“…If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
Before new birth, our conscience is defiled with sin. Our spirit is dead, our soul is darkened, and our body is defiled. When the Lord Jesus Christ as our High priest sprinkles His blood upon our dead spirits, our dead spirits are quickened. We find divine life flowing into our spirits. We begin to feel God’s presence. We talk to God as a friend talks with his friend. We feel heavenly peace coming into us. When our dead spirit is quickened we are given a longing to be as holy as the Lord is holy. We receive an increasing love for God’s Word and His people. When our darkened soul is enlightened, we are given divine wisdom to understand the things of God and to know His purpose. Through divine love we can love all people equally. Our defiled body is also cleansed.
Now we want to serve God through our members. Our tongue begins to praise God. Our legs refuse to go to wrong places. As long as we are in this body we get defiled because of our old sinful nature. We do not become supernatural when we are born again. The old man or old sinful nature will be stirred up again and again. By entertaining sins like hatred, enmity, pride, and greed in our hearts, we nurture the sinful nature, and get defiled. But we can constantly claim the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for cleansing, washing, and purging. As we read in 1 John 2:1, He is our Advocate, intercessor and High Priest. By His intercession for us and by cleansing through His blood, we are made perfect. Just as we claim His grace and wisdom for doing His work, we can claim by faith His intercessory ministry. Through this very important ministry, we can overcome all temptations. We are saved from the deception of the world and are thus prepared for His Second Coming. And at His coming we will receive our great inheritance.