GOD's Mediator

Man being "dead" in trespasses and sin is helpless in any way to reconcile himself to his God, he is unable to make any contribution to his own salvation. God must come to the rescue if there is any hope. God so planned to "save" a people from before the world was founded. God carried out that plan and sent His only Son into the world, there to be the only one Who ever lived a perfect life and then was put to death for the sins of the people whom He represented and came to redeem. The Holy Spirit then was sent forth to call out those for whom the Saviour died. HIS PLAN WILL BE SUCCESSFUL!

"One GOD, One MEDIATOR..."

"There is (only) one God, and (only) one Mediator between God and men, the
man Christ Jesus" (I Timothy 2:5 amplified translation)

Now we call Him, God’s Mediator, as God only could help the fallen sons of Adam, who could not help themselves in solving the awful problem they were in regards to their state of alienation from a holy and just God. Fallen man (that includes all men in their natural born condition), all of them had and/or have charges against them recorded in God’s court house. This record of guilt needs expunged (cleared from the books). Then all of them have a heart problem, they have a pollution problem; every facet of his being is affected and infected with sin. (He is not as vile as he could be, but every part of him is tainted.) Then he has a problem, he cannot, solve or remove his problem or change his basic nature and condition.

We review this here, because if anyone is to cure this problem and remove the charges, they must be qualified to do so and bridge the gap between the estranged parties. This one, this MEDIATOR must then be able to represent both. The incarnation of the Son of God (having been prophesied in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament) is God’s own solution. "God manifest in the flesh..." (cf also John 1:1)

It is absolutely essential to know Who this Jesus is. What was the PLAN of the Triune God for God’s Mediator to accomplish? What DID He do and what WILL He yet do?

WILL IT BE A SUCCESS?

Since Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as such, was both qualified and able to do what was planned , and since it was attested to by the Father Himself that His Person and His work were acceptable, we have the greatest assurance to press on, to trust in, and obey His words.

But what does it mean to TRUST IN CHRIST? Too frequently today it is somewhat like a leap of faith in a Christ that is basically unknown. How do you TRUST someone you don’t know? So we must know enough about His Person and His workings TO TRULY TRUST.

All, any who come to the Father by and through God’s appointed way, Jesus Christ will in no wise ever be turned away. (John 6:37) A plan was formed before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1) to save and call out a people for the glory of the true God. At the time of His incarnation that PLAN was put into motion here in time. "Thou shalt call His Name Jesus, for He shall SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS." (Matthew 1:21) He came meeting all the claims of the holy law, and fulfilling every type set forth of Him in the Old Testament. Primarily the role of Prophet, Priest and King.

	I trust Him as the true and greater Prophet to my ignorance in the whole will of God.
	I trust Him as the only true and greater Priest to offer a suitable sacrifice to God for His people, and I trust Him to make continual intercession for me.
	I trust Him as that great King foretold as David’s greater Son in His work of calling out a people to Himself, giving them saving grace, preserving and supporting that people until the day He takes them "home".

Let me close this section with a brief quote from a sermon by C. H. Spurgeon simply entitled TRUST.

A saving trust leads us to accept Christ in all His offices. He is to us not only a saving Priest to put away our sin, but Prophet to remove our ignorance, and King to subdue our rebellions. If as Priest he purges the conscience, as Prophet He must direct the intellect, and as King He must rule the life. We must yield our will to Christ’s will, that henceforth every thought may be brought into captivity to His holy sway. (In other words learning to think God’s thoughts after Him and not determining, deciding for ourselves what is right and wrong. JCS) There is no whole- hearted trust in Christ unless Christ be taken as a whole. You must take Him as He is revealed in the Scripture, Jesus Christ the Son of God, the Saviour of men, very God of very God, the faithful and true Witness, your Guide and your Lord... Do you trust Him so? If not you have not trusted Him at all.

Warning: Many in that day professed to "know Him, believe in Him". Jesus said to some of them: "You neither know me nor my Father." (Jn.6,8)

	Trust by C.H. Spurgeon
	What it means to accept Christ by A.W. Tozer
	The inadequacy of "Instant Christianity" by A.W. Tozer
	Salvation is of the Lord, compiled by John C. Shafer

For further study consider:

	Baptist Catechism compiled by C.H. Spurgeon, Questions 22-25
	London Baptist Confession of Faith Chapter 8 #s 1-10
	Body of Divinity by John Gill, pp 229-246
	Systematic Theology by L. Berkhof, pp 356-410
	Manuel of Theology by J.L. Dagg ,pp 207-229

Please e-mail Dr. John C. Shafer for answers to any questions you may have, or requests for study materials.

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