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Christ Our Mediator, Christ Our Righteousness
“For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…” 1 Timothy 2:5
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21I’ve been spending the better part of my Sabbath today in the Book of Romans, reading, praying, and looking at commentaries for some greater light on the atonement of Christ. The Word of God is spirit and life, the Bread of Life of the soul. Only as we eat His flesh and drink His blood do we have life in ourselves. As the branch abides in the Vine, so we abide in Him and He in us as we receive His words into our hearts. Without Him I can’t do anything.
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” ~ 1 John 3.1-3 NKJV
Later this evening, after Sabbath I’ve continued reading and researching on the nature Christ’s sacrifice for our sin, of how he justifies without works (Rom. 3.21-31), but that we will do good works of love through the obedience of faith (Rom. 1.5).
Christ died as our substitute under the just penalty of God’s law, being made the propitiation of God’s wrath against our sin. In the atonement of Christ God is declared both just and the justifier of those who put their faith in Christ (Rom. 3.26). For Christ sake we are accounted righteous without any merits of good works whatsoever. Yet faith in Christ does not undermine the Law, rather, it establishes it as the standard of righteousness of the whole world. (Rom. 3.20,31). Faith tells us “the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” (Rom. 7.12)
In my reading I came again to some favorites passages from the 19th century writer, Ellen White, on the subject of Christ’s mediation at Calvary for our sins. Not only at Calvary, but now he minsters the merits of His blood for us as our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, “which the Lord pitched and not man”. (Hebrews 8.1-5).I’ll offer here one of the passages that has fed my soul, again, with the Word of God through His Spirit.
“Let no one take the limited, narrow position that any of the works of man can help in the least possible way to liquidate the debt of his transgression. This is a fatal deception. If you would understand it, you must cease haggling over your pet ideas, and with humble hearts survey the atonement. This matter is so dimly comprehended that thousands upon thousands claiming to be sons of God are children of the wicked one, because they will depend on their own works. God always demanded good works, the law demands it, but because man placed himself in sin where his good works were valueless, Jesus’ righteousness alone can avail. Christ is able to save to the uttermost because He ever liveth to make intercession for us. All that man can possibly do toward his own salvation is to accept the invitation, “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). No sin can be committed by man for which satisfaction has not been met on Calvary. Thus the cross, in earnest appeals, continually proffers to the sinner a thorough expiation.
As you near the cross of Calvary there is seen love that is without a parallel. As you by faith grasp the meaning of the sacrifice, you see yourself a sinner, condemned by a broken law. This is repentance. As you come with humble heart, you find pardon, for Christ Jesus is represented as continually standing at the altar, momentarily offering up the sacrifice for the sins of the world. He is a minister of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man. The typical shadows of the Jewish tabernacle no longer possess any virtue. A daily and yearly typical atonement is no longer to be made, but the atoning sacrifice through a mediator is essential because of the constant commission of sin. Jesus is officiating in the presence of God, offering up His shed blood, as it had been a lamb slain. Jesus presents the oblation offered for every offense and every shortcoming of the sinner.
Christ, our Mediator, and the Holy Spirit are constantly interceding in man’s behalf, but the Spirit pleads not for us as does Christ, who presents His blood, shed from the foundation of the world; the Spirit works upon our hearts, drawing out prayers and penitence, praise and thanksgiving. The gratitude which flows from our lips is the result of the Spirit’s striking the cords of the soul in holy memories, awakening the music of the heart.
The religious services, the prayers, the praise, the penitent confession of sin ascend from true believers as incense to the heavenly sanctuary, but passing through the corrupt channels of humanity, they are so defiled that unless purified by blood, they can never be of value with God. They ascend not in spotless purity, and unless the Intercessor, who is at God’s right hand, presents and purifies all by His righteousness, it is not acceptable to God. All incense from earthly tabernacles must be moist with the cleansing drops of the blood of Christ. He holds before the Father the censer of His own merits, in which there is no taint of earthly corruption. He gathers into this censer the prayers, the praise, and the confessions of His people, and with these He puts His own spotless righteousness. Then, perfumed with the merits of Christ’s propitiation, the incense comes up before God wholly and entirely acceptable. Then gracious answers are returned.
Oh, that all may see that everything in obedience, in penitence, in praise and thanksgiving, must be placed upon the glowing fire of the righteousness of Christ. The fragrance of this righteousness ascends like a cloud around the mercy seat.”
