Imagine my brother Eric’s disappointment upon receiving an “F” on a high school English test. The fact that much of the rest of the class also failed the test assuaged neither his disappointment nor his dread of telling our mother. As it turns out, however, he didn’t have to, thanks to one classmate, Jane Bloggs1. Jane was argumentative by nature, and so she went to work, pleading her case to the teacher. She argued one point so convincingly that Mr. Sanford said to the entire class, “If you said [thus and so] to this question, mark your answer as being correct.” The young lady proceeded to debate her next contention, successfully gaining another concession from the teacher. At this point, Eric’s grade improved to a “D.” His resolute classmate was not finished, though—she continued to assert her case so effectively that, by the end of the class, Eric’s “F” had become a “B+”!
God does not want us to “fail,” i.e., by sinning, but John assures us of this: “if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.”2 On our own, we could not even approach God to plead our case, but being faultless and guiltless, Jesus has right standing before God, and it is He who advocates for us. Moreover, this “one mediator between God and men . . . gave himself as a ransom for all.”3 He has taken our sin upon Himself and given us, in exchange, His righteousness.4 And He pleads on our behalf before His Father, “who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”5
Then who can fail us? Or “Who is to condemn? 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.”6 He who advocates for us now is the very one who reconciled us to God, once for all. Yes, He intercedes for us now, and He always will: He is “able to save forever those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.7 We are saved from condemnation, and we always will be. For in Christ, there is no “F”; there is no failure.
Jesus died to pay for our sin, He rose to overcome our sin, and He lives to intercede on our behalf. Our God is the initiating God, so let us trust His character and rejoice in His love. And in this truth, serve freely.
Father, thank You for desiring our salvation and sending Jesus to procure it. We live forever in Him because He forever lives to intercede for us. This is love; this is You. And we are Yours. In Christ we pray. Amen.
1 Name has been changed for this post
2 1 John 2:1 NIV
3 1 Timothy 2:5-6 ESV
4 2 Corinthians 5:21
5 1 Thessalonians 2:4 ESV
6 Romans 8:34 ESV
7 Hebrews 7:25 NASB
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