Daily Devotionals

Christ as priest goes before; and Christ as an advocate comes after. Christ as priest continually intercedes; Christ as advocate, in case of great transgression, pleads. Christ as priest has need to act always; but Christ as advocate sometimes only. Christ as priest acts in times of peace; but Christ as advocate in time of broils, turmoils, and sharp contentions. Wherefore Christ, as advocate, is, I may call Him, a reserve; and His time is then to arise to stand up and plead, when His are clothed with some filthy sin that of late they had fallen into, as David, Joshua, or Peter; when some such thing is committed by them as ministereth to the enemy a show of ground to question the truth of their grace; or when it is a question, and to be debated, whether it can stand with the laws of heaven, with the merits of Christ, and the honour of God, that such a one should be saved. Now let an advocate come forth. Now let Him have time to plead; for this is a fit occasion for the saints’ advocate to stand up to plead for the salvation of His people.

—John Bunyan (1628–1688)