“I need someone to mediate between God and me,
as a person mediates between friends.”
– Job 16:21
Job is off the mark in his understanding of himself and God. However, he isn’t wrong in crying out for a mediator. He really does need someone to stand between God the Father and us, representing Him to us and us to Him. Thankfully, we have that mediator and it’s Jesus the Christ (see Hebrews 9:15 and 12:24)!
In His sinless perfection, Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for our sin. Fully human, He understands and represents us before God Almighty. He stands in our place having resisted every temptation. Fully God, Jesus established and mediates God’s new covenant of grace through His precious, holy blood shed on the cross. Jesus reveals and represents God to us and He represents us to God. He prays and intercedes on our behalf, having made the acceptable and sufficient offering of Himself for our sins. He is our great high priest in heaven!
We don’t have to plead our case with God. We can’t justify ourselves to Him through clever reasoning, hard work, religious rituals, or good deeds. We are justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This is a gift of God made possible by the work of our mediator. Jesus is the fulfillment of Job’s heartfelt desire and the deepest need of every human being. It is Jesus Who reconciles us to our Triune God.
Believe in Jesus! Trust Him with your life. Trust in His atoning work on your behalf. When you sin and find yourself under God’s discipline, don’t defend yourself. Don’t try to excuse it away or rationalize it. Just repent. Confess your sin to God and ask for His help to walk in greater obedience to Jesus. God is faithful and He will forgive and cleanse you every time you ask. Why? Because YOU have a mediator! #FollowJesus