Week 11: Chapter 10 — Our Advocate

1.1 John 2:1 says, "If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Ortlund notes that the word translated "advocate" (parakletos) is the same word used for the Holy Spirit in John's Gospel. What does this legal-yet-personal image communicate about how Christ relates to our ongoing sin?

2.The chapter draws out a crucial tension: John writes, "I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin" — and then immediately says, "but if you do sin, we have an advocate." Why does the comfort of advocacy not lead to moral indifference? What is it about having an advocate that actually motivates holiness rather than undermining it?

3.Ortlund makes much of the phrase "Jesus Christ the righteous" — the advocate is himself the standard of righteousness he upholds. This means he does not defend us by lowering the bar but by meeting it on our behalf. How does this affect the security you feel in his advocacy?