Tuesday: Mediator
“Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 
For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1 Tim. 2:4–6, NKJV). How do these verses help us to understand just what Christ is doing for us in heaven?
Christ is called the one Mediator between God and man. There is no one else because, in fact, no one else is necessary. Through Christ’s position as Mediator, salvation and knowledge of truth are universally available (1 Tim. 2:4). The crucial question for us all is whether or not we will take advantage of what Christ has offered to each of us, regardless of our status, race, character, or past deeds.
“Mediator” is a term from the ancient Greek commercial and legal world. It describes someone who negotiates or acts as arbitrator between two parties in order to remove a disagreement or to reach a common goal in order to inaugurate a contract or covenant.
In Hebrews, Christ as Mediator is connected to the new covenant (Heb. 8:6, 9:15, 12:24). He has made reconciliation. Though sin had destroyed the close communion between humanity and God and would have led to the destruction of the race, Christ came and restored the connection. This is reconciliation. He alone is the link between God and humanity, and through this link we can enjoy a full covenant relationship with the Lord.
Paul’s reference to Him as the “man Christ Jesus” expresses His unique quality of being both human and divine (1 Tim. 2:5). Salvation and mediation are anchored precisely in Jesus’ humanity and His voluntary self-offering. By being both God and human, Jesus is able to link heaven and earth with ties that can never be broken.
“Jesus Christ came that He might link finite man with the infinite God, and connect earth that has been divorced by sin and transgression from heaven.”—Ellen G. White, Sermons and Talks, vol. 1, p. 253.
Think: there is a human being in heaven right now, mediating in your behalf. What should this tell you about your importance in the eyes of God? How should this truth impact how you live and how you treat others?
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Christ mediation for us should keep us happy and hopeful of Salvation and eternal life in Heaven.
But we need to be fully submissive unto the call of GOD.
Who is Jesus mediating for? Since our Father loves us as much as the son, why is Christ interceding for us? Who does He have to convince? Not the angels since they are ministering beings. Not the devil. Not the Father. ...who then?
Silvana, He is mediating in behalf of the Father, encouraging the world to accept the Father who has already accepted them from the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:1-6.
William, last night I thought about what I said concerning your comment here, “I think William has a very good answer to this.” In fact, I thought it was so good that I would like to expand the ideas you bring up.
Since the fall sinful man has generally been scared to death of God the Father while we love Jesus. Even the disciples seemed to have had this feeling as can be demonstrated in Philip’s request to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us." (Jn 14:8 NKJV). Jesus’ answer must have surprised him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say,`Show us the Father?” (Joh 14:9 NKJ).
It is that particular problem that I think you are referring to in your comment and why Jesus can be rightfully thought of as a mediator between God and man. He introduces us to the Father as part of His ministry of reconciliation and communicates to us as man which we have no fear of. Even when He was here on earth He hid his divinity in His humanity so that we wouldn’t be afraid of Him. Of course that was briefly breached in Gethsemane (Jn 18:6) which shows us that in our fallen state God is to us a consuming fire (Heb 12:29).
Silvana,
As the lesson so clearly pointed out.....
"Through Christ’s position as Mediator, salvation and knowledge of truth are universally available (1 Tim. 2:4). The crucial question for us all is whether or not we will take advantage of what Christ has offered to each of us, regardless of our status, race, character, or past deeds."
For example, a lawyer is a mediator. A lawyer's service is available to all but only those who request the services of that lawyer will be represented by that lawyer. It is not a given just because you may know the lawyer's name or because the judge knows/likes the lawyer. If the law has been broken, then the defendant has to answer for his/her crime. And the judge has to be convinced that the defendant is worthy of pardon.
Therefore, Christ has to mediate on our behalf only if we make the choice to accept him as our mediator and not simply because of His relationship with His Father. As sinners, we have committed the crime and we have to answer for it. And God the Father has to be convinced that we are worthy of His forgiveness only if we have accepted the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.
I pray that this helps you in your walk with God.
Well said!! Christ as our mediator will have nothing to do unless we are defendable. Just saying that we love the Lord is not enough as love is an action word. I have to develop a relationship with Christ so that He can represent me to His father fairly.
