Part 10 (1/2)
ONE G.o.d AND ONE MEDIATOR.
”_For there is one G.o.d_, _and one Mediator between G.o.d and man_, _the man Christ Jesus_.”-1 Tim. ii. 5.
THE apostle Paul urges the propriety, and importance of praying for all men, in the several conditions and relations of life, from a consideration of G.o.d's merciful intentions toward all men, as exhibited in the sufficiency of the gospel provision for their salvation. But if any are saved, it must be through the medium which G.o.d has ordained, and in the manner which G.o.d has prescribed. Therefore the apostle adds: ”For there is one G.o.d, and one Mediator between G.o.d and man, the man Christ Jesus.” ”There is one G.o.d,” to whom sinners have to be reconciled; ”and one Mediator,” through whom that reconciliation is to be effected. We have a nearly parallel pa.s.sage in another epistle: ”To us there is but one G.o.d, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” The unity of G.o.d, and the mediation of Christ, are the two great topics of the text, to which we solicit your attention.
I. ”For there is one G.o.d.” Two infinite beings cannot co-exist, unless they are one in essence and in operation. The G.o.d of Israel pervades the universe of matter, and fills the immensity of s.p.a.ce. There is no room for another G.o.d, possessing the same ubiquity. ”There is one G.o.d and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” In him alone, all things live, move, and have their being.
This doctrine is stamped on all the works of nature. They all exhibit unity of design, and must have been contrived by the same infinite wisdom, and executed by the same infinite power. The hand which created and arranged them is constantly seen in their preservation. The Maker of all things continues to uphold all things by the word of his power. The great Architect still presides over the immense fabric which he has reared. The universe, from age to age, is governed by the same unvarying laws. All things remain as they were from the beginning. The earth, the air, and the sea, sustain the same mutual relations, and answer the same important ends; and the sun, the moon, and the stars, s.h.i.+ne on for ever.
The same order and regularity everywhere prevail, as when the chorus of the morning stars welcomed the new creation into being. Nature proclaims aloud: ”There is one G.o.d.”
The same doctrine is impressed upon the Bible. It is not only the book of G.o.d, but evidently the book of ”one G.o.d.” It is a series of Divine Revelations, reaching from Eden to Calvary, and from Calvary onward to the end of the world. It is a golden chain, pa.s.sing through all time, and uniting the two eternities; and all its links are similar, and depend upon each other. Its several parts are perfectly harmonious, proving them to have emanated from the same infinite mind. Everywhere we find the same character of G.o.d and of man; the same description of the law and of sin; the same way of pardon, and holiness, and immortal life. The same Eternal Spirit, that inspired the Historian of Creation, speaks in the Apocalypse of St. John, and in all the intervenient books of the Bible. It was the same Sun of Righteousness, that rose in Eden, and set on Calvary; and thence rose again the third day, to set no more for ever.
”The world by wisdom knew not G.o.d.” The heathen lost the doctrine of the unity of G.o.d; not because it was difficult to preserve, but because they did not love the character of G.o.d, ”did not like to retain G.o.d in their knowledge.” The pride of the carnal mind led them to turn away from the light of heaven, to walk amid sparks of their own kindling. They boasted of their wisdom; they boasted of their philosophy. And what gained they by the exchange? The most absurd and stupid notions of the Great First Cause; almost total ignorance of his attributes. ”Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools; and changed the glory of the incorruptible G.o.d into an image made with hands, like unto corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.” Shame to philosophic Greece and Rome!
No nation, having once lost the doctrine of the unity of G.o.d, ever regained it by the light of nature. If the light of nature is sufficient to preserve it in possession, it is not sufficient to restore it lost.
It is restored only by the gospel. The gospel has restored it in India, in Otaheite, and other heathen lands. It has done more; it has revealed to the savage the only way of salvation; it has ”brought life and immortality to light.”
”Fly abroad, thou mighty gospel!
Win and conquer! never cease!”
Lift up thy voice with strength, and proclaim to Greece and Rome, and to all the ends of the earth, as well as to the cities of Judah, that the Son of Mary is the G.o.d of Israel, ”G.o.d manifest in the flesh,” ”G.o.d blessed forever!” ”The man Christ Jesus” is ”the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of His person, in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the G.o.dhead bodily;” ”in whom also we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”
II. But this leads us to our second topic: ”And one Mediator between G.o.d and man, the man Christ Jesus.” The two doctrines, you perceive, are intimately related to each other. ”One G.o.d”-”One Mediator.” As we have but ”one G.o.d,” we need but ”one Mediator.” As that Mediator is himself G.o.d, the merit of his mediation is sufficient for the salvation of all them that believe.
The office of a Mediator supposes two parties at variance, between whom he interposes to produce a reconciliation. It is thus ”between G.o.d and man.” G.o.d gave man a law, ”holy, and just, and good;” man revolted, and ”there is wrath.” Reconciliation is impossible, without the intervention of a mediator. Let us look at the parties engaged in this dreadful controversy.
On one side we see Jehovah, possessed of infinite perfections, and clothed with uncreated excellence and glory. He is self-existent, independent and eternal. Omnipresence, Omniscience, and Almightiness are his. He is great in wisdom, full of goodness, slow to anger, and ready to pardon. His love is ineffable, and ”his mercy endureth for ever.” He is ”glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders.” These perfections are the pearls and diamonds in his crown. ”With him also is terrible majesty.” Life and joy are in his smile, but the angel of destruction waits upon his frown. One beam of his love can raise thousands of men to heaven: one glance of his anger, sink myriads of angels to h.e.l.l. ”He sitteth upon the circles of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as gra.s.shoppers.” ”All nations before him are as nothing; they are counted less than nothing and vanity.” ”He doeth according to his will among the children of men, and ruleth the armies of heaven.” ”At his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.” O what majesty and power belong unto the Lord our G.o.d!
