August 3
“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.
The apostle emphasizes again the Biblical truth that there is only one God and only one Savior for all people. There is only one way to eternal life. This oneness is clearly taught in Holy Scripture from beginning to end.
Speaking through Moses, the Lord said, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one!” Deuteronomy 6:4. “To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord Himself is God; there is none other besides Him,” Deuteronomy 6:35. To the Corinthians, the apostle Paul wrote, “There is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Corinthians 8:4-6.
Speaking of Himself to His troubled disciples, Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me,” John 14:6.
Following in the footsteps of their Lord and Savior, the apostles taught, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved,” Acts 4:12.
Any other gods before which people bow down and worship are gods of their own making. They are the gods of whom the psalmist wrote, “Our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not hear; noses they have, but they do not smell; they have hands, but they do not handle; feet they have, but they do not walk; nor do they mutter through their throat. Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them,” Psalm 115:3-8. The hymn writer summarized the psalmist’s words:
“What though the spicy breezes,
Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle;
Though ev’ry prospect pleases,
And only man is vile;
In vain with lavish kindness,
The gifts of God are strown;
The heathen in his blindness,
Bows down to wood and stone.”
As there is only one God, so there is only one Savior. Paul writes that there is “One Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all.” Jesus is our Mediator, our Go-Between, who redeemed us to God by His blood shed on Calvary’s cross. He paid the ransom, the supreme price for our redemption. God has declared us forgiven, and He invites us to put our faith and trust in Jesus. He promises, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved,” Acts 16:31. As Christians, we testify to these eternal truths at every opportunity.
“My hope is built on nothing less
Then Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.” Amen.