From C.J. Mahaney’s “Living the Cross Centred Life” (pp.69-70)

“If you were searching for a single sentence in Scripture to best capture the story line and theme of the entire Bible, what would you choose? Where would you look?

Many of us would no doubt go right to the beloved and familiar words of John 3:16, with good reason. But let me suggest we search no further than… the opening pages of Paul’s first letter to Timothy. Fix your thoughts on this sentence:

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time (1 Timothy 2:5-6).

J.I. Packer says it isn’t too much to describe these verses as “the key, not merely to the New Testament, but to the whole Bible, for they crystalize into a phrase the sum and substance of its message.”

In this one sentence, Paul succinctly captures the main theme and essence of the entirety of holy Scripture – as well as answering the desperate cry we heard from Job for someone to arbitrate between God and man. Yes, Paul declares, there is a mediator! There’s someone to arbitrate between us, to lay His hand on us both and remove the rod of God’s wrath so His terror frightens us no more. There’s a unique intermediary between God and man: the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all. The Bible’s complete message hinges on this one point.”

C.J. then gives two more quotes from some of my spiritual heroes:

R.C. Sproul: ”The glory of the gospel is this: The One from whom we need to be saved is the One who has saved us.”

John Stott: ”Divine love triumphed over divine wrath by divine self-sacrifice.”

And a suitable conclusion:

“If there’s anything in life we should be passionate about, it’s the gospel. And I don’t mean passionate only about sharing it with others; I mean passionate in thinking about the gospel, reflecting upon it, rejoicing in it, allowing it to colour the way we look at the world and all of life.” (p.15)

Amen!