~ Ellen White, Vol.1 Selected Messages, p 343-344 (links to full passage)
Note how even our good works, our worship, prayers, praise, and thanksgiving, are unacceptable in the courts above unless first placed on the alter of His sacrifice. Even of the most godly souls, those who would rather die than sin, their good deeds, no matter how loving and sincere, cannot merit the righteousness of Christ to their account. Only the propitiation of Christ can atone for the corruption of our natures.
“…that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” ~ 1 Corinthians 1.29-31 NKJVAll Scripture is from the New American Standard Version (1995 ed.) unless noted otherwise.
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Your Father Hears You
A friend shared this wonderful quote on Facebook which I thought to give another reading here.
Life is too often a struggle for no more reason than not trusting our heavenly Father to meet our needs in Christ. By his blood of the cross Christ has secured all of heavens blessedness for us. “In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. The blessings can be ours when we pray in his name, which means the blessings we desire are those that are consistent with His will and character.
Will we trust Him as a little child trust a loving father to care for them?
Quote:
“Prayer is the answer to every problem in life. It puts us in tune with divine wisdom which knows how to adjust everything perfectly. So often we do not pray in certain situations, because from our standpoint, the outlook is hopeless. But nothing is impossible with God. Nothing is so entangled that it cannot be remedied; no human relationship is too strained for God to bring about reconciliation and understanding; no habit so deep-rooted that it cannot be overcome; no one is so weak that he cannot be strong; no one is so ill that he cannot be healed. No mind is so dull that it cannot be made brilliant. Whatever we need, if we trust God, He will supply it. If anything is causing worry or anxiety, let us stop rehearsing the difficulty and trust God for healing, love and power.”
~ Ellen White, Review and Herald, Oct. 7, 1865
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The Fellowship of His Sufferings
From today’s Facebook post which I thought I would share here as well.
It was just a brief word on the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, and I mean very brief. The subject is inexhaustible.
It is a subject we seldom explore because we run from suffering, especially anything that includes humiliation and it’s associated pain. But to be one with Christ is to be one with him in ministry and to be one with him in ministry means we suffer in bearing the burdens of others. Paradoxically this is our joy as it was His.
Now for that Facebook post…
The apostle Paul to the church in Philippi while a prisoner in Rome —
“Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.”
— Philippians 1:27-30
Paul’s witness of faith during his time of incarceration and his encouragement to the church at Philippi to join him in the fellowship of Christ sufferings is timely counsel for Christians today.
Later in his letter he would expand on this thought —
“…experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
— Philippians 1:30His experience in the Fellowship of Christ sufferings was to be theirs as well.
“More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
— Philippians 3:8-110Whether or not we have already suffered the loss of all things for Christ’s sake, this is the Spirit by which we live if we are faithful to join him in the fellowship of his sufferings. To be in fellowship with him in suffering means we are in fellowship with him in ministering to those who are most in need of him.
Union with Christ means we are drawing close with him to those who are suffering in sin and deat,
So we, “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
— Galatians 6:2Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
— Galatians 6:9-10Doing good to others for the sake of Christ is the way of God’s love. To truly love means we only will the good of the other. And we bring them the good that is in Christ in both spiritual blessings and material gain to improve whatever is lacking, especially for the poorest of miles, those who are most destitute of Christ and what he has to offer for their healing.
Are we willing to bear the burden of others as the fellowship of his sufferings? Will We join them, side by side, hand in hand, in their journey of recovery from sin to righteousness, from despair to joy, from death To life?
If so, then we will have this commendation at the coming of Jesus: “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”
— Matthew 25:40To have the fellowship of his sufferings means we have fellowship with him in ministry, that we have the same Spirit that moved him through his life.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
— Luke 4:18-19It is this ministry that leads to the cross, as it did for him, where we are crucified with Christ that we might be resurrected with him.
It is in the ministry of love to others that we are made dead to sin and alive to Christ.
We see in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, a letter written from prison, a letter written from the place where he would later be beheaded in his witness for Christ, that to minister to others means we put self aside as we exalt Christ, ministering him to others in word and deed.
The spirit of Paul in Philippians is the Spirit of Christ in bearing the burdens of others in fellowship with his sufferings. It is to exalt Christ when we are in the darkest dungeon, proclaiming him as the light of life when we are facing death ourselves.
