1 Timothy 2:5–The Mediator For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. A mediator is a ‘go-between’. He is someone who is brought in to resolve a disagreement. Perhaps two men have an argument, or two groups of people are in dispute. It may even be that two nations are at war. A mediator comes between the two factions and tries to settle the conflict. In the Bible Jesus Christ is revealed as the sole Mediator between God and men. Since Adam’s fall there has been a dispute between heaven and earth and a mediator is required. There is of course a great distance between God and mankind on many counts: He is infinite and we are finite; He is the Creator and we are His creatures; He is without change and we are mutable. But the distance that matters is that between the perfect holiness of the Almighty and the sinful corruption of the human race. It is the work of the Mediator Jesus Christ to establish and maintain a union between God and sinners of mankind, two parties who are separated by this great gulf. How perfectly suited is the Lord Jesus Christ is to be the Mediator we need! He is God and man Himself, one Person, yet having two distinct natures, and so He is truly the ‘middle one’, the ‘daysman’ or ‘umpire’ desired by Job (Job 9:33). This is His personal office. Mediation is His personal work, the duty which was given to Him by the Father. As Mediator He was “set up from everlasting” (Prov.8:23) and sent into the world in time to fulfil His commission. What do we as sinners require from this Mediator? We need an interpreter with God, one who will teach us His will. Often when there is a dispute between men, there is misunderstanding on both sides. In this dispute the ignorance is entirely on our part. Sin has blinded our minds to the truth and to the way of salvation. Christ by His Spirit is able to tear away the veil which is upon our heart and to give the word of God an entrance, such that we are “illuminated” (Heb.10:32). He gives us a saving knowledge of God. We also need a peacemaker. The most awesome aspect of Christ’s work as the Mediator is that He “gave himself a ransom for all” (v.6). By His own obedience He has satisfied the offended justice of God and pacified the divine wrath against sin on behalf of His people. He “made peace through the blood of his cross” (Col.1:20). He has freed those who believe on Him from the guilt and power of sin and removed every obstacle in the way of their reconciliation to God. He gives sinners a new heart and spirit which desire peace with God. We must also have an intercessor. There are many disputes among men which appear to be settled. There is peace for a while. Then hostilities break out again and the conflict is as fierce as ever. The great purpose of God in saving His people is that they might be “conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom.8:29). Conversion to Christ though does not remove sin from our hearts and there remains every potential within us to disobey God’s law. How encouraging then to know that when we sin “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1John 2:1)! There is a man at the right hand of God who loves His people and “ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb.7:25). He appears there in His own merit and asks that the benefits of His cross be applied to His own. Notwithstanding our daily failings our reconciliation with God is maintained by Christ our High Priest and is eternally secure in Him. By His grace He subdues our wills more and more in sanctification that we might obey God, until at last we are glorified with Him. Do we know this precious Mediator and Saviour? Apart from Him there is no escape from hell and no way to heaven. No mere man, even a glorified saint, can bring us nigh to God. No holy angel, even an archangel, can unite us to the Most High. But through Jesus we “have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Eph.2:18). Let us be sure that we have truly repented of our sins and placed our trust in Christ the Mediator alone.