Evidence that the gospel is functioning in my heart...

Here are some great excerpts from John Piper's book, Finally Alive:

"Even if you have sinned, he has never sinned. Even if you have failed to love as you ought, he has never failed to love as he ought. And this perfect one stands before God and advocates for you--not against you, but for you. Precisely because you have failed. 'But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate…the righteous one.' (1 John 2:1)" (p. 140)

"God sees me in Christ. And I don't despair because of my failure. I am not paralyzed with hopelessness. I confess my failure to love (1 John 1:9). I embrace the forgiveness he bought. I take my stand on the wrath-removing propitiation he provided (1 John 2:2). And I reassure my heart (1 John 3:19) that God sees me through my Advocate--my perfect Advocate." (p. 141)

"John's warning of hypocrisy calls us back from the precipice of presumption. John's promise of an Advocate calls us back from the precipice of despair." (p. 150)