In the New
Testament, Jesus Christ is presented as being on the right-hand of God (Acts
7:55-56) and that He is interceding before the Father, being our παρακλητος
(advocate; 1 John 2:1) and he is our perfect mediator between us and the
Father. All the texts that speak of this reveals that there is a
spatial-differentiation and personal-differentiation between the Father and the
Son:
And he [Stephen], being full of the Holy Ghost, looked
up stedfastly into heaven and saw the glory of Christ and Jesus, standing on
the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son
of man standing on the right hand of God. (Acts 7:55-56; “standing” indicates
activity on behalf of Jesus, post-ascensiom)
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and
men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim 2:5)
Who [Christ] being the brightness of his glory, and
the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his
power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of
the Majesty on High. (Heb 1:3)
But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an
unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the
uttermost that come unto God by (δια)
him, seeing he ever lieveth to make intercession for them. (Heb 7:24-25)
Now of the things which we have spoken this is the
sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of
the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle,
which thy Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer
gifts and sacrifices, wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat
to offer. (Heb 8:1-3)
It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things
in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things
themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into
the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into
heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. (Heb 9:23-24)
By the which will we are sanctified through the
offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth
daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifice, which can never
take away sins. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for
ever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his
enemies be made his footstool. (Heb 10:10-13)
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn,
which are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of
just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to
the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. (Heb
12:23-24)
My little children, these things write I unto you,
that ye sin not, and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous. (1 John 2:1-2)
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold,
the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the
book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst
of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a
Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the
seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. (Rev 5:5-6)
Interestingly,
this is a theme one finds in the Book of Mormon, again showing the bankruptcy
of the claim by Dan Vogel et al. that the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith’s
early theology was a form of Modalism:
And the Messiah cometh in the fullness of times, that
he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are
redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil;
to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of
the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath
given. Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given
them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and
eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and
death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that
all men might be miserable unto himself. And now, my son, I would that ye
should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and
be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of
his Holy Spirit. And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the
flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power
to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own
kingdom. (2 Nephi 2:26-29)
Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain,
the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed
up in the will of the Father. And thus God breakth the bands of death, having
gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for
the children of men. (Mosiah 15:7-8)
