Much as may have been written and taught on the subjects presented in the heading of this paper, it will often be found that there is a want of distinctness in the minds of believers, as to their place and application, as they are unfolded in scripture.
The object of this paper is not so much to enter into the nature and results of mediation, priesthood, intercession, and sonship, as to present the place and bearing of each for edification and profit. In attempting this, scripture alone must be our guide. And he who studies scripture most will be most struck with its wondrous perfectness; and at the same time will be most impressed with his own imperfect apprehension of its divine and infinite fullness. Augustine used to say, "Adoro plenitudinem scripturae!" And we, in like sense, may say, "We know in part, and we prophesy in part."
All truth, however, has its place-that' of grace, that of privilege, that of responsibility, that which views us as creatures, and that which relates to us as children; that which discloses our position, as risen with Christ, and seated in heavenly places, and that which directs our walk and worship, while here on earth; and all should be sought to be maintained in practical effect.
Nothing can be plainer, from scripture, than that the believer is viewed in different positions and different relationships and aspects, and the truth appropriate to each is to be carefully noted. There is the position of being in the heavenlies in Christ, and also of being upon earth, as to our members. There is the relationship of children, and the responsibility of servants. There is the position of worshippers, and that of witnesses for Christ. There is the place of pilgrimage on earth, and there is the subjection of creatures to God as supreme: while, as to all the springs of our life and blessing, it is said, with marvelous grace, " We are in him, that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ; this is the true God and eternal life."
The idea of mediation, priesthood, or intercession is not connected with the thought of the Church's position as stated in Eph. 2:5, " He hath quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ;" except indeed as to result. For however this blessed position be the result and fruit of mediation, &c., what is presented in it is, union in life, and identity of place with Him who is our life. It is a position which is marked and characterized by the position of that blessed One through whose love and excellency, and sorrows, and death, this fruit of the Father's infinite love and grace could alone be ours-could alone be possible it should be ours.
As little can sacrifice, or mediation, or priesthood, be present to the mind in conjunction with the thought of the blessed, wondrous truth of our being "members of Christ's body, of his flesh, and of his bones." This is not its place. Here it is the participation of a common life and the union of the members of the body with the head. Any other idea interposed would be like "not holding the head," and would be the introduction, in a figurative sense, of schism into the body.
In sonship also, the same distinctness and separation of ideas exist. The title and privilege of sons presents relationship to God, in the correlative position of Father. Hence it is characterized by Liberty of access, by the spirit of confiknee, and, if you please, subjection to the Father's will; but especially the spirit of adoption is that which is essential to it, and characterizes the relation-lip. It is the result of Christ's whole work in redemption, as it is said, in Gal, 4:4-6, "When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a women, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons [he here speaks of Gentiles, as before of Jews, when He says, 'that we might,' &c.] God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father." Under the law believers were in the position of servants; but it is here stated that they must be redeemed from under the law, in order to receive the adoption of sons, law and sonship being impossible to stand together. The Gentiles being sons of God, by faith in Jesus Christ, receive the Spirit of God's Son, or the spirit of adoption, or sonship, in accordance with their relationship.
The spirit of adoption, then, is associated with sonship, and not law, or mediation, or priesthood. "As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God." As sons of God we are partakers, not only of the effects of Christ's death, but we are brought into the same relationship to the Father, and into fellowship with the Father who gave His Son for us, and into fellowship with the Son, who is our deliverer.
In general, then, it may be said, that mediation is necessary to establish the relation between God and the creature, which sin had interrupted: as it is stated (1 Tim. 2:5), " There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
Priesthood and intercession maintain the practical worship of those brought nigh to God.
Mediation presents Christ as accomplishing the grounds of reconciliation between God and man. The very term indicates this. It is one coming between two parties. "A mediator is not a mediator of one." There must be two parties where mediation is at work. This was the case in the giving of the law. " It was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator." Moses was this mediator; not as accomplishing the conditions of the law, but as receiving it from God and communicating it to the people. " And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the Lord, thou and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship ye afar off. And Moses alone shall come near the Lord And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments." (Ex. 24:2,3.) It needs not to dwell here on the mediation and intercession of Moses, after the people had sinned in making the calf (Ex. 32), since, lovely as it is in its place, it only presents the contrast to Christ's mediation and intercession, rather than the type. This may be seen in the expression of Moses, " I will go up unto the Lord: peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold; yet now if thou wilt forgive their sin-and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book, which thou hast written." This could not be-nor if it could, would it have availed as the basis of the people's forgiveness. Hence, the answer of the Lord, " Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book."
