Who Is Christ-- Part 2

Today’s message is the second part of the lesson that we began last Sunday: Who Is Christ? We begin by reading Philippians 2, emphasizing verses 6-11, the great Christological passage of the Bible. This is relative to our subject—Christ, the Mediator.

Christ was possessed with of all the essential attributes and properties of Deity, but He did not use them except at the pleasure and will of the Father. In taking upon Himself the form of a servant, Christ did not cease to be “in the form of God.” Paul said, “…although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself [laid aside His privileges], taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:6-8 NASB). There was a change of form, but there was no change of content. The eternal Son of God could not become someone less than He is eternally.

Jesus Christ voluntarily accepted the office of Mediator between God and man “long before” He became Jesus in time. “And she [Mary] will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people [the elect—John 17] from their sins” (Matt. 1:21 NASB). This took place because it had been prophesied (Matt. 1:22-25). That is why Scripture states that the Lamb has been slain (perfect passive participle of the verb sphadzo, meaning slaughter or put to death—Rev. 13:8). Another important thing about this verse is the perfect passive indicative of the verb grapho, meaning to write, compose, or record. It is negated by the adverb ou, meaning “no.” In the NASB, the verse reads, “And all who dwell on the earth will worship him [the Antichrist], every one whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain” (NASB). Therefore, every person whose name is not written in the Lamb’s book of life will worship the Antichrist.

For the spiritual benefit of true Christians who understand spiritual things (I Cor. 2:7-16), let us emphasize the importance of the perfect tense in the Greek. The perfect tense expresses perfective action, which is completed action with continuing results, or completed action with a resulting state of being. It looks at both ends of the action. The action is not going on, but the results continue. The punctiliar and the linear are combined in the perfect tense. The perfect tense may be used as follows: (1) intensively—results of the action (Rom. 14:23); (2) consummatively—a consummated process (Rom. 5:5); (3) iteratively—action was broken while it was going on (I John 1:1); and (4) dramatically—brings the past vividly into the present (John 1:15).

The Mediator could not be God absolutely considered. Paul said, “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time” (I Tim. 2:5, 6 NASB). Therefore, what God does in the way of grace, He can never perform in the way of mediation. A mediator truly human would be a bridge from man’s side which could never reach God’s side. Jesus Christ, presented as the one Mediator between God and men, is the only Person qualified. He is more than man. He is the God-Man. Jesus Christ is not God and man in the sense of two persons, but He is one Person with two natures. Paul’s statement “God is one” denotes the unity of God. He also said, “Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one” (Gal. 3:20 NASB).

The oneness of the Godhead stands over against one humanity. God’s unity has a bearing on man’s salvation. Man’s salvation is possible because there are no gods that exercise conflicting powers over him. There is only one God who justifies the circumcision by faith (Jews) and the un-circumcision through faith (Gentiles) (Rom. 3:30).

The distance between the infinite God and finite man must be spanned by someone before sinful man can approach God. Jesus Christ as the God-Man is the answer for man’s need. He can lay His hands upon God and man. When Christians express what they know of Christ, they call Him the God-Man. If Christ does not differ from man, He could never be our Savior. The ultimate reason for the incarnation is the depravity of man. Sin requires redemption, and redemption requires the blood of Christ. Peter said, “Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God” (I Pet. 1:18-21 NASB).

The Son of God and the Son of man must be united in one. Some say Godhead and manhood are opposites; therefore, they exclude one another. That would be true if they were opposed to each other as infinite and finite. The answer is found in the fact that man was made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). Hence, God inclines toward man and imparts His likeness to man. However, do not make a serious mistake and speak of man receiving the Divine nature in regeneration. What God puts on man’s account is “likeness” not “Divine nature.” The Divine nature does not grow, but a God-like nature does grow. Therefore, it is said of the newly-born Christ, “And the child continued to grow, and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him” (Luke 2:40 NASB). It was Christ’s human nature that grew.

No one can deny that God shared some of the characteristics of man in the incarnation in order that the elect of God shall share some of the moral characteristics of God. Paul said, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom. 8:1-3 NASB). Peter, on the other side of this great doctrinal coin, said, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature [of the likenesses, not the divine nature itself], having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust” (II Pet. 1:2-4 NASB). The following verses give the answer to the words “divine nature.” “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love” (II Pet. 1:5-7 NASB).

