Jesus died for our sins redemptively and He was raised for our justification advocationally. Furthermore, 1 John 2 and Hebrews 7:25 tells us that He lives to make intercession for us continually. He is our Advocate, our Defense Attorney. Satan condemns us not only in our hearts day and night, but before the very Throne of God (Revelations 12: 10), saying, ‘Look at those people down there. They’re hypocritical, weak, faltering.’
But the moment he hisses these accusations, Jesus is literally there, saying, ‘Depart, Satan. They’re washed in My blood, and robed in My righteousness.’
And the Father says, ‘Case dismissed for lack of evidence,’ as He casts our sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). Why the depths of the sea? Because, as a people, the Jews were terrified of the ocean. Therefore, the Lord put their sins in the last place a Jew would have gone looking for them.
To our culture, He would say, ‘I have cast your sin into the bottom of a toxic waste dump. Your sins are not only forgotten by Me, but I’m putting them in a place where there’s no danger of anybody looking at, digging up, or talking about them. On the basis of the Finished Work of Calvary, every sin you’ve ever committed, are committing, or will commit is forgiven, forgotten and out of sight.’
That’s forgiveness.
That’s justification.
That’s Good News! |
