The Great Mediator

Please be patient with this post. There are a lot of pieces that seem only mildly related, but they really do all go together.

Over a year and a half ago, my friend Megan said something along these lines: Because Satan came from God, he doesn't have any original ideas. He cannot create, he can only twist and deceive what already exists. That's why, if you look hard enough, you can find the threads of truth in any belief system.

Today in Islam class, I re-approached the discussion on original sin in a different way. (Shane, your explanation of the argument against it helped a lot in knowing what to say!) My Senegalese friend had told me that death and evil didn't begin until Cain killed Abel. I inquired further with our prof. He said that the first sin was Eve's (he emphasized Eve, and removed all responsibility from Adam which is a whole other topic) and that created the possibility of sin. But evil truly began when Cain killed Abel; Eve had simply initiated the potential - it hadn't actually happened yet.

This led to further elaboration. Babaccar said that in Christianity, Jesus reconciles humanity with God. True. He said that in Islam, mediation happens directly between the individual and God. This is why you can't walk in front of a Muslim praying - you're getting between him and God.

If I have to repeat the explanation of Leviticus 16-17 and Hebrews 5-10, you don't know me very well (I think I've blogged about it at least three times. I love it so much!). Long story short: under the Law, it was necessary for one high priest to atone for the sins of all the people. But Jesus is our most high priest, and under the new law, His one sacrifice is enough forever.

Here's a fun diagram (Beth, thinking of you!)

Man is sinful and is separated from God by this sin. We cannot enter into His holiness because we are filthy. That is, unless we have a way. The Way, actually. Christ came to reconcile us with God and to lead us where we cannot go on our own. He serves as the mediator, and the bridge in this relationship.

I was pounding my head (not literally, but I wanted to) in class, trying to figure out how a Muslim could find himself capable of self-reconciliation to God, when we began discussing confreries (brotherhoods) in Sufi Islam. Even though mediation allegedly happens between God and the individual, talibes (students) submit themselves to a cheikh (marabout, saint, teacher) in order to...GAIN ACCESS TO PARADISE! Our teacher even drew it out on the board with the talibe and God, with the marabout in the middle. Eureka!

Do you see it? They realize that they on their own cannot get to Paradise, so they need someone to fill the gap.

And now we're back to where we started: all beliefs are just perversions of the one Truth. It is clear that we cannot on our own have access to God. These Muslims believe that a doctrine of works submitted to a cheikh will save them. Christians know that Jesus Christ is the only way, truth and life, the true source of salvation.

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. John 3:36

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

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10:9

For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" John 14:6

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

What I'm trying to say is:

For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus 1 Timothy 2:5