Mediation: The Neglected Gem in Adventism

Copyright © JULIAN KASTRATI, 2005, 2006.

(PLEASE NOTE: footnotes are acknowledged but withheld for copyright reasons)

I am trying to "kill many birds with one stone" through this article, which basically entails the conclusion of my M.A. Dissertation Thesis.

You are right in your "complaints" that I have been rather inactive during the past couple of months. Why was this? Well, to be honest, I became slightly skeptical about how much my blog was of interest to others, so I sort of slowed down and lost interest. I do offer my apologies to all those I haven't responded yet. Having said that, I have recently been encouraged by several of your comments/emails and therefore have decided to "blog on."

At the same time, a number of you have asked me to publish my views on the 1844/investigative judgment. While not intending at all to "dodge" the subject, I am suggesting that we first start using some biblical terminology when talking about what Christ is doing right now in heaven on behalf of the saints.

Certainly, I'd appreciate more comments/suggestions/requests from you. I'd be happy to send bibliography details to those interested.

Many thanks, and just bear once again with the highly technical language,

Julian
October / November 2006.

"The Eclipsing and Recovery of the Redemptive Role of Christ as Ascended Mediator" - DISSERTATION CONCLUSION ONLY

a. Adventism & Mediation: Concluding Remarks and Implications
After the lengthy investigation that this study devoted to the development of mediation theology from the early church until the mature expression of Seventh-day Adventism in the writings of Ellen G. White, with the eclipsing and gradual recovery of Christ’s redemptive role as Ascended Mediator as its special focus, it is appropriate at this point to draw some concluding thoughts concerning the rationale of this dissertation: whether the Adventist focus on post-ascension mediation is indeed orthodox in nature, that is, in line with the NT/early-church traditions as well as the faithful to the protestant-reformist spirit of recovering lost truths.

Christ’s redemptive function as Ascended Mediator was an integral part of early Christian liturgy and theology. Hence, Adventism’s attempt to recover this concept is a valid and plausible one. Adventism’s specific contribution to mediation theology, expressed in its maturity in the writings of Ellen G. White is a continuation of the struggle over the centuries to recover the redemptive role of Christ as ascended Mediator. It is a contribution that appears in line with its NT-based foundation, the early church liturgy and the interpretation principles of Protestantism in general and Puritanism in particular. For these reasons, Adventist’s focus on mediation must be affirmed as being in principle orthodox. Even the controverted eschatological mediation should be given new attention – as it may encapsulate the idea of divine vindication in the Day of Judgment – through the role of Christ. In this context, given the orthodoxy and relevance of the Seventh-day Adventist contribution on post-ascension mediation, there are immediate implications deriving which thus deserve due attention.

The first immediate implication of Christ's post-ascension redemptive intercession in heaven is that through Him humans can have direct access to the God of the universe. Christ takes care of the ontological and moral distance between deity and humanity. He is the Mediating High Priest, who serves as a bridge between deprived sinful humanity and a holy and righteous God.

A second implication concerning Christ’s post-ascension intercession is the ongoing work of salvation on the part of God. The salvation achieved at the cross is now being applied to all those who have a genuine faith and enter a union with Christ. Consequently, Christ being our Mediator must be a concept and an understanding in terms of the past, present and the future, not just the past. The longed-for processes of forgiveness, healing, restoring broken relationships and shattered lives are to continue, because Christ, according to the NT, guarantees continual intercession.

Thirdly, the fact that Christ is mediating for the believers today as ascended, redemptive Intercessor implies how crucial and essential it is for believers to maintain the covenantal relationship that Christ wants to have with them. The believers should strive to live their lives as ‘married’ with Christ. Their union with Christ assures their salvation. Their salvation is applied when the believers participate in His righteousness, enjoying his rights and benefits.

Fourthly, Christ’s continuous intercession on behalf of the people of God should encourage the latter to cherish and increase their living faith in Christ and his promises. Because of the realization that it is this living faith that unites the believers with Christ, they ought to consider it as a personal response of trust with a spiritual-relational function. After all, there can be no salvation apart from a spiritual connection with the living, ascended, and mediating Christ.

Lastly, Christ’s mediation for the believers, apart from guaranteeing the applied phase of salvation, provides a wonderful assurance of salvation and vindication in the judgment. This assurance is beautifully echoed in the message of Heb. 7.25: ‘Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them (KJV). Even Adventism’s eschatological focus does not weaken the central thesis but further affirms that Christ assures vindication in the judgment for those who presently participate in his salvation – by a covenantal faith-union with their celestial representative. After all, ‘there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human who gave himself a ransom for all’ (1 Tim. 2:5, 6a)…‘It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us’ (Rom. 8:34).

b. Adventism and Mediation: Suggestions for Further Study
It is my hope that this dissertation serves as a humble incentive for Adventist theologians to invest more time and energy on mediation theology by further exploring the meaning of Christ’s redemptive mediation and upgrading its formulation beyond the present formulations. Unfortunately, since the substantial contribution of Ellen G. White, there has hardly been any progress towards making Christ’s redemptive mediation more intelligible. One of the main barriers that need hurdling concerns linguistics. The complicated and highly technical language which, to be fair, Adventists themselves largely adopted by Puritan theologians and left virtually unchanged, needs to be replaced by a simpler and contemporary language. I am most confident that Adventist theologians and pastors could do better in explaining the church’s belief on the mediatorial high priestly ministry by avoiding the technical typological language and the minute details which could potentially blur the bigger picture. This can be done by highlighting this bigger picture of Christ’s heavenly ministry in simpler language: Jesus Christ is continuing his redemptive mediation at the right hand of God today, and it does make a difference to know it and embrace it, for both the present and the future.

Seventh-day Adventists thus have a responsibility to present and explain this important work through a NT-based morphology and terminology, which does happen to be simultaneously uncomplicated and profound. In many ways, a return to the understanding of the early church believers concerning the interceding role of the risen Christ at the right hand of God must be given more attention. Early church Heilgeschichte documents, liturgical prayer and worship testify of communities of believers celebrating in the name of the Father through the Son and in the Spirit. They speak of a dynamic perception that the believers had concerning Godhead in general and Christ as sole Mediator in particular.

In this context, the usage of Puritan typological language, while appropriate centuries ago, should be avoided and abandoned if Adventists are to make a deeper impact with their, what I sincerely believe to be, very significant and relevant contribution/understanding of Christ as mediatorial heavenly High Priest. Adventism has much more to offer on mediation than the current, almost exclusive focus on the doctrine of the heavenly sanctuary, which even a good number of Adventists have difficulty in comprehending. A fresh, NT-friendly approach will make this important doctrine more intelligible to both Adventist Church members and the wider evangelical audience.

In the wider spectrum of mediation theology, there is certainly a need for further study on the judicial element of mediation. While this dissertation’s main focus was on the redemptive aspect of post-ascension mediation, may I suggest that Adventist theologians invest more time also in considering another fresh approach on the concept of Christ as eschatological Judge, which certainly would be another unique Adventist contribution in the field. Lastly, if there is some motif that any future study concerning mediation must include, it is definitely the covenantal faith-union motif, which I believe must be considered as foundational for any serious and influential contribution in fields relating to both soteriology and eschatology.

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