Several passages in John address the coming of the Counselor or Advocate. "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgement: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgement, because the prince of the world now stands condemned. I have much to say to you, more than you can bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth" (John 16:5-13); "And I will ask the Father and He will send you another Counselor to be with you forever--the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16-17a); "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you" (John 14:26). The word counselor, advocate, or helper in these verses is most accurately translated Paraclete, which is a legal term for a defense attorney, intercessor, someone who pleads the case of one who is in trouble with the law. In fact, watch the courtroom motif in these verses--tell the truth, convict, guilt, judgement, condemned. The desired result is truth, just like in the courtrooms of the world. The truth is that we are guilty according to the law. The great blessing is that our Paraclete is sent by the very One who paid the price for our sins--the One who took our punishment upon Himself. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (II Cor. 5:21). "Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that [Christ] appeared so that he may take away our sins. And in Him is no sin" (I John 3:4-5). "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us" (Gal. 3:13). Because Jesus took our punishment upon Himself, even though we stand convicted under the law before the Judge, our Paraclete pleads "not guilty" by reason of the Blood of the Lamb. "The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" is that we are "saved by grace through faith." The verdict resounds loud and clear in heaven and on earth--innocent!

Thank You, Lord, for the great and mysterious working of Your plan--Father, Son and Holy Ghost--proclaiming me innocent, free, washed, absolved! I know I will never be perfect in this life, but thank You for calling things that are not as though they were, and protecting me from the curse of the law. Help me never, never to take Your sacrifice for granted. Amen