ARTICLE 8. CHRIST THE MEDIATOR. 1 TIM 2:5.
THE 9TH ARTICLE OF THE BAPTIST CONFESSION OF FAITH TELLS US THAT CHRIST IS OUR MEDIATOR.
I AM SURE YOU ARE ALL AWARE OF WHAT A MEDIATOR IS WE SEE IT SO OFTEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE THERE ARE DISPUTES WHETHER IT IS BETWEEN NATIONS – FAMILIES - COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES - MEDIATOR LITERARY MEANS “A GO – BETWEEN.”
AND IS USED IN TWO WAYS IN THE NT....
(A) ONE WHO MEDIATES BETWEEN TWO PARTIES IN ORDER TO BRING PEACE AS IN 1TIM 2: 5FOR THERE IS ONE GOD AND ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN, THE MAN CHRIST JESUS.
FOR THE SALVATION OF MEN AND WOMEN MUCH MORE IS IN VIEW HERE OF THE MEDIATOR THAN BEING A MERE GO BETWEEN OUR MEDIATOR NEEDED TO BE FULLY DIVINE AND FULLY HUMAN (SIN APART) ONLY IN THIS WAY COULD HE (1) COMPREHEND THE CLAIMS OF ONE (GOD) (2) AND THE NEEDS OF THE OTHER (HUMAN). IN OFFERING HIMSELF IN THIS WAY AS A SINLESS SACRIFICE HE FULFILLED THE REQUIREMENTS OF ONE AND ON BEHALF OF THE OTHER SECURED A BETTER AND NEW COVENANT WHICH BROUGHT HUMANITY BACK INTO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
(B) JESUS ACTS AS A GUARANTEE SO TO SECURE SOMETHING WHICH OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE OBTAINED AS IN HEB 8: 6BUT THE MINISTRY JESUS HAS RECEIVED IS AS SUPERIOR TO THEIRS AS THE COVENANT OF WHICH HE IS MEDIATOR IS SUPERIOR TO THE OLD ONE, AND IT IS FOUNDED ON BETTER PROMISES. 9:15, 12:24. ALL THESE VERSES POINT TO CHRIST AS BEING OUR SURETY/GUARANTEE OF THE NEW AND BETTER COVENANT , GUARANTEEING TERMS TO HIS PEOPLE.
SERMON MESSAGE: 1TIM 2: 5FOR THERE IS ONE GOD AND ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN, THE MAN CHRIST JESUS.
1. HERE WE SEE EXCLUSIVITY IN REGARD TO GOD (FOR THERE IS ONE GOD AND ONE MEDIATOR )
CHRISTIANITY IS A MONOTHEISTIC (GREEK WORD – ONLY) RELIGION, IT CLAIMS EXCLUSIVITY WHEN IT COMES TO GOD ALL OTHER GODS ARE MERE IDOLS (MANUFACTURED) THE CENTRAL TEACHING OF THE OT DEUT 6:4. HEAR O ISRAEL: THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE. IN THE NT GOD FURTHER REVEALED HIMSELF AS BEING TRIUNE IN NATURE SO IN CHRISTIANITY HE IS BOTH MONOTHEISTIC AND TRINITARIAN (JESUS ONENESS WITH THE FATHER IS EXPLICIT (JOHN 1:1) AND JESUS HIMSELF CLAIMED DIVINITY ( JOHN 10: 30- 33.) OF COURSE THERE ARE OTHER RELIGIONS WHICH TOO CLAIM EXCLUSIVITY IN THE GOD STAKES FOR INSTANCE ISLAM CLAIMS ONE GOD AND OTHER RELIGIONS HAVE A PLETHORA OF GODS LIKE HINDUISM , HERE WE KNOW THEY MUST BE IDOLS, BUT WHAT ABOUT RELIGIONS WHO CLAIM EXCLUSIVITY.
WE NEED TO ASK THE QUESTION AMONGST THE MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS LIKE ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY ARE THESE TWO ONE OF THE SAME GOD OR IS SOMEBODY WRONG SOMEWHERE? THIS CAN PROVE TO BE A CONCERN FOR MANY........ WHO IS RIGHT AFTER ALL? IF THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD BOTH CAN’T BE RIGHT?
WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL TODAY WITH PEOPLE WHO SAY SOMETHING LIKE THIS......
• “THERE ARE MANY RELIGIONS IN THE WORLD AND THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO GOD. SOME CALL GOD BY THE NAME ‘ALLAH’ AND OTHERS BY THE NAME ‘JEHOVAH’ AND OTHERS BY MANY OTHER NAMES, BUT THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD, REGARDLESS OF HOW HE IS ADDRESSED. ALL RELIGIONS HAVE THE SAME GOAL, NAMELY, TO GET TO GOD, AND IT DOESN’T SO MUCH MATTER WHAT A PERSON BELIEVES, AS LONG AS HE IS SINCERE AND BELIEVES HE IS DOING RIGHT IN HIS HEART. EVENTUALLY WE WILL ALL END UP IN THE SAME PLACE.”
BUT IF SINCERITY IS ALL WE NEED TO GET TO GOD? 9/11 AND 7/7 MUST OF DAMAGED THAT NOTION. BECAUSE THOSE 9/11 HIJACKERS 7/7 BOMBERS WERE ALL SINCERE IN WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS FOR ALLAH, THEY WERE DEDICATED TO THE POINT OF SACRIFICING THEIR LIVES. OTHERS MIGHT CALL THEM EXTREME TERROSITS, BUT THEY BELIEVED THEY WERE FAITHFUL TO THE TEACHING OF MUHAMMAD AS SET FORTH IN THE KORAN AND OTHERS CALL THEM MARTYRS FOR THE CAUSE OF ISLAM.
SO THE NEXT TIME SOMEONE SAYS TO YOU IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU BELIEVE AS LONG AS YOUR SINCERE DON’T BELIEVE IT BECAUSE ITS CRUCIAL, MANY PEOPLE CAN BE SINCERE BUT THEY CAN BE SINCERELY WRONG, TO BELIEVE THE RIGHT THING MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
THE WONDERFUL TRUTH ABOUT OUR GOD IS THAT HE IS THE ONE TRUE GOD. 1TIM 2:4. HE DESIRES ALL PEOPLE TO BE SAVED AND COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH.
TRUTH IS IMPORTANT TO GOD - THE LAW OF SELF CONTRADICTION IS TWO ANTITHETICAL PROPOSITIONS CANNOT BOTH BE TRUE AT THE SAME TIME AND IN THE SAME SENSE.
MEASURE THAT UP WITH THE GOD OF CHRISTIANITY AND ALLAH OF ISLAM. COMPARISON - THE NATURE OF GOD CHRISTIANITY - JEHOVAH AND ISLAM - ALLAH
DOES GOD CHANGE?
IN CHRISTIANITY GOD DOES NOT CHANGE. JAMES 1: 17: 17EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE, COMING DOWN FROM THE FATHER OF THE HEAVENLY LIGHTS, WHO DOES NOT CHANGE LIKE SHIFTING SHADOWS.
IN ISLAM - ALLAH CHANGES. SURAH 2: 106 IF WE SUPERSEDE ANY VERSE OR CAUSE IT TO BE FORGOTTEN, WE BRING A BETTER ONE OR ONE SIMILAR. DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT ALLAH HAS POWER OVER ALL THINGS!
IS GOD LOVING?
IN CHRISTIANITY GOD LOVES. JOHN 3: 16: FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON…
IN ISLAM - ALLAH IS TEMPERMENTAL. SURAH 32: 13:IF WE SO WILLED, WE COULD HAVE BROUGHT EVERY SOUL ITS TRUE GUIDANCE, BUT THE WORD FROM ME WILL COME TRUE: ‘I WILL FILL HELL WITH DEMONS AND MEN ALL TOGETHER.’
