The Advocate
“In Him we have redemption through
His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”
(Ephesians 1:7)
Different countries, of course, do things differently,
but in much of the United States, there is a facet of Real Estate law that may
interest you. When a homeowner or other owner of real estate decides to sell,
the property is typically “listed” with a real estate broker. The listing is a
contract between the property SELLER(s) and the real estate broker, agreeing on
a certain commission, which often is a percentage of the sales price.
Many times the “listing” real estate salesperson is not
the one who sells the property. There are exceptions, but many salespeople
prefer to work with buyers and they are the ones who may bring buyers to the
property. If the buyer likes it, then “his” real estate salesperson presents an
“offer” through the listing broker, a potential contract for the property,
signed by the buyers. But the buyer’s salesperson is not necessarily “theirs.”
The seller has the option of either signing the offer or
not, and certain changes may be made before signing, such as a higher sales
price, turning the original purchase contract into a “counter-offer.” As this
process continues, the buyer thinks of the real estate person who presented his
or her contract as “their” salesperson, representing their interests, but that’s
not fully the case. Usually there is just one true contract with the real estate
salespersons, and it is the listing signed by the seller. That’s the document
allowing a commission to be paid to BOTH the real estate broker who listed the
property AND the one who brought the buyers. BOTH real estate salespeople are
usually paid by the seller(s).
The buyer wants to become a homeowner and the key is the
contract between him and the seller. When all counter-offers are no more, the
signed contract will decide whether or not he can enter that home and call it
his own. It may be that something goes wrong and the buyer will need an advocate
(someone legally on his side) and sometimes the buyer is astonished to find out
he must hire an attorney in order to have full representation!
All this talk of real estate is an analogy about what
happens to those who live on this earth and then leave it to enter the presence
of God. During our time on this planet, a Contract is available for our
consideration. The Seller in this instance is God Himself, who is offering us a
prime piece of “real estate” that can only be viewed in eternity. You’ll just
have to trust Him that the property is truly available to you and that it is a
good investment.
The contract offered is written in the blood of Jesus
Christ. And please note that many contracts are offered TO God that are rejected
as insufficient – they have a merely religious basis and are not written in the
blood of His Son. “In Him,” in the Son of God, we
have “redemption,” which is to say we have been
bought back from the enemy, who placed us on the “wrong side of the tracks.” And
the only way we can be redeemed is “through His
(the Son’s) blood.” You have no legal standing, no
contract with God the Father, except through the blood of Jesus Christ. There is
no other way.
“Properties,” any possession we might have in eternity,
are only available to those who have been declared by the Lord to be citizens of
heaven. If you look closely at the contract offered to you, it is in the name of
Jesus Christ. You and I are really tenants on this earth, in our homes, and even
our own bodies are merely loaned to us “according to the
riches of His grace.” You need Him, and to place your faith in Him is to
say “Yes” to His offer.
You need Someone to REPRESENT you before God. If you’re
an atheist, you will be surprised when you stand (or more likely, kneel) in the
Presence of the God you did not believe. The Jesus Christ that many don’t want,
is the One who will give you both the proper Representation and the deep inner
peace we all need.
Jesus gives us peace in unexpected ways, and “peace” in
Scripture has, as its principal, most important meaning – peace with God! When
we receive and trust in the Son of God, He becomes our Advocate, declaring to
the Father that we are at peace with God. This peace is unusual. We may have it
and yet might find that our relatives keep on disliking us, the neighborhood
“grump” may continue to find us irritating, “friends” may surprisingly reject
us, and our employment may still be “on the edge.” But He is our Advocate and we
have true peace because of our surrender to the Lord.
There are indeed those wonderful times when earthly
reconciliation follows our conversion in Christ Jesus. My mother always
considered herself a “religious” person and she indeed strove to be a “good”
person all of her life. But as we all do, she had her “difficulties.” It was
late in her time on earth that she found a PERSONAL relationship with the Lord,
and it was interesting that two areas in her life began to change: She no longer
questioned God’s ways of doing things – she just accepted Him. And she began a
process of gradual reconciliation with those on this earth who had been a
“problem.” The peace we really need is that “first” peace, the one in which we
simply ACCEPT God and His ways.
More important than anything, is HIS acceptance of you
and me. Have you thought about that? Our real problem with God is not what we
think of Him, though that is important. Our real problem with God is how HE
regards US. And that’s where we need an “Advocate,” someone who WILL establish a
contractual relationship with us and is willing to present the offer and defend
us before God Most High.
Many deny that God exists, and others tend to “believe”
on their own terms, not His. Like the “listing agreement” mentioned earlier,
it’s essential that we have a legal, contractual relationship with God. We are,
in the sight of God, like minors, children who are too young to legally enter a
contractual relationship – with anyone! You can compare us with convicted
criminals who have lost their legal rights. So God has contracted for our
salvation in His Son: “While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us” (Romans 5:8). “God from the beginning
chose YOU for salvation” (2 Thessalonians 2:13). “In
Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to
the riches of His grace” (Revelation 5:9-10). He has done the work. He
has written the contract in His blood. We are to honestly say “Yes” and receive
His Gift through BELIEVING in Him and what He has done. Let’s pray:
Father, I receive Your Gift, Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Forgive my sins. I say “Yes” to You, My Advocate. Thank You, Father, for Your
gift, the blood of Your Son. In Jesus Name. Amen.
