A need for a Mediator
1 John 2:1 ESV
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
To fully understand this passage about Christ as our “Advocate” or our “Mediator” as the New King James version says, I think that we first need to back up and consider these questions:
• What is the condition of man?
• How does that condition affect our relationship with God?
• What is a mediator and why do we need one?
The Bible tells us that we, as image bearers of God, have openly rebelled against our Creator since the beginning of time. Our father Adam sinned on behalf of all mankind, causing us to be sinners by nature. Verses like Psalm 51:5 and Psalm 58:3 say that we are born sinners. Not only are we sinners by nature, but we are also sinners by choice. Romans 3:23 says “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
So what does this mean for us? What are the consequences of sinning against a Holy God; and what does that do to our relationship with Him?
Because we have sinned against God, Isaiah 59:2 says “but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” And out of that separation from your God and Creator comes death (physical and spiritual).
We stand guilty before a Just Judge and are sentenced to death (Rom 6:23). Because God is a Holy and Just God we who are sinful are unworthy to be in His presence; and because of our guilt we are unable to plea our case because He will not listen.
Job understood this; That God is a Just God and that His verdict cannot be disputed. He says in Job 9:14 “How then can I answer Him, And choose my words to reason with Him? For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him; I would beg mercy of my Judge. If I called and He answered me, I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.”
Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (God speaking through him) Job observes that because God is so Great and Glorious, that God cannot sympathize or understand what it is like to be a man tempted by sin; Unless God became a man! (Job 10:4-6)
Job then continues to point out that since God is holy and we are unworthy of His presence; and since God is not a man that he could sympathize with our struggles; we are in need of a Mediator, someone who is great and worthy in the eyes of God and who is also able to speak to us and sympathize with our struggles.
He says in Job 32:35 “For He is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both. Let Him take His rod away from me, And do not let dread of Him terrify me. Then I would speak and not fear Him, But it is not so with me.”
So in the New Testament we see in verses like our subject text in 1 John that Jesus is our Mediator, He pleas our case to the Father on our behalf (kind of like a lawyer if we keep with the court room theme). We see that because Jesus is both fully God and fully man he is worthy and he can understand the struggles we face as a man and can serve as the perfect Mediator between us and the Father.
Hebrews 7:26 tells us that he is worthy, saying “For such a High Priest [a mediator] was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;”
But also Hebrews 4:15 tells us that he was a man who can understand from our perspective, saying “For we do not have a High Priest [a mediator] who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
So even though we are unworthy to come into the presence of God and unworthy to be heard by Him, as Hebrews 4:16 said, Though Jesus we can boldly approach the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
To fully understand this passage about Christ as our “Advocate” or our “Mediator” as the New King James version says, I think that we first need to back up and consider these questions:
• What is the condition of man?
• How does that condition affect our relationship with God?
• What is a mediator and why do we need one?
The Bible tells us that we, as image bearers of God, have openly rebelled against our Creator since the beginning of time. Our father Adam sinned on behalf of all mankind, causing us to be sinners by nature. Verses like Psalm 51:5 and Psalm 58:3 say that we are born sinners. Not only are we sinners by nature, but we are also sinners by choice. Romans 3:23 says “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
So what does this mean for us? What are the consequences of sinning against a Holy God; and what does that do to our relationship with Him?
Because we have sinned against God, Isaiah 59:2 says “but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” And out of that separation from your God and Creator comes death (physical and spiritual).
We stand guilty before a Just Judge and are sentenced to death (Rom 6:23). Because God is a Holy and Just God we who are sinful are unworthy to be in His presence; and because of our guilt we are unable to plea our case because He will not listen.
Job understood this; That God is a Just God and that His verdict cannot be disputed. He says in Job 9:14 “How then can I answer Him, And choose my words to reason with Him? For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him; I would beg mercy of my Judge. If I called and He answered me, I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.”
Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (God speaking through him) Job observes that because God is so Great and Glorious, that God cannot sympathize or understand what it is like to be a man tempted by sin; Unless God became a man! (Job 10:4-6)
Job then continues to point out that since God is holy and we are unworthy of His presence; and since God is not a man that he could sympathize with our struggles; we are in need of a Mediator, someone who is great and worthy in the eyes of God and who is also able to speak to us and sympathize with our struggles.
He says in Job 32:35 “For He is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both. Let Him take His rod away from me, And do not let dread of Him terrify me. Then I would speak and not fear Him, But it is not so with me.”
So in the New Testament we see in verses like our subject text in 1 John that Jesus is our Mediator, He pleas our case to the Father on our behalf (kind of like a lawyer if we keep with the court room theme). We see that because Jesus is both fully God and fully man he is worthy and he can understand the struggles we face as a man and can serve as the perfect Mediator between us and the Father.
Hebrews 7:26 tells us that he is worthy, saying “For such a High Priest [a mediator] was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;”
But also Hebrews 4:15 tells us that he was a man who can understand from our perspective, saying “For we do not have a High Priest [a mediator] who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
So even though we are unworthy to come into the presence of God and unworthy to be heard by Him, as Hebrews 4:16 said, Though Jesus we can boldly approach the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.