Christ the Mediator

The doctrine of Christ the Mediator stands at the very center of classic Reformed and Puritan teaching. It declares that Jesus Christ alone stands between a holy God and sinful humanity, doing what no one else could do to reconcile us to the Father. This truth matters because it determines where a sinner looks for peace, acceptance, and eternal life. Charles Spurgeon, Jonathan Edwards, and Matthew Henry all insist that salvation is found exclusively in Christ, and that any attempt to add human merit to his finished work dishonors him and leaves the soul without hope.

Christ as the believer's substitute and surety

Spurgeon repeatedly presents Christ as the one who stood in the sinner's place. He says Christ stood as sponsor in the place of believers and paid the ransom price to deliver them from the curse of the law and the vengeance of God (Romans 3:24). This substitution was entirely his own work. And when Christ paid all this ransom, will you just notice, that he did it all himself! He was very particular about that. Simon, the Cyrenian, might bear the cross; but Simon, the Cyrenian, might not be nailed to it Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Justification by Grace” Spurgeon also describes the transaction in vivid legal terms: God arrested Christ for the debt of his people, and Christ was seized, tried, and put into the grave until the payment was ratified in heaven (Romans 3:24). The believer's peace therefore rests not on personal attainments but on Christ having stood in his place, dying for his sins and keeping the law on his behalf (Romans 5:1).

Matthew Henry agrees, teaching that God delivered up his Son for all the elect, not only for their good but in their place as a sacrifice of atonement for sin (Romans 8:32). He adds that Christ's death paid the believer's debt, so his payment as the surety is a valid legal plea against condemnation (Romans 8:34). Edwards develops the same idea by explaining that Christ's subjection to the law and his obedience brought greater honor to the law and to God's authority than if mere man had obeyed it (Romans 5:19, Philippians 2:8). Because Christ was God, he was under no personal obligation to the law, so his obedience and suffering were a surplus credited to guilty sinners (Romans 4:25).

Christ as the propitiation and mercy seat

Spurgeon draws special attention to Romans 3:25, where Christ is set forth as the mercy seat where God and sinners meet, and as the covering that hides sin from God's wrath and from the sinner's fear. He insists that God sets forth Christ himself, not human substitutes such as priestly offerings, dogmas, feelings, or efforts (Romans 3:25). This means the believer should come afresh to Christ as the propitiation for sins, pleading only his shed blood and his invitation to come (Romans 3:25). there is another fault into which we sometimes fall, namely, looking to God's promises instead of looking to Christ as the Propitiation of sin. The text does not say that God the Father has set forth promises; indeed He has given us exceedingly great and precious promises, and they are true in Christ. We often err by going to promises, instead of going to Christ Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Christ Set Forth As A Propitiation”

Henry explains the Old Testament background: Jesus Christ is the great propitiation or atoning sacrifice, typified by the mercy-seat under the law, through whom atonement is made for sin and our persons and performances are accepted by God (Romans 3:25). He also stresses that God the Father took the initiative in reconciliation by foreordaining, appointing, anointing, qualifying, and publicly exhibiting Christ as the propitiation for a guilty world (Romans 3:25). Edwards adds that Christ came to save sinners while also vindicating the honor of God's authority and holy law (Romans 3:25–26).

Christ's obedience and righteousness as the ground of justification

Edwards argues at length that justification rests on Christ's positive obedience as well as his suffering. By bearing the penalty, Christ only brought himself into the state of the first Adam's initial innocence, so positive obedience was still needed to obtain the reward of eternal life. Christ became subject to God's authority and took the form of a servant to render the obedience that God originally required from man as the condition of eternal life (Philippians 2:7–8, Romans 5:19). This means no mere descendant of Adam can attain federal perfection; only Adam before his fall and Christ possess it, and believers possess it only by imputation.

