Godliness- contentment and the mystery

 The first is: They are good. It is important to see that. The things that God has created in this world are good. Let's look at our passage in 1 Timothy 6 and let's set it in context. Of course, verse 6 and following deal with this theme of Christian contentment, but it is set in the context of false teachers, and we encounter them in verses 3-5. Now, what did these false teachers teach? Well, a number of different things, but some things Paul makes clear to us back in 1 Timothy 4:

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 4:1-5, ESV

What is one small thing that we see that these false teachers were teaching? We see it in verse 3: They forbid marriage and require abstinence from certain foods. In other words, they seem to have taught a strict (what I might call) asceticism—a negative view of the body. Any desire is evil. We do not indulge the body at all. We abstain from certain foods and drinks (that God has created as good, Paul says). We are to see the things of this world created by God as good. Certainly we can refer to some manmade creations that are not so good, but what God has created is good. It is to be received with thanksgiving. The teaching of the false teachers was, “No, abstain from that and put that aside.”

And indeed, this kind of strict lifestyle has the appearance of godliness. In fact, when Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:5 that they are “imagining that godliness is a means of gain,” what he means here is the appearance of godliness, because from the description they are anything but truly godly! But as Paul says to the Colossians in Colossians 2 teaching that says, “Do not touch, Do not taste, Do not handle” has the appearance of godliness. There are many religions in the world that are attracting followers because of the strictness of their teaching. People think that is attractive. “That must be right. I have to get my life in order.” So they are attracted to this kind of strict self-denial. They have the appearance of godliness.

But as we see in 1 Timothy 6, their lives show otherwise. Paul says here in verse 4 that they are “puffed up with conceit.” They are arrogant. Contrary to popular opinion, arrogance is not believing you are right. In the Bible arrogance is setting yourself up over against the Word of God, or [setting] human teaching over against God's teaching. That is arrogance! It is not having convictions or believing you are right on certain things; it is setting your opinion over against God's opinion. That is arrogance. Humility means submitting to God's Word.

We see of these false teachers that they have a craving for controversy and for quarrels. They produce envy and slander. Verse 5: There was constant friction among these false teachers. The Church is filled with people like this in many ways, isn't it? Those who have the appearance of godliness—maybe through their rigorous devotion or their strict lifestyle—but where they go causes constant friction among God's people! These false teachers teach strict denial, but they are teeming with desire. And it shows up in controversy and in their desire for gain. They teach strict self-denial, but there is a desire for gain. Look at verse 6: “Imagining that godliness is a means of gain.”

In other words, there is no contentment. There is a longing after more. There is no peace in the heart of these false teachers. Why? First, there can be no contentment and peace for those who reject God's Word and for those who reject God's teaching. There can be no contentment and peace for those who set up human standards over God's standards. That is simply not going to happen.

But secondly, I think it comes from misunderstanding God's teaching on the world. All that God has created is good. Look ahead in 1 Timothy 6:

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.  1 Timothy 6:17, ESV

God has given the things of this world for us to enjoy. Having things is not sinful! But we need to recognize their proper place. And the first thing that Paul says here is that they are given for our enjoyment. Isn't it interesting that Paul, who wants us to find our contentment and our delight and our joy in God alone, also wants us to enjoy the material things of this world that God has provided? Those two things could potentially seem to be at odds. But Paul says, “No, what God has created is good and is given for your enjoyment.”

Why Should We Enjoy Worldly Things?←↰⤒🔗

Now, why? I think there are two primary reasons for this. Actually, we could say three. The first is: They are gifts of God. And if God is given them, then we are to enjoy them and take delight in God's provision.

But next, we can also say that the enjoyment of our good gifts is a type of our enjoyment of God himself. As we enjoy the gifts, it is a type of enjoying the Giver. It reminds us of our greater joy and delight in God alone. There is a lot of language in Scripture of eating and drinking. Eating and drinking is all over the Bible. Jesus came and he ate and he drank, and he seemed to live it up a little bit! He made wine at the wedding of Cana in Galilee. He is called by the Jewish leaders a drunkard and a friend of sinners. Jesus went to some fine meals and banquets. The Bible describes banquets, meals, eating and drinking. And what do these ultimately do?

