does not undertake to plead your cause? Have you told him what is the matter and how things stand? O consider your advocate a friend, and not an enemy! You must open your heart to him and reveal your whole cause unto him.

This is one of the greatest mysteries under heaven-that an innocent and holy Jesus should plead for such an one (as I) before a just and righteous God; that he should plead against Satan's accusations, and rescue (me) from the curse of which (I am) truly guilty by the verdict of the law.

David Clarkson "Christ Touched With the Feeling of Our Infirmities" on Hebrews 4:15 in Works, Vol. III

(Christ) now appears for us in heaven - in our nature. Our Lord took our frail nature upon him and was exposed to want, poverty, hunger, cold, weariness, pain, heath, grief, anguish, trouble, and fear. He knows all of our infirmities. He knows their weight and how they smart, for he has felt them. He not only has suffered what others feel, but suffers with them in what they feel. He desires to help and comfort us, and do what is best for us in such a condition, out of his wonderful love.

Thomas Watson

The Lord's Prayer

We do not pray alone. Christ prays our prayers over again. He takes the dross out of our prayers, and presents nothing to his Father but pure gold.

All Things For Good

When a Christian is weak and can hardly pray for himself, Jesus Christ is praying for him… What a comfort is this: when Satan is tempting, Christ is praying!

C.H. Spurgeon

What words of tenderness, what sentences of persuasion, will the Anointed use when He stands up to plead for me! “Jesus Christ the righteous.” This is not only His character but His plea. It is His character, and if the Righteous One is my advocate, then my cause is good or He would not have espoused it. It is His plea, for He meets the charge of unrighteousness against me by the plea that He is righteous. He declares Himself my substitute and puts His obedience to my account. My soul, you have a friend well fitted to be your advocate. Leave yourself entirely in His hands.

Octavius Winslow Daily Walking With God

There is a Friend closer to the Fountain of mercy; nearer and dearer to the Father, than your dearest earthly friend; it is Jesus, “who ever lives to make intercession for them who come unto God by Him.” (Hebrews 7:25) Oh, how precious is that declaration upon which in any assault, or trial, or perplexity, you may calmly and confidently repose: “I have prayed for you”! Yes, when from confusion of thought, or pain of body, or burning fever, you can not pray for yourself, and no friend is near to be your mouth to God, then there is one, the Friend of friends, the ever-skillful Advocate and never-weary Intercessor—no invocating saint, nor interceding angel—but the Son of God himself, who appears in the presence of God moment by moment for you. Oh, keep, then, the eye of your faith immovably fixed upon Christ’s intercession; He intercedes for weak faith, for tried faith, for tempted faith—yes, for him who thinks he has no faith. There is not a believer who is not borne upon His heart, and whose prayers and needs are not presented in His ceaseless intercession. When you deem yourself neglected and forgotten, a praying Savior in heaven is thinking of you. When you are tried and cast down, tempted and stumble, the interceding High Priest at that moment enters within the holiest, to ask on your behalf strength, consolation, and upholding grace. And when sin has wounded, when guilt distresses, and unbelief beclouds, who is it that stands in the breach, that makes intercession, that removes the darkness, and brings back the smile of a forgiving Father?—the Lord Jesus, the interceding Savior. Oh, look up, tried and assaulted believer! you have a Friend at court, an Advocate in the chancery of heaven, an Intercessor curtained within the holiest of holies, transacting all your concerns, and through whom you may have access to God with boldness.

Does sin plead loudly against you? the blood of Jesus pleads louder for you. Do your backslidings, and rebellions, and iniquities, committed against so much light and love, call for vengeance? the blood of Jesus "speaks better things." Does Satan stand at your right hand to accuse you? your Advocate stands at God's right hand to plead for you. All hail! you mourning souls! you that smite on the breast, you broken-hearted, you contrite ones! "who is he that condemns! It is Christ who died, yes rather, who is risen again; who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us." (Romans 8:34)

Robert Murray M'Cheyne

When old companions, old lusts, and sins crowd in upon you, and when you feel that you are ready to sink, what can save you, sinking sinner? This alone - "I have a high priest in heaven, and He can support in the hour of affliction." This alone can give you peace - "I have a high priest in heaven." When you are dying - when friends can do you no good - when sins rise up like spectres around your bed - what can give you peace? This - "I have a high priest in heaven."

J.C. Ryle

The Christian is meant to understand that we have a mighty, living Friend in heaven, who not only died for us, but rose again, and after rising again took His seat at the right hand of God, to be our Advocate and Intercessor with the Father until He comes again. We are meant to understand that Christ not only died for us, but is alive for us, and actively working on our behalf at this very day. We are not only to look to a Savior who died as our Substitute, and shed His blood for us, but to a Savior who also after His resurrection took His seat at God’s right hand, and lives there as his constant Intercessor and Priest.

Knots Untied, “The Priest”

Oh, what an unspeakable comfort it is to remember that we have an High Priest in heaven, who never forgets us night or day, and is continually interceding for us, and providing for our safety. Happy is that man who knows how to begin and end each day with his Priest!

Can we lay our hand on our heart and say, ‘Christ is mine and I am his. I have come to him, poured out my heart to him, received absolution from him, cast all my burden on him, placed my soul in his hands’? We may be sure, if we have a religion without a priest, or any priest except Christ, we are in awful danger: we are yet unpardoned, unforgiven, unfit to die, unprepared to meet God.

It is not enough to talk of ‘God’, and ‘mercy’, and ‘providence’, and ‘trying all we can’, and ‘saying our prayers’, and ‘going to church or chapel’, and being ‘a member’ here and there. This will not save us. We must lay hold on Christ as our Mediator and Advocate, or else we shall never be saved. Have we done this?

A.W. Tozer Jesus, Our Man in Glory, Chapter 7 – “Jesus, the Eternal Word”

The death and resurrection of Christ has settled the sin question. In believing the good news, we are now forgiven and cleansed - purified from our sins. But our forgiveness and cleansing by the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ is only part of the good news. Jesus died, but He rose from the dead. And after His resurrection, He ascended to be seated at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. The angels and archangels and seraphim and cherubim continue their celestial praise of "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." This is not some far-out concept of some fringe cult. This is straight from the Word of God: When Jesus "had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven" (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus returned to the position He had occupied throughout the long, long ages past.

Charles Wesley - Arise, My Soul, Arise (Behold The Man)

http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/r/arisemys.htm

Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears;

The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears:

Before the throne my surety stands,

My name is written on His hands.

He ever lives above, for me to intercede;

His all redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead:

His blood atoned for all our race,

And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;

They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:

“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,

“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

The Father hears Him pray, His dear anointed One;

He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son;

His Spirit answers to the blood,

And tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear;

He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear:

With confidence I now draw nigh,

And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.