Spurgeon agrees that nothing in ourselves can be offered to God; even repentance must look to Christ, because everything done by the creature is defiled (Romans 3:27). We can only come before God through Christ Jesus, whom God made to be our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (Romans 3:27). Henry calls this righteousness the righteousness of God because God appoints and accepts it, and it is the righteousness of Christ, not of our own works (Romans 1:17). Edwards warns that teaching a person is justified by his own virtue or obedience dishonors Christ the Mediator by making man his own savior and taking glory that belongs only to Christ. By the apostle’s sense of the matter it renders Christ needless. Gal. v.4. “Christ is become of not effect to you, whosoever of you are justified by the law.” If that scheme of justification be followed in its consequences, it utterly overthrows the glory of all the great things that have been contrived, and done, and suffered in the work of redemption. Gal. ii. 21. “If righteousness come by the law, Christ is dead in vain Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone”

Faith as the sole instrument of receiving Christ

All three authors insist that faith is the only way to receive what Christ has purchased. Spurgeon states plainly that neither repentance nor leaving off sin can save; salvation is by Christ alone (Romans 3:24). The only way to be saved is to believe the faithful saying that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and to trust in him (Romans 3:24). He also warns against looking to one's own faith for comfort: the comfort of justification comes through Jesus Christ alone, not through looking at one's own faith (Romans 5:1).

Edwards explains why faith is the fitting instrument. Because Christ has purchased justification by his blood, God sees something in believers that makes it fitting for them to receive this benefit, while its absence makes it unfit for others to receive it. Faith is the qualification in a sinner that makes it fitting in God's sight for the purchased benefit of justification to be assigned to that sinner rather than to others. He also notes that justifying faith deals with two things: sin to be rejected and delivered from, and positive good to be received through the Mediator. Henry adds that faith is the soul's confidence in Christ and dependence on him, and the method of faith is first to seek unto Christ as a Savior and then to trust in him (Romans 15:12).

Christ's resurrection, intercession, and ongoing priesthood

The authors agree that Christ's work did not end at the cross. Spurgeon says the believer's peace with God is a firm and certain hope that can be confidently confessed even before God, because it rests on Christ's death, resurrection, and intercession (Romans 5:1, Romans 8:34). He also describes the One seated on the throne of grace as Christ, who appears as a lamb that has been slain and continues his priesthood (Romans 5:21). Believers must also trust in Christ as risen from the dead, since his resurrection and ongoing intercession are essential to their justification and acceptance with God (Romans 4:25).

Henry explains that Christ's sitting at God's right hand shows his work is finished and gives believers a powerful friend and ruler in the court of heaven (Romans 8:34). Christ's intercession in heaven means he acts as the believer's advocate to answer accusations and present their pleas effectively (Romans 8:34). He also notes that the Spirit intercedes for believers in their hearts by dictating their requests and drawing up their plea, just as Christ intercedes for them in heaven (Romans 8:26). Edwards adds that Christ was justified in his resurrection after completing his appointed work, and this justification included exaltation and reward, not merely release from suffering (1 Peter 3:18, 1 Timothy 3:16).

Christ as the only way of access and acceptance

Spurgeon is emphatic that no one can enter heaven except through Jesus Christ, the only way, truth, and life (Romans 3:22). He says it is equally wrong to overlook the Son, because no one can approach God or be heard by him except through Jesus Christ the Mediator (Romans 4:24). Look for nothing else except in Christ. Write this for your motto—"None but Jesus Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Peace By Believing” Henry agrees that all our duties, including praises and prayers, are pleasing to God only through Jesus Christ (Romans 1:8). He adds that all glory that fallen man offers to God acceptably must pass through Jesus Christ (Romans 16:27). Christ is the Mediator of all our prayers and praises to God (Romans 16:27).

Edwards stresses that Christ's worthiness as mediator is the sole foundation and source of all the value and acceptance that believers' works have with God. Acting in Christ's name means acting under him as our head, with him standing for us and representing us before God. Henry also teaches that access into grace is by Christ as the author and principal agent, and by faith as the means, not by any merit or desert of ours (Romans 5:2). We could not enter this state of grace by our own ability, but are led into it by Christ, as blind or weak people are led by the hand (Romans 5:2).