Well first of all, they ultimately look forward to some great banquet at the end of the age called the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. In fact, Jesus himself says at the Last Supper with final cup, “I will not drink of this cup again until I drink it with you anew in the kingdom” (Matthew 26:29). Evidently there is going to be some kind of feast when Christ comes again. That seems to be biblical teaching. It may simply be metaphorical, but I think it refers to a literal feast there.

But the Bible also uses eating language about our relationship with God. Listen to the language Scripture uses: “Taste and see that God is good” (Psalm 34:8). Jesus says, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, is thirsty let him come to me and drink” (John 7:37). “The one who comes to me will not hunger, and the one who believes in me will not thirst” (John 6:35). The psalmist in Psalm 36:8 says of those who take refuge under the shadow of God's wings: “They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.” We are to enjoy what God has given. It looks forward and is a type of our enjoyment of God himself.

A few passages in the New Testament imply that the early church dealt with the problem of false teachers aiming to enrich themselves. Peter’s instructions to the elders warn against using the ministry “for shameful gain” (1 Peter 5:1–2). Acts 8:9–25 records the story of one Simon Magus who sought to buy the power of the Holy Spirit, presumably to get people to pay to see his own wonderworking abilities. The church fathers say that Simon was one of the founders of the Gnosticism that threatened God’s people in the second century AD.

In Ephesus, Timothy confronted heretics who sold their falsehoods for the sake of worldly wealth. These men mingled error with the teachings of godliness to earn money, and so Paul rightly warned Timothy against those who use godliness as a means for gain (1 Tim. 6:5). Yet even though some desire godliness only to steal from the church, the apostle does not disagree that there is great gain in godliness, but the gain of which he speaks is not financial (v. 6). Instead, the gain from godly living is its promise “for the present life and also for the life to come” (4:8). With godliness comes the confidence that God will indeed take care of His holy people (Ps. 37:25) and confirmation that the new life in Christ wrought in us by the Spirit now will endure forever in a new heavens and earth (Eph. 1:11–14; 2 Peter 3:13). John Calvin comments, “Godliness is a very great gain to us, because, by means of it, we obtain the benefit, not only of being heirs of the world, but likewise of enjoying Christ and all his riches.”

Godliness also bears the fruit of contentment in our lives (1 Tim. 6:6). In light of eternity we understand that the material possessions we have now are worthless compared with the glories of the age to come. We brought nothing with us when we were born and we will take nothing with us when we go. Therefore, we can be content with the basic necessities of life (vv. 7–8). Of course, we may gratefully receive and enjoy whatever gifts go beyond food, clothing, and shelter, all of which is subsumed under the Greek word for “clothing” in verse 8. Nevertheless, any such extras are not necessary, and we should never demand them from the Lord or covet those luxuries that He gives to other people.

Coram Deo

One commentator says, “Godliness is not about acquiring better and more material things; it is instead an active life of faith, a living out of covenant faithfulness in relation to God, that finds sufficiency and contentment in Christ alone whatever one’s outward circumstances might be.” One way we can measure our godliness is to see if we are content with our lives. If we are discontent, we still have much to learn about the meaning of godliness.

1. It is not merely gain – it is great gain! Rather than just success – it is being very successful!
2. Who defined it as great gain? God Himself, Who knows more about man’s profit than any.
3. The context indicates that growth and success are under consideration (compare to 6:5).
4. Godliness and contentment are pleasing to God, so He will favor the godly and contented.
5. Godliness and contentment make men confident, happy, and at peace in any circumstances.
6. Godliness lays claims to God’s promises for both this life and the next life (I Timothy 4:8).
7. Contentedness allows you to have a continual feast no matter your circumstances (Pr 15:15).
8. Consider Job, Habakkuk, David, Moses (Job 1:20-22; Hab 3:17-19; Ps 4:5-8; Heb 11:24-26).
9. The afflicted and discontented man is never happy, for he never has enough (Eccl 5:10).
10. Covetousness makes it impossible to please God (Matt 6:33; 19:23-26; I Timothy 6:9-10).

What Is Godliness?