IS GOD DECEPTIVE?
GOD CANNOT LIE. TITUS 1: 2 IN HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE, WHICH GOD, THAT CANNOT LIE, PROMISED BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN;
ALLAH DECEIVES. SURAH 8: 30: THEY PLOT AND PLAN, AND ALLAH, TOO PLANS, BUT THE BEST OF PLANNERS (DECEIVERS) IS ALLAH.
IS GOD A TRINITY?
GOD IS TRIUNE. FATHER IS GOD: JOHN 6:27 SON IS GOD: COL. 2:9 SPIRIT IS GOD: ACTS 5: 3-9
IN ISLAM THE TRINITY IS BLASPHEMY. SURAH 5: 73: THEY DO BLASPHEME WHO SAY GOD IS ONE OF THREE…FOR THERE IS NO ALLAH EXCEPT ONE ALLAH.
THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY THAT GOD IS ONE AND YET TRIUNE AND NO MATTER HOW SINCERE YOU WANT TO BE YOU CANNOT RECONCILE ALL OTHER RELIGIONS INTO ONE ITS JUST OUTSIDE THE REALM OF LOGIC AND BREAKS THE LAWS OF SELF CONTRADICITION WITH DIFFERING TRUTH CLAIMS.
(THEY ARE OPPOSING TRUTH CLAIMS AND ABSOLUTLY DIFFERENT GODS).
2. HERE WE SEE EXCLUSIVITY IN REGARD TO THE MEDIATOR.
1TIM 2: 5FOR THERE IS ONE GOD AND ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN, THE MAN CHRIST JESUS.
ONE GOD KNOW WE SEE ONE MEDIATOR THE MAN CHRIST JESUS.
JESUS SAID JHN 14:6 I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME...
HERE WE SEE JESUS IS THE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN HE IS THE ONE AND ONLY MEDIATOR WHO HAS BROKERED PEACE HE IS THE ONE GUARANTEEING OUR SALVATION NO OTHER. IF WE ARE TO COME TO THIS ONE GOD...... THE ONLY WAY WE CAN COME THROUGH IS JESUS CHRIST.....
YET AGAIN CONFUSION ABOUNDS EVEN THE HEART OF HISTORICAL CHRISTIANITY MANY PEOPLE TODAY BELIEVE THEY CAN GET TO GOD BY THEIR WORKS, THEIR OWN MORALITY, CHURCH ORDINANCES, THROUGH PRIESTS AND EVEN THE VIRGIN MARY.
ONE DAY A MINISTER WAS HAVING LUNCH WITH A CATHOLIC FRIEND. HE ASKED HIM WHY HE PRAYED THROUGH THE VIRGIN MARY. HE ANSWERED, “IT IS BECAUSE SHE IS CLOSER TO JESUS THAN ANYONE ELSE. SHE CAN GET HIS EAR AND ATTENTION.” HE SAID, “SUPPOSE YOU WANTED TO HAVE AN INTERVIEW WITH THE KING YOU COULD NOT GO TO HIM DIRECT. YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME HIGH OFFICIAL. IT IS THE SAME WAY WITH COMING TO GOD. YOU MUST ASK MARY TO USE HER INFLUENCE TO GET THROUGH TO GOD.”
THE MINISTER RESPONDED: “BUT SUPPOSE THAT I AM THE KINGS SON. I LIVE IN THE PALACE AND EAT AT HIS TABLE. WOULD I HAVE TO GO THROUGH A HIGH OFFICIAL TO GET TO HIM? NO I WOULD GO STRAIGHT TO HIM . PUT MY ARMS AROUND HIM AND MAKE MY WISHES KNOWN. WELL, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. I DON’T HAVE TO GO THROUGH A HUMAN MEDIATOR TO GET TO MY HEAVENLY FATHER.”
1TIM 2:5 THERE IS ONE GOD AND ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN MAN AND GOD THE MAN CHRIST JESUS.
