Christ Our Mediator

The Lord Jesus Christ is the one and only Mediator with God, through the everlasting covenant. He works in believers to do what is well pleasing to God (Hebrews 13:20-21). God the Father is well pleased in his only begotten Son. We can only please God when his Son Jesus works in us, and through us to the praise of his glory. 

"For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time" (1 Timothy 2:5-6). A mediator brings two parties together who are in disagreement. God's disagreement with us is on one issue alone. That is our sin. There is only one Mediator with God. Jesus is the believer's one and only Mediator.

God the Father gave his only begotten Son as our one and only Mediator of his mercy, grace and love (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ is rejecting God's mercy, grace and love. Jesus is our one and only Mediator with God, because he alone is the God-Man. He is fully God and fully man, as incarnate deity.

Jesus gave himself as every believer's ransom at the cross. He is the gift of God the Father, who alone has paid the price to set believers free from condemnation and wrath (John 3:18, 36; Romans 8:1). That's why Jesus is our one and only Mediator with God. Jesus died for sinners at the cross. He is risen from the dead as the believer's one and only Mediator with God.

How to Trust God

The first lesson a baby learns in life is to trust. The bond between a mother and the infant is trust. The baby learns to trust the mother to be there. The cry is heard and mother's loving arms lift the infant for nurture and care. So all who are born again can trust God.

Trust God and lean not on your own understanding. The Bible says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding"(Proverbs 3:5). None of us can understand all about the greatness of God. Our understanding is limited. Like an infant who does not understand the mother, yet trust is developed. There is so much that we don't understand about God. Trust God and lean not on your own understanding.

Trust God by believing his promises in the Bible. Trusting God is believing his promises according to Holy Scripture. He is faithful to all his promises in the Bible. Our bond with God is based upon his word of promise found in the Bible. If you trust God, you are trusting the promises of his word.

Trust all God's promises in the Bible. Read the promises of God. Pray the promises of God. Trust God to always keep his word of promise in your life. Trust God when you understand and when you don't. If you trust God, you are depending upon his word.

Two Sides of God's Will

Millard Erickson wrote, "We must distinguish between two different senses of God’s will, which we will refer to as God’s "wish" (will-1) and God’s "will" (will-2). The former is God’s general intention, the values with which He is pleased. The latter is God’s specific intention in a given situation, what He decides will actually occur."

Dr. Erickson spoke of two senses in which we understand God's will in the Bible. One way is God's will in the sense of a wish. The other sense is God's done. You could say that the Bible speaks of God's will of command and God's will of decree that shall be done.

God's will of command is what he wants us to do. It's God's revealed will for our lives. We have all disobeyed God's revealed will in one way or the other. That is sin, and we have all sinned (Romans 3:23). Understand the other sense of God's will is his decree. It shall be done. 

God's will of command is seen in Acts 17:30. God commands all people to repent. That side of God's will is his desire for all to repent. However, God's will of decree is seen in Acts 17:31. He has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness. It shall be done according to God's decree.

Saved Without Doubt

As a Christian, there may be times when you doubt your salvation. Such doubts are most often because we focus upon ourselves and not on Christ. Trusting in ourselves leaves room for all manner of doubt. Be saved and sure is focusing upon Christ alone. It's knowing who saved you. 

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). Be saved and sure focused upon what Christ has done for you at the cross and through his resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). You are saved by what Christ is doing in you and through you (Colossians 1:27; Hebrews 13:20-21). In Christ alone you are saved. Be saved without doubt, believing and trusting in Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14).

Focused on Christ alone is the way to be saved without doubt. Then, you can say, "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him until that Day" (2 Timothy 1:12). Be saved and sure by faith in Christ alone. He alone has the authority and power to save you and keep you. 

Focus on Christ alone to be saved without doubt. Focus on his work for you and in you. The grace of Christ initiates your salvation. What he begins, Christ is more than able to finish. "Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it unto the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

God Is Not Partial

The apostle Peter learned through divine revelation that God is not partial. He was a Jew sent by God to preach to Gentiles. "Then Peter opened his mouth and said, 'In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality"(Acts 10:34).

God is not partial, because His love is for the world (John 3:16). The Greek word translated world is kosmos. It means the whole human family, all of mankind. God created the whole human family. He loves all mankind. That leaves none out. God demonstrated his love for us as sinners at the cross of Jesus (Romans 5:8). God's love is received, believing in his only begotten Son.

God is not partial, because His love, mercy, and grace is for all nations, races and ethnic groups. The Bible declares: "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men" (Titus 2:11). There's abundant mercy in God for people of all nations (Revelation 5:9). 

God's love is for people of all nations. Jesus sent the apostles into all nations to preach the gospel and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). The invitation of God the Father, through Jesus Christ, is offered to all people everywhere, with no partiality. "Whoever believes in him will receive remission of sins" (Acts 10:43).

We Walk with God

Believers can walk with God. He welcomes us to walk with him. We can walk with God daily. "For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). God is Spirit (John 4:24). He is your unseen companion everyday and everywhere.

We may say, "I don't feel worthy to walk with God." Neither do I. We don't feel worthy because we are not worthy. Yet, faith in Jesus Christ enables you to walk with God. He died for ally your sins upon the cross. He forgives your sins. In Christ alone, you become worthy to walk with God. Believers walk with God daily by faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.

We walk with God through peace. We have missed God, when there is doubt and no peace. He sustains your faith and peace daily. Your walk with God is walking in the Spirit. "I say then: Walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:16). Faith is a gift of the Spirit (1 Cor. 13:13). Peace is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).

We walk with God through love. The love of God is the constant companion of all who walk with God. Love will lead you each step of the way. Love walks with you on the right path. Love will walk with you through every valley. Love will keep you all along the way. "And walk in love as Christ has also loved us" (Ephesians 5:2). 

The Great White Throne

In Revelation 20:11-15, the apostle John saw a vision of the great white throne of God. This is the last judgment at the end of the millennium, or thousand year reign of Christ on this earth. The throne of God is described earlier in Revelation as surrounded by a rainbow, a sign of God's mercy (Rev. 4:3). Now, the rainbow is gone. White is symbolic of God's holiness. Those who are lost shall be judged without mercy.

God's great white throne is the end of this present age, making way for the eternal age. John's vision sees this earth passing away. He testified, "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away" (Rev. 20:11). Believers shall see a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells (Rev. 21:1; 2 Peter 3:13).

God's great white throne is the last judgment. The dead are judged according to the open books. John had a vision of the books of works and the Book of Life. "And the dead were judged according to their works" (Rev. 20:12). The Book of Life has the names of all who are redeemed. Elsewhere, it is referred to as the Lamb's Book of Life (Rev. 13:8). Jesus is every believer's Passover Lamb. We are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

"And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:15). The lake of fire is the place of everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:41). It was prepared for the devil and all fallen angels. It is also the place for all who are lost.