The apostle Paul is making it very clear that there is only one God for all people, and there is only one mediator or middle-man between God and men. The only one that can bring us human beings together with God is the man Jesus Christ. He has opened a new and living way into the very presence of God. Now we may all come directly to God and enjoy a close relationship with him because of Jesus Christ.
For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus (NLT 1 Ti 2:5).
For there is one God, and there is one who brings God and human beings together, the man Christ Jesus (GNT 1 Ti 2:5).
This apostolic teaching is a very radical change from the Old Testament order where people were dependent on the priests and Levites to perform their duties towards God on their behalf. In the new covenant order we are all brothers and sisters in the family of God and we may all approach the Father directly. In the family of God there are spiritual fathers and mothers, and there are elders and leaders in the covenant community. But all leaders are brothers before they are anything else! No one is standing between us and God. Leaders are only running the same race as us a little bit faster and therefore they are in front of us showing the way and calling us to finish the race as they do.
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