Why is Jesus our Mediator before God?

The concept of Jesus as our Mediator before God is foundational to Christian theology. This role highlights His unique position in bridging the gap between a holy God and sinful humanity. Understanding why Jesus is our Mediator involves exploring various aspects of His identity, His work on earth, and His ongoing ministry. The Bible provides profound insights into this critical doctrine.

The Necessity of a Mediator

The Holiness of God

The Bible consistently teaches that God is holy, meaning He is completely separate from sin. His holiness is a defining attribute that underscores His perfect purity and righteousness.

• Isaiah 6:3 (NKJV): “And one cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!'”

God’s holiness makes it impossible for sinful humanity to approach Him directly. This separation creates the need for a mediator.

The Sinfulness of Humanity

All humans have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Sin creates a barrier between God and people, necessitating mediation.

• Romans 3:23 (NKJV): “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

The universal nature of sin means that no one can claim righteousness on their own, highlighting the need for a mediator to reconcile humanity to God.

Jesus’ Unique Qualification as Mediator

The Divinity and Humanity of Jesus

Jesus is uniquely qualified to be our Mediator because He is both fully God and fully man. This dual nature enables Him to bridge the gap between God and humanity.

• John 1:1, 14 (NKJV): “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

By being divine, Jesus embodies God’s perfect nature. By being human, He fully experiences the human condition, yet without sin.

The Sinlessness of Jesus

Jesus lived a sinless life, qualifying Him to be the perfect sacrifice for sin and the perfect mediator between God and humanity.

• Hebrews 4:15 (NKJV): “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

His sinlessness means that He can offer Himself as a spotless sacrifice, satisfying God’s requirement for holiness. No other person qualifies to be man’s Mediator but Him.

Jesus’ Role as Mediator

The Sacrificial Death of Jesus

Jesus’ death on the cross is central to His mediating role. His sacrifice atones for the sins of humanity, making reconciliation with God possible.

• 1 Peter 2:24 (NKJV): “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.”

Through His sacrificial death, Jesus paid the penalty for sin, allowing those who trust in Him to be justified before God.

The Resurrection of Jesus

Jesus’ resurrection is crucial because it demonstrates His victory over sin and death, affirming His power to mediate on our behalf.

• 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 (NKJV): “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”

The resurrection confirms that Jesus’ sacrificial death was accepted by God, guaranteeing eternal life for believers.

The Ongoing Mediation of Jesus

Jesus as Our High Priest

In His ongoing ministry, Jesus serves as our High Priest, continually interceding for us before God.

• Hebrews 7:25 (NKJV): “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

Jesus’ priestly intercession ensures that believers are continually represented before God, maintaining their reconciled status.

Jesus as Our Advocate

Jesus also acts as our Advocate, defending us against the accusations of the enemy.

• 1 John 2:1 (NKJV): “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

As our Advocate, Jesus pleads our case before God, ensuring that we remain in right standing despite our failures.

The Benefits of Jesus’ Mediation

Reconciliation with God

Through Jesus’ mediation, believers are reconciled with God, restoring the relationship that sin had broken.

• 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (NKJV): “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”

This reconciliation brings peace with God and the restoration of fellowship with Him.

Access to God

Jesus’ mediation grants believers direct access to God, enabling them to approach Him with confidence.

• Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV): “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

This access is a profound privilege, allowing believers to communicate with God freely and receive His grace.

Assurance of Salvation

Believers have assurance of their salvation because of Jesus’ continual mediation. His finished work on the cross and ongoing intercession guarantee eternal security.

• John 10:27-28 (NKJV): “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”

This assurance is rooted in the reliability and sufficiency of Jesus’ mediating work.

Jesus’ Mediation and the New Covenant

The Establishment of the New Covenant

Jesus’ role as Mediator is closely linked to the establishment of the New Covenant, which offers a better relationship with God based on grace rather than the law.

• Hebrews 8:6 (NKJV): “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.”

The New Covenant promises forgiveness of sins and a transformed heart, made possible through Jesus’ mediation.

The Blood of the Covenant

Jesus’ blood, shed on the cross, is the foundation of the New Covenant, providing the means for forgiveness and cleansing from sin.

• Matthew 26:28 (NKJV): “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

His sacrificial blood establishes the New Covenant, fulfilling the requirements of the old and instituting a new relationship between God and humanity.

The Uniqueness of Jesus’ Mediation

The Exclusivity of Christ

Jesus is the only mediator between God and humanity, as no one else possesses His unique qualifications and achievements.

• 1 Timothy 2:5 (NKJV): “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”

This exclusivity underscores the necessity of faith in Jesus for salvation and reconciliation with God.

The Sufficiency of Christ

Jesus’ mediation is entirely sufficient for our salvation, meaning that nothing else is needed to reconcile us to God.

• Hebrews 10:14 (NKJV): “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

The sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice and ongoing intercession ensures that believers are fully and eternally reconciled to God.

Living in Light of Jesus’ Mediation

Embracing Grace

Believers are called to live in the grace provided through Jesus’ mediation, relying on His completed work rather than their own efforts.

• Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV): “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Living in grace means trusting in Jesus’ mediation and recognizing that our standing with God is based on His merits, not our own.

Pursuing Holiness

While we rely on Jesus’ mediation, we are also called to pursue holiness, living lives that reflect our reconciled relationship with God.

• 1 Peter 1:15-16 (NKJV): “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.'”

Our pursuit of holiness is a response to the grace and reconciliation we have received through Jesus.

Sharing the Message

Believers are also called to share the message of Jesus’ mediation with others, inviting them to experience reconciliation with God.

• 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NKJV): “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”

As ambassadors for Christ, we have the privilege and responsibility of proclaiming the gospel and the mediation of Jesus to the world.

Conclusion

Jesus is our Mediator before God because of His unique qualifications as both fully God and fully man, His sinless life, His sacrificial death, His resurrection, and His ongoing ministry as High Priest and Advocate. No other person qualifies to be man’s Mediator but Him. Through His mediation, believers are reconciled to God, granted access to Him, and assured of their salvation.

Paul affirmed, “And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15, NKJV). Because of Christ’s mediation, believers can again be “called children of God” (1 John 3:1, NKJV). And by His grace they can overcome the power of sin in their lives (2 Corinthians 3:18).