Jesus is our advocate, or lawyer, before God. For many, this image conjures up a negative view of God.
Many have little trouble grasping Jesus as the loving, committed attorney out to defend us before a just and angry God who wants to condemn us all to eternal damnation. Because of Jesus, the Judge doesn't - but he really wants to.
Why not think of God as a loving judge, one who wants to free humanity, but has to have a reason to do so?
The apostle Paul writes: "God presented him [Jesus Christ] as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus" (Rom 3:25-26, NIV).
