CHRIST OUR MEDIATOR AND ADVOCATE.
By Emma L. Runck
“There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” 1 Tim. 2:5. When two persons can not agree, it is a common custom for some one to act as a mediator. It is in this way that Christ acts between God and man. The natural man is separated from God. In his sinful condition he is not reconciled to the government of God, for “the carnal [or natural] mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Rom. 8:7. Man must be changed, cleansed from sin, before he can be subject to God’s righteous government. In order for Christ to be a mediator between God and man, it was necessary for Him to know the exact feeling of both. He already knew God; for He was the Son of God, and had the same divine nature as His Father. But He could not fully understand the condition of man until He came and took the place of man, in the same human flesh. Then He could have full sympathy for man.5 It was for the sake of fallen humanity that Christ left His royal throne, and came to this dark and sin-cursed earth. When the Saviour came, men had sunken so deep in sin and wickedness that they did not receive the One who had so graciously come to help them. He was “despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Because God can not accept man in his rebellious and sinful condition, that does not prove Him to be a hard Master, as some may think. He loves the sinner, and because of His great love He gave His Son to die for him, that the sinner might be separated from his sin, which, if not removed, must forever separate him from God and happiness. Christ comes to us as a friend and helper, as One who has power and influence with God. He brings to us the terms by which, if we accept them, we may be restored to favor with God. “All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.” “If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Every person has a case at the bar of God, because we all have sinned. “We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” But if we have Christ for our advocate, why should we fear? He is the only-begotten of the Father, and He is a man. As the human He represents us, as the divine He pleads for us. The Mediator is the “Man Christ Jesus.” For “in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted.” Finally, when the judgment shall sit, and the books shall be opened, He comes before the Father as the advocate of every one who believed His Word, and He delivers all such from the destruction that comes upon the wicked. Our Advocate, tho the Son of God, is from one of the human family; as such He is our representative. Can we not safely trust ourselves and all our interests, both now and forever, in His hands, saying with the apostle Paul, “For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day”? 2 Tim. 1:12. EMMA L. RUNCK. Alma, Neb.