Jesus our Advocate and Sacrifice - 1 John

Some people deal with the guilt and shame sin brings by just trying harder.  Others just give up and give in to the inevitability of sin. Both lead to greater despair: the former as we continue to fail despite our best efforts and the latter as we think there is no hope for forgiveness. In our passage this week, 1 John 2:1-2, John lovingly reminds us that we can and should seek to avoid sin, and we can do so with confidence because if we do fail, which we will at times, Jesus not only pleads our case with God the Father, but he does so on the bases of his own sacrifice for us, which has satisfied God's justice and removed his wrath for sin. We need not despair because Jesus is our advocate and sacrifice for sin.