Christ as the second Adam and public representative

Henry develops the parallel between Adam and Christ at length. Adam was a type or figure of Christ, the second Adam, who communicates righteousness and life in parallel to how Adam communicated sin and death (Romans 5:12–21). Both acted as public persons, representing others before God (Romans 5:14). Christ acted as the public representative of the elect, doing all things for them, including dying, rising, and entering heaven (Romans 5:14). Adam was a figure of Christ who was to come to repair the breach Adam had made (Romans 5:14).

Edwards agrees that all that Adam and Christ were commanded, including Christ's observance of Jewish ceremonies and his laying down his life, was virtually included in the one moral law. Henry adds that the parallel between the first Adam and the second Adam shows a correspondence between our fall and our recovery, but with much greater power in Christ to make us happy than Adam had to make us miserable (Romans 5:12–21). Spurgeon also notes that Christ's death was efficacious because, as God, he was under no personal obligation to the law, so his obedience and suffering were a surplus credited to guilty sinners (Romans 4:25).

Christ's example and ongoing rule

While the authors emphasize Christ's substitutionary work, they also present him as the believer's example and Lord. Henry says Christ did not please himself but lived a wholly self-denying life, enduring hardship and dishonor for our sakes, which is the strongest argument against Christian selfishness (Romans 15:3). Christ's self-denial and sufferings are recorded in Scripture as an example for believers to imitate (Romans 15:3). He also teaches that Christ rules believers by grace and will not allow sin to dominate those who willingly submit to his rule (Romans 6:14).

Spurgeon adds that Christ gives grace as a sovereign king, and those who reject him cannot rob him of his honor or glory (Romans 3:3). To escape God's wrath, sinners must accept Christ as King and Savior, seeking peace and salvation in him (Romans 3:4). Henry explains that Christ died, rose, and revived so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living, possessing absolute sovereignty over all (Romans 14:9). Because Christ paid dearly for his dominion over souls and consciences, believers must not invade that dominion by judging the consciences of their brethren (Romans 14:9).

Thou mayest live without Christ now, but it will be hard work to die without him. Thou mayest do without this bridge here; but when thou gettest to the river thou wilt think thyself a fool to have laughed at the only bridge which can carry thee safely over Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Love's Commendation”

I set forth Christ to you as being the Mercy Seat, where I can meet with you, and you can meet with Me." Or take the word as signifying a covering—as the Mercy Seat covered the tablets of the Law, and so covered that which was the cause of Divine ire, because we had broken His commandments Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Christ Set Forth As A Propitiation”

There is a stench and putridity in everything that is done of the Creature, and we can never come before God except through Christ Jesus, who is made of God unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Grace Exalted—Boasting Excluded”

It must come through Christ. I will suppose, then, that I am in doubt and fear tonight, and want to get my peace re-stored—how shall I seek it? Through Jesus Christ, the Surety and Substitute Himself Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Peace By Believing”

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.’ ‘He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Charles Spurgeon, sermon “For Whom Did Christ Die?”

That to suppose a man is justified by his own virtue or obedience, derogates from the honour of the Mediator, and ascribes that to man’s virtue which belongs only to the righteousness of Christ: it puts man in Christ’s stead, and makes him his own saviour, in a respect in which Christ only is his Saviour Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone”

we should believe in the general, according to the clear and abundant revelations of God’s word, that it is none of our own excellency, virtue, or righteousness, that is the ground of our being received from a state of condemnation into a state of acceptance in God’s sight, but only Jesus Christ, and his righteousness and worthiness, received by faith Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone”

But this is through our Lord Jesus Christ—through him as the great peace-maker, the Mediator between God and man, that blessed Day's-man that has laid his hand upon us both Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments”

His death: It is Christ that died. By the merit of his death he paid our debt; and the surety's payment is a good plea to an action of debt Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments”

Mentioning Christ, he interposes a very great word concerning him, that he is over all, God blessed for ever. Lest the Jews should think meanly of him, because he was of their alliance, he here speaks thus honourably concerning him: and it is a very full proof of the Godhead of Christ; he is not only over all, as Mediator, but he is God blessed for ever Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments”