The Only Mediator Is Jesus Christ

The Only Mediator Is Jesus Christ

 

1 Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus."

 

Because the passage above says that there is "one Mediator," we can know that only Jesus, "one Person," is the Mediator between God and us. In another expression of Scripture, Jesus is also called the "only begotten Son" (John 3:16), and this also tells us that there is no one else besides Jesus. The reason it is important for us to know this is that this word causes us to look only to Jesus. From pastors to lay believers, we are all the same human beings. Therefore, rather than looking to people, we must look to Jesus and follow only the words of Jesus. The teachings and commands of men can never come before the words of Jesus. This is because a human being cannot become a mediator. Since the only One who can lead us to God is Jesus alone, it is important for us not to set our hearts on looking to and relying on people, but rather to read the words of the Bible, and to believe and follow Jesus, who is the Word.

 

Isaiah 24:2 "And it shall be: as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master..."

 

Job 33:6 "Truly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of the clay."

 

Hosea 4:9 "And it shall be: like people, like priest. So I will punish them for their ways, and reward them for their deeds."

 

As the passages above show, we are all the same before God. Nevertheless, the reason various offices exist within the church is that, because the church is a place where people gather, things should not be done in confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), but in order, so that we may worship Jesus in spirit and truth (1 Corinthians 14:40, John 4:23). Those who have learned the Scriptures first have the duty to guide those who come later rightly to Jesus, that is, into the truth. However, offices within the church are not offices for power and authority as in the world. Therefore, those who are in positions of office must boast only in Jesus and humble themselves instead. And those who do not hold office should diligently learn the Bible through those whom the Lord has set before them, and grow in the faith of believing in Jesus (2 Thessalonians 1:3).

 

All of us can become priests of the gospel, and indeed we must become priests of the gospel (Romans 15:16). In the Old Testament age, God permitted the office of priest only to the descendants of Levi. But in the gospel of the New Testament, He has opened the way for anyone to become a priest. The One who showed the example of this is Jesus Himself. Though Jesus was born through the tribe of Judah, not through the tribe of Levi, Scripture says that He became our eternal High Priest (Hebrews 7:14, 24-25). Therefore, becoming a pastor is not something that is possible only by graduating from a seminary. Likewise, offices within the church should not be appointed according to doctrines and rules established by men, but should be entrusted according to the words recorded in Scripture (2 Timothy 2:2, 1 Timothy 3:1-13).

 

Revelation 1:6 "And has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

 

1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

 

Through the passages above, Scripture tells us that we have now become priests. And as for the reason, it says that God has made us priests for Himself, so that we may proclaim the excellencies of Jesus. Therefore, as priests of the gospel, we must carry out the mission of proclaiming Jesus to people and leading them to Him. The apostle Paul expressed this figuratively, saying that he had betrothed people to one Husband, Christ, so that he might present them as a pure virgin to Him (2 Corinthians 11:2). Just as a matchmaker brings a man and a woman together in marriage, we, as priests of the gospel, must tell people about Jesus, who is the Bridegroom, and help them become one with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17). Then they will become one spirit with Jesus and live by relying directly on Jesus, who is the Mediator. This is the work of a priest of the gospel. Wherever and whomever the Lord allows us to meet, we simply need to testify to the unleavened word of Jesus, so that the person may live by relying directly on Jesus, the Mediator, who is the Word. The star that guided the wise men from the East to the child Jesus was the same in this regard (Matthew 2:1-11, Daniel 12:3). The mission of that star was to guide the wise men to Jesus. Although those wise men were able to come to Jesus by seeing the star that guided them, after that, the star could no longer receive attention. This is because the central figure is only Jesus.

 

Exodus 34:29-35 "29Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain, that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. 30So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses talked with them. 32Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them as commandments all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. 34But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. 35And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him."

 

Through the actions Moses showed before the people of Israel in the passage above, we can also know what our position should be. When Moses’ face shone because he had spoken with God, he showed humility by covering his face with a veil, lest the people of Israel pay more attention to the radiance of his face than to the word of God (verse 35). Even today, it seems that people often pay more attention to pastors than to the words of Jesus. Therefore, those who have become priests of the gospel must never allow themselves to become the focus of attention, but must reveal only the name of Jesus. This is because whoever exalts himself will be humbled (Matthew 23:1-12). When we humble ourselves and seek to exalt only the name of Jesus, Jesus will exalt us (Proverbs 4:8, 2 Thessalonians 1:12).

 

Acts 3:1-12, 16 "1Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple. 3Who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, Look at us. 5So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6Then Peter said, Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. 7And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength... 11Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 16And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all."

 

As we see in the passage above, although Peter healed the man who had been lame from birth "in the name of Jesus," the people thought instead that Peter and John had healed him, and they looked intently at the disciples (verses 11-12). At that time, the disciples did not reveal themselves, but exalted only the name of Jesus, saying that "through faith in the name of Jesus, His name healed him." By doing this, the disciples prevented the people from looking to them. In reality, they themselves had not healed the lame man; rather, "the name of Jesus" had healed him. Therefore, it was only natural that only the name of Jesus should be boasted in and exalted. But because people tend to rely more on the visible person than on believing in the name of Jesus, priests of the gospel must be careful about this point and, like the disciples above, must reveal only the name of Jesus, so that they themselves do not receive attention, but only Jesus does. This is the meaning of the command given to us: "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Colossians 3:17). This is because the One whom we must rely upon and live by is not any human being, but only Jesus.

 

Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

 

Even when this passage tells us to give thanks to God the Father, it teaches us to do so "through Him." This is teaching us about mediation. In Ephesians below, this same word is expressed as follows.

 

Ephesians 5:20 "Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

 

It tells us to give thanks always to God the Father "in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." This is what it means to rely on Jesus, and this is what it means to acknowledge that Jesus is our Mediator.

 

At the Last Supper, Jesus spoke the following words of mystery to the eleven disciples.

 

John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

 

John 14:13-16 "13And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. 15If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16And I will pray the Father..."

 

John 16:23-24 "23... Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."

 

Consider the situation at the time when Jesus spoke the words above. The only ones who could hear these words were the eleven disciples in a small room. Outside that room, the many people of Israel were all praying to Jehovah God, calling on the name of Jehovah. Although the eleven disciples were outwardly insignificant in the flesh, Jesus spoke to them a great hidden mystery concerning "mediation" [see How to Pray]. People try to come directly to God, but Jesus’ word teaches that they can no longer receive in that way. Because only Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, no one can come to God except through Jesus. Therefore, prayer also must be offered to Jesus in the name of Jesus; that is, we must confess with our lips that Jesus is the Mediator (Romans 10:10-13) so that we may receive an answer. The disciples who heard this word of mystery later used and relied only on the name of Jesus in all things.

 

For this reason, we must rely on the name of Jesus in all things (Colossians 3:17): to confess with our lips that Jesus is our Mediator, to keep people from looking to and relying on other people, and to give glory only to Jesus. We must never forget this truth: only through Jesus can we come to God, and only by relying on the name of Jesus can we receive life, that is, eternal life.

 

Acts 3:12, 16 "12So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 16And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know..."

 

John 20:31 "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."