Dealing With a Mystery


In the previous Lord’s Days I have seen that I cannot escape God’s covenant wrath. 

  • Every sin must be paid for. 
  • Neither will I be received in favor again unless I fulfill God’s covenant demand. 
  • I need a Mediator. 
  • A mediator is someone who intervenes, who “goes between” two parties with the goal of bringing the two parties together again.
I do not just need any mediator. 
  • He must be special. 
  • He must be man, but not just any man. 
  • He must be a true and righteous man. 
  • Furthermore, he must be more than man; he must be true God. 
It would be good to understand that I am dealing with a mystery here.
  • I cannot understand how a person can be true man and true God at the same time. 
  • I believe it because the Bible teaches this to me,
  • and I accept it in child-like faith even though I do not understand it.
My Mediator must be a true man, that is, real man, 
  • in order to bear the curse of the covenant. 
  • My Mediator could not be an animal or an angel, for my just God will not punish a different creature for the sins which man has committed. 
  • Man sinned, not an animal or an angel. 
  • Thus God will only punish man, not an animal or angel.
My Mediator must be a true man, that is, real man, in order to fulfill the demand of the covenant. 
  • God established His covenant with man whom He created in His own image. 
  • Man knew God as no other creature knew Him. 
  • Man loved God as no other creature could love Him. 
  • No other creature could render the perfect obedience out of love that God demands in the covenant. 
Consider this example: a couple have lost their only child. 
  • Friends encourage the couple to purchase a little dog to help fill the void. 
  • Yet as affectionate as a dog may be, it can hardly serve as a substitute for a child who is flesh of their flesh, and bone of their bone. 
  • A dog cannot render the same love that a child can. 
  • In like manner, no creature could possibly serve as a substitute for man whom God created in His own image.
My Mediator must be a Righteous man.
  • Righteous means to be free from the guilt and pollution of sin in order to bear the curse of the covenant. 
  • A sinner owes a great debt to God. 
  • And someone who is deeply in debt himself, cannot pay for the debt of someone else.
  • For this reason my Mediator had to be free from debt (sin). 
  • Only then could He possibly pay for the debt (sins) of others. 
  • For this reason my Mediator had to be a righteous man.
Furthermore, my Mediator must be a righteous man, 
  • free from the pollution of sin, 
  • so that He might be able to fulfill the demand of the covenant. 
  • He must not share in the horrible corruption that has come upon fallen man. 
  • His understanding must not be impaired, nor his heart sinfully inclined, or his will enslaved to evil. 
  • He must be pure in heart, clear in understanding and free in will,
  • so that He can render that perfect obedience which God requires in the covenant.
To Be Continued...
Adapted Excerpt from Only by True Faith by Van Delden

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