February 8 – LD 6, Day 4: Our Lord Jesus Christ is That Mediator

I Peter 3:18, For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened in the Spirit.”

You may have noticed that as we examined the qualifications for our Mediator given by the Bible and summarized by the catechism, it is impossible to be abstract and theoretical. Each time we examined one of the details, we had to relate it to Jesus.  The reason is obvious; our Mediator is not a thought or an idea to be set forth like the chapter of a book.  He is our life and hope. Hence we could not keep silent as to Who He is, we had to make reference to Him as the One who alone is qualified to reconcile us to God.

The catechism now sets Him forth in all His glory. Who then is that Mediator, who is in one person both very God and a real righteous man? OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST!

He meets all the qualifications.

He is a righteous man as we read in the Matthew account (1:23) which quotes Isaiah 7:14 “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name, Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” The virgin Mary could not understand how she could become pregnant without a male. The answer was re-assuring, Luke1:35, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

No wonder His name is Immanuel, God with us. He is a real human being who received his human nature from the virgin Mary. He is also a Divine Person, as the Holy Spirit fathered Him and brought forth the Son OF GOD.

Thus the text quoted above indicates that Christ was the just one who suffered for the unjust. Christ was sinless and thus He was able to offer Himself as a substitute for sinners. He was put to death in the flesh,this tells us that He accomplished atonement on our behalf. He was quickened in the Spirit to make us alive.

Children of God say together, “Our Lord Jesus Christ”. I trust He is yours as well.