Moses was the mediator of the law, as passing from the people to God, and from God to the people; and as receiving the law from God, and communicating it to the people. But the law being a dispensation of requirement, no mediator -could bring the parties together. 1 do not, of course, speak here of Christ " who is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." But Christ is no mediator of law; but the mediator of the new covenant, which was in truth a covenant of promises; and He accomplishes all that was essential to make it possible for the promises to take effect. This is what is implied in the passage already quoted from Galatians. "A mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one." The contrast here is plainly between law and promise. Law, of necessity, supposes two parties, and allows of a third, as mediator. But promise is restricted to One. " God is one." God gives the promise, and He fulfills the conditions which can alone make it take effect. Hence the force of the expression of Christ, " This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you." It is that which gives effect to the new covenant; as the mediator brings the promiser and those to whom the promises are to be accomplished together. Still, it cannot be said that the Church or believers are brought under the formal terms of the new covenant. Their connection is with Christ as the mediator of it, and with His blood, which is the blood of the new covenant. But the new covenant is to be made with Israel, who possessed the old covenant. This is plainly stated in Jeremiah and in the Hebrews, where the new covenant is only introduced to show that the first was old. (See Jer. 31:31-34, and Heb. 8) This is by no means to deprive believers of their rightful portion through grace; but, in truth, simply to enlarge its sphere. For if we speak of promises, it is not said, the promises of the new covenant are ours, as under that covenant, but "ALL the promises of God"-however many and great they may be-" in him are yea, and in him amen, to the glory of God by us." In Christ we inherit them all.
" There is one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." This is much more general in its sense. It presents Christ as the necessary and provided ground of reconciliation between God and men. He is here the daysman of Job, necessary and able to bring both parties together.
The Church of God can only be said to be the subject of mediation in regard to the common condition of sin and distance from God of its individual members, since all " were by nature children of wrath, even as others." But the Church is in the enjoyment of the full effect of Christ's mediation; as in Colossians, (chap. 1:20, 21,) when speaking of God's purpose to reconcile all things to Himself by Jesus, it is immediately added with regard to believers, " You hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight."
Priesthood is always viewed as the medium of worship for an accepted people. Israel, as an earthly people, yet brought near to God, received their priesthood after their redemption from Egypt. However, it only presented the shadows of good things to come. Priesthood cannot be associated with the highest position of the Church as members of Christ's body, however it has to do with the worship of the Church on earth. For if we speak of having " boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus," it is plain that both sacrifice and priest must be before the mind, as essentially connected with " the holiest of all." Still, it is in Melchizedec-character, and in the power of an endless life, that the Lord Jesus is priest to believers.
Intercession is based upon priesthood, as we see by Heb. 7:24, 25. " This man, because he continueth ever, hath 411 unchangeable priesthood; wherefore, he is able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." But it is presented apart, in the question of our security, in Rom. 8:34. " Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea, rather, that is risen again: who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Moreover, the Holy Ghost in the believer makes intercession, as it is said, Rom. 8:26, "The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered." And, again, "He maketh intercession for the saints according to God."
There would be a moral incongruity in associating anything but the affections and conduct, which belong to the relationship, with the Church's title of the Bride of Christ. It is plain that, if my heart be occupied with this blessed relationship of the Church toward Christ, I, can only understand how I ought to feel, as an individual member, by having before my mind what is suited to this position, in its purest and truest character, as an earthly position and relationship. In my intercourse too with God in the relationship of a child, my heart is only occupied with the grace and love which have put me into this relationship, and with the character of Him whom I delight to own as Father and God. All truth, again it may be said, has its place; but then, how varied its character and how vast the range of that grace of which it is the perfect but varied expression! And how our hearts need enlargement according to the prayer of the apostle, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God."