1. It is being like God (Matt 5:45,48) and doing those things that please Him (Luke 2:52).
2. It is consistent with good works, which are righteous actions defined by God (I Tim 2:10).
3. It is much more than just the form or ritual of religion – it is holy action (II Timothy 3:5).
4. It is one of the basic Christian character traits we are to add to our faith (II Peter 1:6-7).
5. It involves sorrow and repentance far different than the world’s sorrow (II Cor 7:9-11).
6. It is living contrary to the carnality and compromise of modern Christianity (II Tim 3:12).
7. It is consistent with sobriety and righteousness and opposite worldliness (Titus 2:12).
8. Godliness must include a great seeking of God and His holiness (Heb 11:6; I Pet 1:15-16).
9. Godliness is the opposite of worldliness, and it is spiritually minded (Jas 4:4; I John 2:15-17).
10. Enoch walked with God; David had a heart like God’s (Gen 5:21-24; Acts 13:22; Heb 11:5).
11. It is seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness over all the other things of life (Mat 6:31-34).

What is Contentment?

1. Contented. Satisfied, desiring nothing more or nothing different; limiting one’s desires, willing to put up with something. It is the opposite of covetousness.
2. Covetousness. Inordinate and culpable desire of possessing that which belongs to another or to which one has no right. It is the opposite of contentment.
3. Covetousness is idolatry, for it is not content with God or His gifts (Eph 5:5-7; Col 3:5-7).
4. Discontentment leads to murmuring that God hates and judges (I Cor 10:9-11; Phil 2:14-16).
5. There are four things never satisfied, but they should not be saints of God (Prov 30:15-16).
6. Contentment is happiness, peace, pleasure, and satisfaction with what you already have.
7. The Christian religion condemns covetousness and commands contentment, and the Lord should be enough to prohibit the former and cause the latter (Heb 13:5).
8. Contentment is a choice and learned behavior Paul did by Christ’s strength (Phil 4:11-13).
9. A discontented person is easy to spot. He is unhappy, fretting, worried, negative, unthankful.
10. They love the word “but.” No matter how many good things they have, there is always “but.”
11. They love to worry. They can overlook 100 important things to fret hard about 1 minor thing.
12. Pride leads to expectations beyond reality; they think too highly of themselves to fit reality.
13. What do you want from life? Many say, “I want to be happy.” You can choose it right now!
14. David showed contentment in the will of God at the death of a child (II Samuel 12:15-23).
15. John Baptist taught it as satisfaction with wages, even when sin might bring more (Luk 3:14).
16. Accept your role in life without fretting, unless it can be changed easily (I Cor 7:17,20-24).
17. Wives better learn contentment, for it is God’s doctrine to protect their bodies (Prov 5:19).
18. If you are not content with your husband … (1) you chose him, (2) your parents approved him, and (3) God gave him to you! Why are you unhappy? He is obviously perfect for you!

How Do I Improve?

1. Godliness includes contentment, for they do not exist separately. Do not try to divide them.
2. Yet you do not have to be content with your level of godliness, for it should be increasing!
3. Contentment is a choice you can make right now. Is your glass in life half full or half empty?
4. Reject the American religion of more, More, MORE as true success, for it means nothing.
5. Prove life goals by God (Rom 12:1-2). What are you seeking in life? Are the goals godly?
6. Prove your priorities by Scripture. Remember Solomon’s wise priorities i.e. Prov 15:16-17.
7. The simpler the lifestyle, the better. Obligations consume spirituality, time, energy, etc.
8. Set (you choose) your affection on spiritual things in heaven (Colossians 3:2; Matt 6:19-21).
9. Reject the false notion that a rich Christian businessman is an ideal ambition (Matthew 6:24).
10. Would you rather be the rich man or Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)? There is no comparison.
11. Let the “I gotta get ahead” syndrome drive you to spiritual progress by greater godliness.
12. Let the “My children are going to have it better” drive you to teach them greater godliness.
13. Life is short and ends before you wish, so apply yourself daily to wisdom (Psalm 90:10-12).
14. Do everything in your life to the glory of God and Jesus Christ (I Cor 10:31; Col 3:17-24).
15. Strictly make your focus the invisible things above natural sight and lusts (II Cor 4:17-18).
16. Remember that everything will be burned up – your toys have a “hot future” (II Pet 3:1-18).
17. Even in those areas you were foolish, our blessed God allowed them for holy and good ends.

