III
'One God--but no Mediator!' cries Job.
'One God--and one Mediator!' exclaims Paul.
In one respect these two thinkers, standing with a long, long file of centuries between them, are in perfect agreement. They both feel that if there is a God--and only one--no man living can afford to drift into alienation from Him. If there is no God, I can live as I list and do as I please; I am answerable to nobody. If there are many gods, I can offend one or two of them without involving myself in uttermost disaster and despair. But if there is one God, and only one, everything depends upon my relationship with Him. And if I am already estranged from Him, and if there be no Mediator by whose good offices a reconciliation may be effected, then am I of all men most miserable.
'One God--but no Mediator!' cried Job in despair.
'One God--and one Mediator!' exclaims Paul, in delight.