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For Sasha / Sonya Sargent Hitchens
Dear Sasha….this will be my open reply to your blog. I write it here to share with others too. (You can read Sasha’s blog here.}
Christmas blessings, again.
Thank you for the mention in your blog today. I am thankful to have met you too. We share in spirit if not in all our interests. As I’ve told you, you’ve inspired me to write more often (to publish it here). I’ve been journaling since 1978, though hardly every day since then. I once wrote a weekly column for a local paper in Somerset, Kentucky, about six months until depression took me to another land. I lived in a small walk-up apartment across the street from the papers office, looking at them out my window, writing on an old Royal typewriter I picked up at a second-hand store. No computer for me in the late 80’s. I went to the editor with some copy, just for some help, and he asked, “So, what do you want, a column?”. Surprise and affirmation in one moment. If only….what could have been?
I write to sort my head, to search for the truth of things, to know myself, to know God, to pray, to share, sometimes to argue, persuade, or learn. I write to find silence before the Lord, to find the humility and love I need for being a giver and not a taker. I write too to stay silent with others, to resist my tyrannical urgency to express my opinion about every thing. Writing exercises and excises my soul. It is a daily circumcision of the heart. At least, I it can work as a personal means of grace, if I am the Lord’s willing servant for the day.
As for my video’s, that they minister calmness to your soul is very satisfying to me. I am as thoroughly Protestant as you are Catholic. Perhaps it is that part of you that finds comfort in my attempts at an unobtrusive yet active spiritual formation.
Last night, as I tried to sleep, my thoughts were filled with meanings and implications for the incarnation of Christ, for the supremacy of Christ in all things. I good way to nod off and dream.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it….He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1.1-5; 11-14)
I understand the whole Gospel of John as unpacking the meaning of this opening prologue, “…that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (20.31)
Lately, with my theological foundation always in Christology, in who He is and what He does among us, for us, and in us, I am trying to follow deeper into how Christ heals our trauma with His own wounds.
“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53.5)“Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. “With His stripes we are healed.”” (Ellen White)
As I thought on these things last night I also struggled to understand why my childhood memories are so full of my own presence while so many other people are forgotten. How does Jesus mean to heal my small but aching pieces of trauma? (I have to go to the gospel again and again.) What were the paths of my birth and upbringing that led me into such self-absorbing, soul-destroying, addictions, anger, and fear? (It was a home with alcohol). Where did the love go? Why so much linger fear? What explorations must I still make to uncover the latent lies that confuse me, that push me to defend the indefensible faults of my character and actions?
In working through the Book of Romans for my YouTube channel, Voices in the Garden, (thanks for subscribing, Sasha), I’m seeing Paul’s descriptions of our fallen nature, our idolatries and immoralities, our judgmental hypocrisy, deceits, and blood thirsty ways, with my understanding of trauma and healing, how it is healed by receiving the righteousness of God in Christ (Romans 3.21-31).
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Romans 5.1-11)
The whole Book of Romans, this exquisite catechism of the Father’s way of love for reconciling us in Christ, occupy’s more and more of my thoughts. I want to go further in ministry, learning how to live in the closest union and communion of my soul with Him, to abide in Him, His Word, His will, to hear Him in faith and act in love.
A favorite quote comes to mind:
“When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God. He bids us, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10. Here alone can true rest be found. And this is the effectual preparation for all who labor for God. Amid the hurrying throng, and the strain of life’s intense activities, the soul that is thus refreshed will be surrounded with an atmosphere of light and peace. The life will breathe out fragrance, and will reveal a divine power that will reach men’s hearts.” (Ellen White, Desire of Ages, 363)
I’ll close with Paul’s prayer as my own, for myself, for you, for our readers, for any who seek the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Philippians 3.14-19)For this year’s end, I am very thankful for you and look forward to more in our friendship .
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Watch “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus — Wilder Adkins” on YouTube
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60 second reading…Matthew 1.18-23
I do a few of these YouTube shorts for several reasons. One, to get the Word out in a medium that isn’t always expecting it, for a different demographic than my age suggests. Though of course, on YouTube and tick tock there are many Christian voices. Some I agree with and some I don’t, (there are some false prophets out there) but Christ is preached and in that “I rejoice”.
