One Mediator Doctrine versus Invocation of the Saints

JESUS INTERCEDES NOT BY PRAYER BUT BY BLOOD

Though Jesus prays for us, according to the Bible, it is really his blood pleading for us that underpins and empowers this prayer.

Intercession is done no way but by blood.

"He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (Hebrews 9:12–14).

“For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take way the sins of many people” (Hebrews 9:24–28).

It follows then there is only one intercessor.  If somebody prays for us that has no power but only the blood has the power.  The blood sends grace to prompt the person to pray for the blood is going to act anyway. Thus Catholic saints whose prayers are considered effective in their own right are not intercessors proper.

1 Timothy 2 (NIV)

1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—

2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior,

This is thought to prove that though the text teaches that Jesus is mediator or intercessor for us with God, it does not mean we cannot be mediators or intercessors. Prayer is the context. But it does not say we are to intercede in the sense of trying to influence God.

4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

The "truth" will follow.

5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,

6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.

He is clear that this truth needs to be witnessed to and swears to the truth of his witness. You don't swear like that unless you are merely asking people to take your word for it.

God supposedly wrote what Paul wrote to Timothy. 1 Timothy 2 is worth reading. Paul says we must pray for others for God wants all to be saved and to know the truth in full because there is only one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus who sacrificed himself for all. He says then that Jesus coming at the set time is evidence of this and Paul says he has appointed him as his herald. So what does he mean by the set time? The only interpretation that is possible and in accordance with the context is that Paul is referring to when he had the vision of Jesus as a risen saviour. Nobody knew of this man who died for sinners until he appeared to Paul. If Jesus was a legendary figure or a dream then Mary was nothing but a figment of the imagination. And even more so than Jesus!

8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.

He shows again that he means mediator in the context of prayer maker. The text is about prayer. Jesus giving himself is a prayer. The therefore applies to what he said about God being one and there being one mediator who gave himself to ransom all people. It is because Jesus saved us that we must pray.

The Bible says that Jesus is the only mediator between God and man.
 
The text refers to Jesus being the not a mediator who sacrificed himself for all. Paul then claims to be the messenger of this gospel as if he alone is the authorised and infallible teacher!
 
Catholics say that Jesus alone was mediator in the sense of being able to pay the punishment for your sins but there are many others who are mediators in the sense that they pray for you to God. They mediate through prayer. The Catholics do not accept the Protestant view that the text denies that there are mediators apart from Jesus who mediate by prayer. The Catholics argue that the chapter starts off with Paul urging his followers to pray for their leaders. But praying for leaders is not the same as interceding for them. Praying for a leader is merely agreeing that they should be blessed if possible. It is not asking God to do it. It is merely conforming to God. If God blesses the leaders and you conform to God then you can benefit the leaders.
 
Also if Jesus died for our sins, it was prayer alone that made this death effective. Strictly speaking we are saved by the prayer of Jesus expressed by his death. Jesus used his death as the prayer of intercession.
 
The Catholics say that the Bible authorises asking others to pray for you. So they conclude that one mediator means only that Jesus paid the price because he alone could pay to save us from sin and get us everlasting life in Heaven. They deny that it means he was the only intercessor. But there is no need for any intercessor only Jesus. And it's an insult to ask a sinner to pray for you instead of asking Jesus. To ask a saint to pray for you in the role of intercessor when Jesus can do it, is disrespectful to Jesus and undermines him. Also the Bible simply says Jesus is the only mediator. A mediator is an intercessor. Catholicism says it Jesus alone is mediator with God and there are countless intercessors with God. It says a mediator of redemption is a person who pays for your sin to get you forgiven and that is to be distinguished from a mediator of intercession who prays for you. The Church is twisting the meaning. If there is such a thing as mediator of redemption and mediator of intercession the Bible must mean both for it simply says mediator. It would clarify if it meant that Jesus was the only mediator of redemption.
 
If Jesus is the only mediator of intercession, why does the Bible tell you to intercede for sinners? The answer is that intercession can be active or merely a request. A person who compels a king to release a prisoner is an active intercessor. He has power over the king despite the king being a king. Another person might only ask but that does not pressure the king. It is a request that he might or might not listen to. Intercession by the Church is only showing it is her will that sinners convert. It is not about trying to influence God. Only Jesus influences God. The Church gives you saints with which to influence God meaning it blasphemes Jesus. Even if Jesus does all your prayers in your stead, you still have to tell God you want him to listen to these prayers. This shows the difference between the two types of intercession. One is active and one is passive.
 
Jesus supposedly paid the price for us - he had to sacrifice himself in love for God to make up for our failure to love God. He paid our fine for us so that the debt between us and God could be taken away. A person who redeems you or pays your fine or for your sins is not a mediator unless they are doing it with the intention to reconcile and doing it as a prayer. That person is a saviour. I steal. Somebody comes along with the bail money to get me off. The person helps me by paying the money not by asking for my release. It's the money the judge wants not a plea for mercy. Mediators plead for mercy. The idea of a mediator of redemption or who bails you out is wrong. Mediators have to do with intercession.
 
What if a person has to mediate between me and an offended party by paying my fine? That person is not interceding for me? Wrong. The person is paying the fine as part of the intercession.
 
The Bible says that the only person who can help us by praying for us in Heaven is Jesus. Even if the saints pray for us, God only hears his Son. There is a distinction between praying for us and interceding for us. The saints praying for us means they only wish blessings on us. They may not intend to intercede or urge God to do things for us.

Asking another to pray for you can only then mean that it is a way of asking Jesus. Sending a letter is a way of communicating. It's another way of asking. You don't see the letter as interceding for you or anything. Same idea. So to ask others to pray for you in the Bible does not mean you are asking them to intercede. The Catholic doctrine that Mary and the saints intercede contradicts the Bible.
 
Catholics insist that priests mediate the salvation won by Jesus to us. But when there is one mediator of prayer, Jesus, we can be sure that priests have no such power at all. And the Timothy text says nothing about anybody having priestly powers.
 
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