Through Jesus

Who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

1 Peter 1:21

What does it mean that Jesus is our mediator? The biblical definition means a complete reconciliation between God and a sinner. That indicates that there must be perfect harmony between a holy God and a sinful human being. Such harmony can only be based on the complete forgiveness of sin and a perfect righteous life. Anything less than that is unacceptable to God.

As such, we also need a perfect trust in God in order to be justified. Any trust that falls short of such perfection is unacceptable to God. Therefore, Jesus’ perfect trust in the Father as the Son of Man is also an essential part in our justification.

Not only is His flawless faith accounted to us, in today’s verse we read that all our believing is also through Him. When Jesus said, “apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5), He also meant being a believer in God.

Faith is never self-induced; it always comes through Jesus Christ. That applies to everyone at all times. Luke expressed this truth with these words: “When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed” (Acts 18:27). “Through grace” and “through him” are synonymous.

When we don’t ascribe our believing in God to Jesus as an essential part of His saving work, we attribute to man what must be wholly attributed to Jesus. Whenever you see any authentic believing throughout the Bible or history, you can be sure that it’s always “through him.”