Another reason is to fish for subscribers and I’ve had a 40-plus increase after starting the shorts.
Here is a simple offering of mine, one example of what I do with the shorts. I thought about getting on tic-toc but I’m still on the fence instead.
Here’s the link. It takes you to YouTube.
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A Christian Thinks Of Christmas
“What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice….
— Philippians 1:18Traditions, ceremonies, and rituals of any type have motivations and effects far beyond what many of us think about today. They are intertwined in the nature of our humanity as social creatures, as well as in our common need to worship someone or something.
It should not come as any surprise that all holidays, especially those with a strong religious sentiment, are highly secularized and commercialized. To say so has become a cliche. But I’ll try to add a little more depth to it.
This is perhaps true of Christmas most of all. If you just look at your emojis offered in social media you find this effect. You will see Santa Claus, reindeer, and the giving of many presents. It is more tinsel in trees than shepherds by night and angels singing above a manger in the stable.
With most holidays, again the religious ones especially, there are also pagan overtones in history past.
Even without the secularization or pagan corruptions of “the world”, there are adulterations of the holidays within religious communities themselves. Celebration of Easter and Christmas in the early and Middle Ages is a prime example of religious symbolism in ceremony becoming idolatry as icons become the object of worshiping in themselves. Magical and mystical meanings become a spiritual reality that degrades the essence of why Christ came as God in the flesh. As it was corrupted in the Jewish cultus of the Old Testament, so in Christian Orthodoxy with “the smells and the bells”.
We need to remember too that our American perspective doesn’t represent that of the whole world. There are so many rituals and ceremonies that have become traditions throughout a multitude of cultures. But as with us, these are most often collective celebrations of a community and their families rather than the God who creates them.
But we should not assume that because our rituals weave us together all the fabric created is good for clothing us or honorable in God’s eyes. There is much idolatry in the world. Idolatry is the corruption of true worship and it is the devil’s work to do this wherever and whenever he can.
The idolatry we magnify most is the idolatry of self, of ourselves, because we are the highest form of creation and regale ourselves with stories and ceremonies that celebrate our power and progress, however self delusional that may be. (Romans 1.18-23). This is no less true in our technology which declares knowledge divine and absolute kn
To sort these things out in my own life I follow a simple plan. I believe the Scriptures, the Bible, is the word of God, the word of God to me and those who believe in him, therefore I use this as my guide with any traditions, ceremonies, or rituals that draw me in community with others.
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
— 2 Timothy 3:16-17I don’t see the Bible as prohibiting the celebration of Christ’s birth, whether you believe it was in December or some other time of year.
I don’t find a prohibition either implied or directly stated in Scripture.
The fact that it can be made into an idolatrous, secular occasion does not mean that you cannot celebrate Christmas, his birth, with a sincere heart devotion and worship of his sacrifice and humility. Nor does the fact that it has been paganized destroy historical truth: God became a man to dwell among us.
However, it is also clear that no such holiday is mandated in Scripture.
I do see a danger in relegating our celebration of his incarnation, of God coming to dwell among us in human flesh, to a mere few days of the year when it should be something (Someone) we appreciate daily as we worship Him and live in obedience to him as our Lord.
The humanity of Christ is everything to us and we should focus on appreciating him for who he is at all times.
I do like Christmas in this respect, in any emphasis and attention it gives to him for those with eyes and hearts to believe.
“Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”
— Hebrews 2:14-18 -
-19 Wind Chill, Driving Home from Crab Orchard, Ky. Short trip to town. Brrrr
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Another Christmas Reading (audio only)
Here is another Bible reading, on my podcast, on the birth of Christ in the books of Luke, Matthew, and the Book of Revelation. Why these three will be apparent in the reading. I hope this finds you blessed in Christ for the holidays and the celebration of his birth.
https://anchor.fm/jan-mckenzie/episodes/The-birth-of-Christ-reading-and-reflection-e1sh38k
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The Birth of Jesus
The Birth of Jesus: My short reading and reflection /Matthew 1.18 – 2.23
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About Me
A Christian, thinking, vlogging, and writing online. I live elsewhere as well. I follow the theology of the cross in the faith and practice of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Formerly a pastor in Europe and America, now living semi-retired in Kentucky (U.S.), driving for the Amish and in-home carer.
Crucified Hearts 