# A MEDIATED relationship with the Father? Still?



## alwaysreforming (Jan 8, 2005)

Hey Everyone:
I was wondering about the following situation and perhaps those wiser than myself can shed a little bit of light.

I realize the Bible says that Christ is "one mediator between God and man" and that He is still "our Great High Priest" and there are other Scriptures that talk about a "mediated" relationship.

How do we reconcile that fact with the Scriptures that seem to imply a more "direct" and unmediated relationship with God the Father, for example, that we call Him {as some have translated "Daddy" or "Pappa"}?
....and that we can now "approach the throne of grace BOLDLY" ...and that we can "enter in to the Holy of Holies"...?

How does this in fact work? And in worship, are we really entering in to the Holy of Holies? Any thoughts (Biblically based) would be helpful.


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## fredtgreco (Jan 8, 2005)

Christopher,

The very verse you reference about coming boldly is in the middle of two chapters about Christ being our High Priest. We approach the throne of grace boldly exactly because we have Christ interceding for us.

So we have: "Let us *therefore* come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need"

What is the ground for the "therefore":



> Hebrews 4:14-15 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.



Also, Abba in Romans 8:15 really does not mean "Daddy." There is no sound linguistic ground for that, people just keep saying it. It is actually just Aramaic for father, and is translated as "path,r" (father) in Greek. Jesus actually uses both abba and pater in the same sentence in Mark 14:36.


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## Craig (Jan 8, 2005)

What's more intimate than being related to the Father through the Son?


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## Scott (Jan 10, 2005)

Christ is the mediator in that He is the Last Adam. Among the persons of the Trinity Christ represents elect mankind and is our savior. The is part of the covenant of grace. In that sense He is our only mediator. Adam was the first mediator. 

That does not mean that Christ does not delegate responsibility. Indeed, the Church has been giveen the keys of the kingdom. Lawfully ordained ministers are Christ's representative on earth. Only they may lawfully preach the Word in congregational worship, dispense sacraments, etc. In that sense, Christ confers grace via Word and sacrament through the medium of lawfully ordained agents. The "mediation" they perform substantially differs froim the role of Christ.


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