AP

By James Jeffery

One True Mediator / Fundamentals of the Faith (Part IV)

When it comes to religion, many Australians believe that all roads lead to Rome. That is, many people are convinced that all religions are different paths to the same God.

In our multicultural age, this idea seems peaceable. It even seems loving and charitable to those of other cultures and faiths. It even makes life simpler, because it allows us to remain in a state of blissful ignorance as to the actual differences between religions.

Are All Religions the Same?

While it may sound nice, the idea that all religions are the same is a recipe for disaster. This is because all religions are fundamentally different. Take a mathematical equation as an example:

1.         2 + 2 = 4
2.         2 + 2 = 5

Both equations cannot be true at the same time. Apply the same reasoning to religion:

1. Islam claims Jesus never died.
2. Christianity claims Jesus died. 

Both statements cannot be true. Either Islam is right, or Christianity is wrong. The same can be applied to all other religions.

The temptation when it comes to religions is picking the one that suits us best. Like a buffet, we treat God as if He were an option among many. However, when it comes to God, our goal should not be to find the religion that is easiest to follow. Rather, it should be to find the religion that is true.

As C.S. Lewis once said:

“If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.”

Similarly, G.K. Chesterton said:

“A man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about the truth; this has been exactly reversed.”

This is particularly true when we think about our relationship with the God of the universe.

There is One God

In 1 Timothy 2:5-6, the Apostle Paul addressed this very question to the Christians in Ephesus. He boldly declared that:

            “…there is one God….”

In other words, there are not multiple ‘gods.’ There is only one God who is over all things. God is not a created being. Rather, He Himself created all things.

Unlike the idols of false religions, God does not dwell in temples made by human hands. He is not served by us, as if He needed anything. Rather, He is the one who gives everyone life, and breath, and everything else. God is not restricted by space and time. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and unchanging. Nothing can thwart His plans.

Thankfully, God has chosen to reveal Himself through the Scriptures, the Bible. In the Bible, we see the glory of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

God dwells in those who trust in Jesus Christ. As 1 Corinthians 3:16 says:

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”

There is only One God, and He has made Himself known in Jesus Christ.

One Mediator between God and Men

There is also only one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5). Because God is a holy God, we cannot directly communicate with Him unless we have a mediator.

A mediator is someone who stands between two parties to remove a disagreement or reach a common goal. 1 Timothy 2:5 says that Jesus is our mediator who grants us access to God. Those who trust in Jesus have unfettered access to the Father.

Jesus gives us access to God because of what He did at the cross. As verse 6 says, He gave Himself as a ransom for all who believe. This means He paid the debt we owed because of our sin. Those who trust in Jesus will never face God’s judgment for their sin.

No matter your social class, nationality, or sex, Jesus Christ is the only one who could pay the ransom for your sins. There are no other saviours.

Therefore, either we pay the price for our sin by facing God’s judgment, or we receive the gift of salvation paid for by the blood of Christ. There is no third option.

As G.K. Chesterton wrote:

“To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable.”

This is exactly what Jesus did at the cross.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father,

Thank you for graciously sending Your Son to be an atonement for our sins. If it were not for Him, we would be hopeless and lost. Holy Spirit, give us faith to trust in Him, and to never stop being amazed at Your love and kindness toward us in Christ.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

– James Jeffery