The impeccable human nature Christ received and the God-like nature the elect receive must be clearly understood by every Christian. In the incarnation, the eternal Son of God did not unite Himself with the whole of Adam’s fallen nature. However, He did assume the portion that could taste of death. Life of the flesh is in the blood (Lev. 17:11). The sacrifice of Christ is portrayed by the animal sacrifice of the Levitical system. There were two reasons why blood was not to be eaten: (1) The physical death of the animal portrayed the spiritual death of Jesus Christ. They were not to eat the blood because of the representative analogy involved. (2) The analogy covered the subject of atonement. God gave blood to the Israelites for the atonement of their souls (Lev. 17:14; Heb. 10:10-14).

The chosen of God receive the God-like nature in regeneration. That does not mean they share in the very being of God, as many claim. Although God bestows upon His sheep “His precious and magnificent promises,” He does not give them “the divine nature.” Peter is talking about the moral qualities mentioned in II Peter 1:5-10, not deification in being born of the Spirit. Having been born of God, believers are partakers of spiritual blessings proper to Christians. Although Jesus Christ is the Son of God by eternal generation, the elect become the sons of God by regeneration. However, this does not mean that Christian sonship is the same nature as Christ’s Sonship. Beware of preachers who speak of a believer becoming a little Jesus!

Man’s depravity requires a Mediator. The fact that there is a Mediator proves that man is alienated from God. Here is a case where it can never be said that there is blame on both sides. Solomon said, “Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices” (Eccl. 7:29 NASB). All have sinned and come short of God’s glory, even the judges, prosecuting lawyers, and defense lawyers. It will be a great “existence” in “eternity” when there will be no need for judges and lawyers. Under theocracy, no creature will be hidden from God’s sight, “but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Heb. 4:13 NASB). Not only that, but our thoughts are known to God (Ps. 94:11; Luke 5:22; 6:8; I Cor. 3:20).

Man cannot have a mediator within himself. He cannot be his own mediator. There must be a third person for mediation to be a reality. He must be distinct from both of those between whom he mediates, and he must be capable of representing both.

A mediator stands between two parties. The necessity indicates a prosecutor against man (Job 1:6). Jesus Christ, the Mediator of the elect, differs from false mediators and lying priests. Christ is not content to negotiate as a third person between God dwelling in light and man dwelling in darkness. He is one with those whom He makes one in Himself (John 17:9-23). Christ is first the Mediator of reconciliation and then the Mediator of intercession (Rom. 5:10; Col. 1:20, 21; II Cor. 5:21).

Jesus Christ is the only Person qualified to stand between God and man (I Tim. 2:5). His two natures―Divine and human―qualify Him to be the Mediator. The wrath of God must be turned away and the effects of His enmity toward the elect must be removed to make perfect reconciliation. Therefore, the wrath of God demonstrated in Romans 1:18-32 is removed from the elect by Christ’s redemptive and reconciling work of Calvary described by Paul and Peter in Romans 3:24-31, II Corinthians 5:17-21, I Peter 1:1-12, and I Peter 1:18-21. Furthermore, the elect must be turned away from their opposition to God and brought into voluntary obedience to the one true and living God. Both of the requirements are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. How can reconciliation be reconciled with universal redemption? Those who believe in universal reconciliation are forced to admit they believe in a reconciliation that does not reconcile. The argument must conclude at that point of discussion, because the Christian does not want to “…give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine…” (Matt. 7:6 NASB).

Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Godhead, is the only suitable Person for mediation. The Person to serve as Mediator is called and sent by another to that office. The Father is not the Mediator because He is not the Son or the Son of David or born of woman. The Holy Spirit is not the proper Person for Mediator because He is sent by both Father and Son. Redemption must be paid to the Father by the Son who performed His work through the Spirit who was given to Him without measure (John 3:34).

There have been three ways of communicating with man. The first was the covenant of nature. Under it, man in a state of uprightness did not need a mediator. The second was the covenant of the law given to Moses. Under the Mosaic covenant, there was a mediator of communication. The third was the covenant of grace revealed in the gospel. Under this covenant, Jesus Christ is the true Mediator of reconciliation. He made peace by the blood of His cross between God and the elect. Nature and communication could not accomplish reconciliation. Jesus Christ, however, is the Mediator of reconciliation on behalf of His own, given to Him by the Father. He made satisfaction for the offence committed and satisfied injured justice. Paul said, “For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Rom. 5:10 NASB).