3 Bible Tips: Christ, Mediator of the New Covenant
"The function of a mediator is to intervene between two parties in order to promote relations between them which the parties themselves are not able to effect. The situation requiring the offices of a mediator is often one of estrangement and alienation, and the mediator effects reconciliation" (New Bible Dictionary, Second Edition, 1982, article "Mediator"). Jesus Christ is the preeminent Mediator.
1. Because of sin, humanity is cut off from God, and we need Jesus Christ to be our Mediator—to make restoring the relationship possible.
"For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time" (1 Timothy 2:5-6).
2. Jesus gave His life to pay the penalty for our sins so we could be offered the New Covenant.
"For this reason Christ is mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant" (Hebrews 9:15, New International Version).
3. The flaw of the Old Covenant was the people, but Jesus fixes that flaw by making possible a transformation of our hearts and minds.
"But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them…
"‘For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people'" (Hebrews 8:6-8, 10).
For more about Christ's role as Mediator of the New Covenant, see "A New Covenant for Transforming the Heart."