It all has to do with trust.
silvana,
I like your question. You have spoken what could have been, and will still be, on many people's minds.
But the work of mediation goes both ways, as Leirge and Angela have explained so clearly...
Here is something, by the way, you may not have forgotten, perhaps temporarily: While, in light of your question, it may seem logical for Jesus not to intercede for us "since our Father loves us as much," the Bible makes it very clear that our faith in Jesus Christ ONLY will save us.
In other words, we, ON OUR OWN MERIT, cannot come to the Father as we are... sinful and deserving of death ONLY!
WE NEED JESUS to cover for us so that when the Father looks at us, he sees not us in our sinfulness; but the righteousness of His son Jesus Christ ONLY.
Silvana Sebben those are some great questions. Take a look at this devotional and see if this will help you.
http://ellenwhiteestate.org/devotional/ag/02_28.asp
To my understanding after the fall of Adam and Eve we could no longer be with God the Father face to face. This is why we needed Jesus our mediator to bring this relationship back to how it was before sin.
To answer your Questions Silvana. In the SDA Bible Commentary it states,"A daily and yearly typical atonement is no longer to be made, but the atoning sacrifice through a mediator is essential because of the constant commission of sin. Jesus is officiating in the presence of God, offering up His shed blood, as it had been a lamb slain. Jesus presents the oblation offered for every offense and every shortcoming of the sinner." Even though we accept Jesus and strive to do what is right we still fall short of His glory. That is why we need a Mediator.
I think Silvana has a legitimate question for the following reasons:
The problem these texts pose to our understanding of the mediator is that a mediator is the center man in arbitration who brings the two sides together. So how can God mediate between Himself and man in this sense?
I think William has a very good answer to this but to me it is not the total answer. We should also ask ourselves who is judging us and why we will judge during the Millennium in Heaven (1 Cor 6:3). If the Father knows the end from the beginning (Isa 46:10) and predestined us before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4; Rom 8:29-30) then we should realize that He has already judged us through pre-knowledge of our eventual choices. It is my understanding that the inhabitants in Heaven are the ones who judge us and for that we need an advocate in the courts of Heaven that can represent us. The Father is already on our side but those in Heaven have questions concerning their safety and security when redeemed sinners become their neighbors.
"For God (Father) so loved the world (Men) that He gave His only begotten son (Jesus)that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Jesus is the way for us to be reconciled with the Father, the only way to approach the Father since sin separates us from the Father, AND JESUS ONLY INTERCEDES FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIM/HIS DEATH. This is how I understand mediation.
(I'm learning a lot from your questions and contributions in this discussion)
A mediator's goal is to settle dispute between two parties. Why are we in need of a mediator?
We are taught that sin is the transgression of the law and because of sin ,we become separate from God .None of us is righteous ..no not one..Our penalty therefore should be death .
Nothing that we can do would be sufficient to mediate for ourselves hence we need a mediator.
"Without a mediator, we are destined to spend eternity in hell, for by ourselves salvation from our sin is impossible. But there is hope! “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…"
"Jesus represents those who have placed their trust in Him—miserable sinners—before God’s throne of grace. He mediates for us, much as a defense attorney mediates for his client, telling the judge: “Your honor, my client is innocent of all charges against him.” That is true for us also, as some day we will face God, but as totally forgiven sinners because of Jesus’ death on our behalf. The “Defense Attorney” took the penalty for us!"
I cannot understand why the statement about Jesus being a human being in heaven. I would like to quote EGW here "Christ could not have come to this earth with the glory that He had in the heavenly courts. Sinful human beings could not have borne the sight. He veiled His divinity with the garb of humanity, but He did not part with His divinity. A divine-human Saviour, He came to stand at the head of the fallen race, to share in their experience from childhood to manhood (The Review and Herald, June 15, 1905). 5BC 1128.2
Christ had not exchanged His divinity for humanity; but He had clothed His divinity in humanity (The Review and Herald, October 29, 1895"
So, are we confused about the statement in here?
Hi Laura,
Jesus is a human being in heaven. He is also God in heaven. That is the result of what we call the "incarnation" - Immanuel, God with us, God in human flesh.
Christ is forever joined to humanity, forever incarnate in a human form.
So, yes, Christ is in heaven as a human being and as God.