Arbitrator
“There is no umpire between us…”
In sports, the referees are universally hated, but they are very important. Can you imagine a baseball or basketball game without an umpire, referee or arbitrator? It would be a total disaster.
Referees fulfill various functions within any given game. They apply the rules and regulations of each sport. If a player functions within the guidelines he is rewarded (most of the time) and his prospects of winning are good. Those that do not abide by the rules are penalized, disqualified or expelled from the game.
The arbitrators or referees are the ones that control the destiny of the sporting event. They have the power to give you the victory or disqualify you. They also act as mediators between opposite teams.
Christ is the Arbitrator par excellence; the Lawyer (Advocate) and Mediator between God and man. In the book of 1 Timothy 2:5 we are told that:
“…there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,”
In Him we are more than triumphant and the devil is the loser.
In the game of life we too need a referee or arbitrator. Life is more complicated than any sports or competition and without proper guidelines, chaos would ensue every time. The Bible is our manual for living and our guide for every situation. Furthermore Jesus is the divine Umpire, who oversees each individual “game” (i.e. life) and always has the solution to any complication that might arise.
Now we are ready to “play.”
