“But to us there is but one God, 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.”
(1 Corinthians 8:6)
Christians confess that there is but one living and true God, and one Lord Jesus Christ. Jeremy Taylor aptly wrote, “Christians believe there is a God, who is one, true, supreme and alone, infinitely wise, just, good, free, eternal, immense and blessed; in him alone we are to put our trust.”[1] This confession is the essential foundation for all true faith and worship.
God, the Creator of heaven and earth, brought all things into being—sun, moon, stars, angels, men, and every living thing—and by His sovereign will He upholds and governs all creation to His own glory. This same God is also the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only begotten Son, equal with the Father, the express image of His person and the brightness of His glory.
Christ, the eternal Son, was sent into the world to be the Mediator between God and man. In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. He is our Great High Priest, who reconciles sinners to God through His substitutionary death and triumphant resurrection.
The Scriptures declare plainly that Christ is the one Mediator (this word appearing in 1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 9:15, and Hebrews 12:24) meaning one who intervenes or goes between two parties. He alone stands between the holy Judge and guilty sinners. Like a legal advocate, Christ appears before God on behalf of those He has redeemed. His blood testifies that the penalty of sin is paid in full, the sentence of condemnation removed, and the sinner justified.
This intercession is real and constant. Christ stands in the heavenly courts as the representative of every believer whose sins are covered by His sacrifice. He declares their innocence, not because they have no sin, but because He has borne it all. Christ alone is qualified to be Mediator because He alone is both fully God and fully man, and His blood alone has the worth to reconcile.
His mediation is the fulfillment of the New Covenant, a covenant sealed in His own blood. It grants full pardon, eternal life, and a restored relationship with God to all who believe. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,” and “he hath made him to be sin for us… that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:19, 21).
Those who have been reconciled are not only pardoned; they are brought near, adopted as sons and daughters, made heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. Yet the question remains for every soul—has this reconciliation been applied? Has the blood of the covenant been sprinkled on your conscience? Have you come to the Father by the Son?
Many speak of Jesus, but few truly know Him as Mediator. Many claim God as Father, but only those reconciled through Christ can truly call Him so. The cross is the only bridge between heaven and earth, the only way of peace. It is not enough to admire Christ or to acknowledge Him as a teacher; One must cling to Him as the only hope for salvation.
The work of reconciliation is finished by Christ, but it must be received by the sinner. The invitation stands: be reconciled to God. Come by faith, trust in the sufficiency of Christ’s death, rest in His righteousness, and follow Him as Lord. Those who do will find peace, pardon, and the blessed assurance that they are in Him, and He in them.
Contemplations:
- The Wonder of God Made Man. You are One God, yet You became man so that You might die to save me. You did not withhold Yourself from suffering, but endured the cross to purchase my soul. This should break me daily and cause my heart to swell with gratitude, yet I confess that I often treat Your work lightly. Remind me what it cost to reconcile me to the Father.
- Victory Over Death. In Your death, Lord Jesus, You bore the full weight of human sorrow. You entered the grave, yet You triumphed over it. You have overcome the grave. You are the first fruits. May I live with the joy and confidence that my life is hidden with You, and that same resurrection glory awaits me.
- Following You in Resurrection. You are the firstborn from the dead, and You promise life to all who follow You. I want to follow You not only in words but in the power of regeneration. Let my life show that I have passed from death to life. Help me walk in newness of life, mortifying sin, and pressing forward in faith until I am with You in glory. Because You died for me, I want to live for You.
- The Forgotten Ascension. Lord, I too often pass over Your ascension in my thoughts. I dwell on Your death and resurrection but forget that You ascended to intercede for me. You are alive, actively mediating, praying for Your people. I thank You that You have gone to prepare a place for me. Let this truth dwell richly in me: that I have an Advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the Righteous.
Prayer (Supplication):
O Lord God Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we come before You with humility, recognizing that there is but one God and one Mediator between God and men—the man Christ Jesus. You, O Lord, have made all things and uphold them by the word of Your power. You have given Your Son to reconcile sinners unto Yourself. In Him, You have shown mercy and righteousness, justice and grace, truth and peace.
We confess our need for reconciliation. Apart from Your grace, we are estranged, wandering, and condemned. But through the blood of Your Son, the wall of separation is broken down and peace is made. Grant that we may rest entirely upon His mediation, looking not to ourselves or to any other but to Christ alone. Help us believe fully in His sufficiency, that we may not attempt to justify ourselves, but rather cling to His perfect righteousness.
Give us grace to live as those who have been reconciled. Let the weight of Christ’s intercession shape how we think, speak, and walk. Let us not be indifferent to His priestly ministry but find strength in knowing that He pleads our case continually. Let us live each day conscious of our union with Him and our acceptance in the Beloved.
Father, we are often tempted to doubt, often distracted by this world, often cold toward Your mercy. Warm our hearts again with the truth of the Gospel. Remind us that reconciliation is not only past but ongoing, as Christ continually intercedes and advocates for us in the heavenly courts. Keep us from pride, fear, or despair by fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
We pray for those yet unreconciled. Open their hearts to see their need for a Mediator. Convict them of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Let the Gospel go forth with power, and may Christ be glorified in the salvation of many.
And for Your church, O Lord, may this truth be treasured. Let pulpits proclaim it, let families teach it, let hearts embrace it. May the church be strengthened as she remembers her standing is not in works or worthiness but in the finished work of her Mediator and King.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for 1 Corinthians 8:6:
Ephesians 4:6, John 1:3, Colossians 1:16, John 17:3.
[1] Jeremy Taylor, A Choice Manual Containing What is to Be Believed, Practiced, and Desired or Prayed For (London: J. Grover, 1677), 16.