3. THE EXCLUSIVITY OF THE MAN CHRIST JESUS ( FULLY DIVINE AND FULLY HUMAN) .
THERE IS SOMETHING EXCLUSIVE ABOUT ALL OF US WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN UNIQUE IDENTITY AND PERSONAL TRAITS AND QUALITIES WHICH ARE OUR OWN YET THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANYBODY LIKE THE MAN CHRIST JESUS IN ALL OF HISTORY AND THERE WILL NEVER EVER BE ANYBODY LIKE HIM AGAIN.
HE HAD NO MONEY – WROTE NO BOOKS –COMMANDED NO ARMY – WAS A CARPENTERS SON – YET HIS CONTEMPORIES EITHER HATED HIM OR LOVED HIM - JESUS CAUSED A STIR – HE WAS CRUCIFIED - AND YET ON THE 3RD DAY ROSE AGAIN - NOBODY HAS INFLUENCED THE WORLD LIKE HIM – MILLIONS FOLLOW AND BELIEVE IN HIM STILL TODAY.
WHAT IS SO AMAZING ABOUT THIS MAN CHRIST JESUS. IS THAT HE WAS NOT ONLY A MAN BUT ALSO GOD IN THE FLESH, THIS QUALIFIES HIM AS OUR MEDIATOR .
• WHO HE WAS.... AS THE SON OF GOD HE COULD FULLY COMPREHEND THE DEMANDS OF GOD. (JHN1:1,14 THE WORD THAT WAS GOD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONGST US)
YET ALSO CHRIST JESUS, WAS A MAN AND AS THE SON OF MAN WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY HIMSELF WITH FALLEN HUMANITY ( YET WITHOUT SIN) AND SO HE UNDERSTANDS OUR NEED TO BE RIGHT WITH GOD.
(PHIL 2:6-7) 6WHO, BEING IN VERY NATURE[A] GOD, DID NOT CONSIDER EQUALITY WITH GOD SOMETHING TO BE GRASPED, 7BUT MADE HIMSELF NOTHING, TAKING THE VERY NATURE[B] OF A SERVANT, BEING MADE IN HUMAN LIKENESS. 8AND BEING FOUND IN APPEARANCE AS A MAN,
• AND WHAT HE ACCOMPLISHED..... HIS EXCLUSIVE WORK AS MEDIATOR NO OTHER CAN REDEEM.
HE HUMBLED HIMSELF AND BECAME OBEDIENT TO DEATH— EVEN DEATH ON A CROSS! 9THEREFORE GOD EXALTED HIM TO THE HIGHEST PLACE AND GAVE HIM THE NAME THAT IS ABOVE EVERY NAME, 10THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH, 11AND EVERY TONGUE CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER.
THROUGH HIS ATONING DEATH UPON THE CROSS JESUS MEETS THE JUST DEMANDS OF GOD - IDENTIFIES WITH FALLEN HUMANITY YET WITHOUT SIN, PAYS THE PRICE FOR OUR SINS AND PURCHASES OUR REDEMPTION ON OUR BEHALF HAS PURCHASED THROUGH HIS MEDIATION A BETTER AND NEW COVENANT WHICH HAS BROUGH US BACK INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
THIS IS WHAT CHRIST JESUS, MANHOOD AND DEITY ROLLED INTO ONE, HAS ACCOMPLISHED. BY GIVING HIS LIFE A RANSOM (V6) IN ORDER TO REDEEM US FROM THE EMPTY WAY OF LIFE IN ADAM. AS JESUS SAID THE SON OF MAN CAME TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY (MARK 10:45) .
IT WAS FOR YOU AND FOR ME AND THAT’S WHY WE NEED TO BELIEVE AND PROCLAIM TO OTHERS NO MATTER WHAT THEY MIGHT SAY TO THE OTHERWISE.... THERE IS ONE GOD AND ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN MAN AND GOD THE MAN CHRIST JESUS.
DO YOU KNOW HIM?
