First John 2:1b reveals that Christ is our Advocate to take care of our case before God. An advocate is a lawyer, an attorney. Christ is our Advocate in the law court in the heavens. The Greek word for advocate is parakletos, which refers to one who is called to another’s side to help him, one who offers legal aid, or one who intercedes on behalf of someone else. The word denotes consoling and consolation; hence, it can be translated “Comforter,” as it is in the Gospel of John (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). In 1 John 2:1 the Lord Jesus is our Advocate with the Father, caring for our case, interceding (Rom. 8:34) and pleading for us if we sin, based upon His propitiation.
In the heavens today, Christ is a minister to minister heaven with the heavenly blessings to us (Heb. 8:2). Christ as a Minister of the true (heavenly) tabernacle, ministers heaven (which is not only a place, but also a condition of life) into us, that we may have the heavenly life and power to live a heavenly life on earth as He did while He was here.
The ministry of Christ in His ascension is the heavenly ministry of Christ for the universe also. Christ as the embodiment of God is the Administrator of the universe today. He is the Head over all things to rule the entire universe (Eph. 1:22). According to 1 Corinthians 11:3, God is the head of Christ. Christ administrates the universe under the headship of God because God has given Christ to be the Head over all things.
Christ is also the Ruler of the kings of the earth to administrate God’s plan for man. Revelation 1 and 5 tell us that Christ is the Ruler of the kings of the earth (1:5a; 5:1, 6-7), while Revelation 17 and 19 say that He is the King of kings (17:14; 19:16). Today He is the Ruler of the kings. When He comes again to the earth with His kingdom, He will be the King of kings. He is not yet the King of kings because He has not come to the earth to possess it for His kingdom. But today He is the Ruler of all the kings of the earth to administrate God’s plan for man.
According to Acts 5:31, Christ is a Leader and a Savior. His being a Leader is related to His authority as a Ruler, and His being a Savior is related to His salvation. He rules over our environment in order to save us. Jesus sovereignly rules over our environment to save us and to administrate God’s plan for us. I am happy that in God’s sovereignty, I was born in a city on the coast of mainland China. There were many missionaries there, so I eventually was saved. After I entered into the Lord’s work, I intended to go to Mongolia. But because of the Second World War, I am now in the United States. Jesus brought me here. He managed it. He administrated the entire world situation to bring me from China to the United States to minister to the Lord’s children here. Jesus Christ today is the Ruler of all the authorities to manage the world affairs. We have to worship Him for all of His sovereign arrangement.
Today in His heavenly ministry, He takes care of His church and His believers. Also, as the Head of all things to rule the entire universe, He is managing the environment on this earth for us. Whatever is going on in the world situation is for the church. Thank the Lord that we can receive the benefit of Christ’s heavenly administration.