Jesus Christ Stands to Plead for Us

2 Nephi 13:13 - "The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people."

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland - "As 'Wonderful Counselor,' he will be our mediator, our intercessor, defending our cause in the courts of heaven."

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Transcript

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Welcome to Speak this Jesus, a daily podcast dedicated to drawing closer to the Savior through the powerful truths found in the Book of Mormon. Each episode, we focus on one verse that helps us walk more faithfully in his footsteps.

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There are few truths more comforting than knowing that Jesus Christ is not only our judge, but also our advocate. We all make mistakes, we all fall short, we all carry sins, weaknesses, regrets, and fears about whether we will ever be enough. If we believe that judgment was only about justice, we could easily feel discouraged. But the scriptures teach that Jesus Christ stands ready to plead for us, defend us, and offer mercy through his atonement. Isaiah's words quoted by Nephi describe a world full of pride, rebellion, and sin. Yet in the middle of warnings about judgment, we are reminded that the Lord does not stand apart from his people. He stands up for them. He stands to plead, he stands to judge. Those two roles are not separate. The Savior judges perfectly because he also knows perfectly. He understands our hearts, our efforts, our pain, and our desire to repent. Second Ephi thirteen thirteen. The Lord standeth up to plead and standeth to judge the people. As we study this verse today, along with teachings from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, we will consider what it means to trust Jesus Christ as our advocate and judge. This verse teaches two important truths about Jesus Christ. First, he stands to plead. Second, he stands to judge. At first those ideas may seem opposite from each other. We may wonder how the same person can both defend us and judge us. But in Jesus Christ, both justice and mercy are perfectly united. Because he lived a sinless life and completed the atonement, he understands perfectly what we face. He knows the pool of temptation, he knows the pain of suffering. He knows what it feels like to be rejected, misunderstood, betrayed, and wounded. He also knows what it costs to repent, change, and endure faithfully. That means his judgment is never careless or harsh. He does not judge from a distance, he judges with perfect understanding. Many times we may think of judgment only as something frightening that happens at the end of life. But judgment is also connected to the choices we make every day. We are becoming something. We are choosing who we will follow, what kind of people we will become, and whether we will let Jesus Christ shape us. The Savior's willingness to plead for us does not mean that choices do not matter. It means that when we fall short, we do not have to give up. We can repent. We can return. We can keep moving forward because Jesus Christ is standing with us, not against us. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught as wonderful counselor, he will be our mediator, our intercessor, defending our cause in the courts of heaven. That is a powerful image. Jesus Christ is not standing silently while we face judgment. He is speaking for us. He is defending our cause. He is reminding the Father of the price he already paid for us through his suffering, his blood, and his sacrifice. A mediator is someone who stands between two sides to bring peace and reconciliation. Because of sin we could never return to Heavenly Father on our own. We can never erase our own guilt or overcome death by ourselves. We need someone to stand in the middle and bridge the gap. That is exactly what Jesus Christ does. He is our intercessor because he paid the price justice required. He is our defender because he already carried our sins and sorrows. He is able to plead our cause because he has the right to do so. This should change the way we think about repentance. Sometimes we may avoid repentance because we feel ashamed. We may think we have gone too far or failed too many times. We may believe that God is disappointed in us and tired of our weaknesses. But this verse teaches the opposite. The Lord standeth up to plead. He is not withdrawing from us when we struggle. He is inviting us to come back. He is willing to forgive, he is willing to help us change. He is willing to defend us if we are willing to follow him. That does not mean we excuse sin or ignore commandments. The Savior's mercy is not permission to remain unchanged. Rather, his mercy gives us the power and courage to become different than we are now. In modern life it is easy to become overwhelmed by guilt, comparison, and discouragement. We may constantly notice where we are falling short. We may look at others and assume they are doing better spiritually than we are. We may feel like we are failing as parents, spouses, disciples, or leaders. When those feelings come, it is important to remember this verse. The Lord standeth up to plead. That means we do not have to define ourselves by our worst mistakes. We do not have to believe that one bad decision means our future is ruined. We do not have to live in constant fear that God is waiting for us to fail. Instead, we can move through life with hope. We can be honest about our weaknesses while still trusting in the Savior's grace. We can pray more openly. We can repent more quickly. We can stop hiding from God and start turning toward Him. There may be times when we feel unworthy to pray, unworthy to attend church, unworthy to read the scriptures, or unworthy to serve. Those are often the exact moments when we need Jesus Christ the most. He stands to plead for those who are trying. He stands to defend those who are repenting. He stands to strengthen those who feel weak. He stands to judge with perfect fairness and perfect mercy. So here is today's challenge. Spend a few minutes today thinking about an area of life where we may feel discouraged, guilty, or spiritually weak. Then pray specifically about that area and ask Heavenly Father to help us see ourselves the way Jesus Christ sees us. As we repent, keep trying and move toward Him, we can remember that the Savior is not standing against us, He is standing up to plead for us. Thank you for listening to Seek This Jesus. I hope this message helps you draw a little closer to the Savior, Jesus Christ. Please, don't let this podcast be your only scripture time today. As we open the scriptures for ourselves, the Spirit will teach us things no podcast ever could. If you are exploring the truths of the Book of Mormon for the first time, you can receive a free copy using the link in the description found in every episode of Seek This Jesus. I invite you to come back tomorrow for another verse and message to help you stay focused on Jesus Christ. Until next time, keep seeking this Jesus.