With this imperfect view, contrast the impotence and insignificance of sinful man. What is he? A being of yesterday, ”whose breath is in his nostrils,” and ”whose foundation is in the dust.” A frail, helpless, peris.h.i.+ng thing; dependent upon G.o.d, the Creator, for all his comforts, for life itself. What is man? A fool; an alien from all good; an embodiment of all evil. His understanding is dark; his will perverse; his affections carnal. His ”throat is an open sepulchre;” swallowing up ”whatsoever things are true, pure, lovely, or of good report;” emitting a pestilential vapor, which withers every green herb, and sweet flower, and delicious fruit, of honor to G.o.d, and happiness to man. ”The poison of asps is under his tongue;” an inflaming poison, affecting all the members, and ”setting on fire the whole course of nature, and it is set on fire of h.e.l.l.” ”His heart is fully set in him to do evil;” ”deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” He is an enemy to his Maker; a rebel against Jehovah; a blank-nay, worse-a blot in G.o.d's creation; dead to every virtue, dead to every thing but sin; lost to every gracious purpose of his being; a withered branch, fit only to be plucked off, and cast into the fire; stubble, ready for the burning. ”Let him alone!”
said Reason. ”Cut him down!” cried Justice. ”I hate the workers of iniquity!” added Holiness. ”He or I must peris.h.!.+” exclaimed Truth.
”Spare him! Spare him! Spare him!” pleaded weeping Mercy. And Wisdom came forth, leading the Son of G.o.d, and said: ”I have found a ransom!
Behold the Mediator!” And all the attributes met and embraced at the manger, and kissed each other at the cross!
It was man's place, as the offender, to seek a reconciliation. G.o.d was under no obligation. But, alas! man had neither the means nor the inclination. What could be done? Hear, O ye heavens! and be astonished!
Listen, O earth! and wonder and adore! While man was far from G.o.d, an enemy in his heart by wicked works, rus.h.i.+ng on in determined hostility to his Maker's government, and there was no sacrifice found for his sin, and no disposition in him to seek a sacrifice, G.o.d sought within himself the adequate and only means of pardon and peace. He found in his own bosom the Lamb for the altar; exhibited him to Israel in the predictions and promises of the Old Testament; and in the fulness of time, sent him forth to expiate sin, by the offering of himself, once for all. ”For the Word was made 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.” ”And being found in fas.h.i.+on as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross.”
G.o.d provided a Mediator. Why? Did he fear that the deserved ruin of the human race would dethrone eternal Justice? No. Eternal Justice would have been honored as much in their destruction as in their salvation.
The law would have been as fully vindicated in the infliction of its penalty upon the transgressor, as in the reparation of its breach by a vicarious atonement. The glory of the Divine government would have been untarnished, as when the rebel angels were cast down from heaven, and locked up in everlasting darkness. This wondrous provision was not the result of necessity, but the prompting of Infinite Love. Divine Mercy sought to remove the barrier interposed by Divine Justice. The sinner cannot be pardoned, till his Great Subst.i.tute has met the demands of the law. There must be a full satisfaction and settlement of its claims, as the only ground on which the rebel can be acquitted.
Love is the ”Alpha and Omega” of redemption, the love of G.o.d to man.
Read it in the journey of the Mediator from heaven to earth! Read it in his pilgrimage through the land of sorrow! Behold him ”nailed to the shameful tree!” See the blood and water gus.h.i.+ng from his side! Hear the sound of the water-spouts, as the floods of wrath rollover him! Then ask the reason. The answer is: ”G.o.d is love.” ”He is not willing that any should perish.” It seemed good in his sight to save his rebel children, whatever it might cost him. ”G.o.d so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” ”Herein is love, not that we loved G.o.d”-no; we hated him; we were his sworn, inveterate foes; ”but that he loved us”-loved us while we were yet enemies-loved us with an ineffable love; ”and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
Wonderful must be the qualifications of such a Mediator. He fills with his own merit the gap between two worlds. He bows the heavens, and lifts up the earth to meet them. He takes hold of G.o.d and man, and brings them together in himself. He reconciles the rebel and the law, glorifies the Father by humbling himself, and his cross becomes our life, and his tomb the birthplace of our immortality.
England and Wales could not be united till the son of the king of England was born in Wales, and became Prince of Wales. The English regarded him as heir to the throne of England; while the Welsh claimed him as their brother, a native of their own country, born in the castle of Caernarvon.
Behold ”the well beloved”-”the only begotten of the Father,” ”heir of all things,” ”Lord of lords, and King of kings,” born ”in Bethlehem of Judea;” ”the Son of G.o.d-the Son of man;” partaking of both natures, and representing both parties in the great controversy. He is ”the Mighty G.o.d, and the Everlasting Father;” yet he is our near kinsman-bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh. In his person, heaven and earth are joined; by his blood, G.o.d and man are reconciled. Heaven is his throne, for G.o.d is his father; earth is his princ.i.p.ality, for it is the land of his nativity. In him angels recognise their King, and men behold their brother.
I gaze on the cross, and methinks I hear the victim say: ”Look unto me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth; for I am G.o.d, and beside me there is none else. I opened a way for my people of old, by dividing the waters, to the Canaan of Promise; I am now preparing a path for believers, through the red sea of my blood, to the inheritance in heaven.