The word here used for contentment is autarkeia… By it they meant a complete self-sufficiency. They meant a frame of mind which was completely independent of all outward things, and which carried the secret of happiness within itself. Contentment never comes from the possession of external things.” (Barclay)

c. With contentment: When one does not live by “the itch for more,” and one’s life is not dominated by shopping for and acquiring material things, we can have the kind of contentment in God and in His will for our lives.

i. This is a slippery area in the Christian life. It is very easy to come up with reasons – excuses, that is – why these sins of greed and materialism don’t apply to us. But whenever we think getting something material, or getting more of it, will answer our life’s needs, we lack this contentment. Whenever we are deeply grieved at material loss, we lack this contentment. Whenever we get an inordinate pleasure from buying or having some material thing, we lack this contentment.

d. Godliness with contentment is great gain: Paul knew this kind of contentment first hand; here is his testimony in Philippians 4:11-13: Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

i. It is true that material possessions in and of themselves do not corrupt us; Paul could abound in material things and still keep it all in proper perspective. But too many use this truth to excuse their own materialism and carnal lack of contentment.

ii. Contentment is essential, and difficult for many reasons:

· We can only find contentment when our hearts are rooted in eternal things; and contentment is essential because it shows we are living with an eternal perspective, not only trying to feather an earthly nest.

· It is hard to be content, because our consumer culture feeds our lack of contentment, by rewarding us when we are discontent, and with advertising that tries to make us feel discontent without a product.

· It is hard to be content, because we almost always desire far more than we need.

e. Godliness with contentment is great gain: Godliness really can bring almost unbelievable contentment; but before it can, we must be transformed by the renewing of your mind(Romans 12:2) – to start putting material things in their proper priority next to spiritual things.

i. It’s easy for many Christians to say they have this contentment; but whether they have it or not is often more truthfully known by their spending and shopping habits. How much of a place does shopping and buying have in your life? How does material loss affect your happiness? How happy do you get from having some material thing?

ii. When we live and act without contentment, we are trying to fill needs in our lives – a need to be “somebody,” a need to feel secure or cared for, a need to have excitement and newness in our lives – most people try to fulfill these needs with material things, but they can only really be met by a spiritual relationship with the God who made us.

iii. Real contentment isn’t too difficult for those whose real home is heaven. “It requires but little of this world’s goods to satisfy a man who feels himself to be a citizen of another country, and knows that this is not his rest” (Clarke).

3. (7-8) The heart of contentment.

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

a. We brought nothing into this world: A baby is born not only penniless, but without even a pocket to put pennies in. Just as certainly, we can carry nothing out – the things that make a man rich in this world mean nothing in the world to come.

b. It is certain we can carry nothing out: A heart of contentment begins with seeing our material possessions and resources in an eternalperspective.

i. It has been wisely observed that a moving trailer never follows a hearse. Everything one might take with them to the world beyond is left behind. Gold is a precious commodity on earth; in heaven God uses it to pave the streets.

ii. Jesus once told a parable that has troubled some people. In Luke 16:1-14, He spoke of a dishonest manager, who was about to be called to account. Knowing he will be fired, he began to settle accounts with his master’s debtors at terms favorable to the debtors, so they would treat him kindly when the master fired him. The master ended up complimenting the manager for his shrewd tactics (presumably before he fired him). The manager was praiseworthy for two reasons. First, he knew he would be called to account for his life and he took it seriously. Secondly, he took advantage of his present position to arrange a comfortable future. We can use our material resources right now for eternal good – even though we can’t bring them with us.

iii. We can carry nothing out– but we can send aheadeternal blessing and reward through wise use of our resources right now.

c. Having food and clothing: After an eternal perspective, a heart of contentment will be humble, a heart that can be content with simple things.

i. Most of us become jaded over the years, and our over-stimulated culture is effective at producing this in us. Things that used to satisfy us are no longer good enough. The constant hunger for more and more, for more and better, for new and improved, all work against real contentment.

4. (9-10) The folly of the greedy heart.

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

a. Those who desire to be rich: Significantly, the desire for riches is far more dangerous than the riches themselves – and it isn’t only the poor who desire to be rich, it is also the rich who want more riches.

i. Poor does not mean godly and rich ungodly; nor is it true the other way around. There were many remarkably godly men in the Bible who were almost unbelievably rich, such as Abraham, David, and Solomon.

ii. But the godly rich have the heart like the Psalmist in Psalm 62:10: If riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

b. Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare: This desire for riches tempts our heart away from eternal riches and ensnares us in a trap few can escape – always dreaming of riches, and always setting one’s heart on them.

i. The desire to be rich can really only be satisfied in Jesus Christ and satisfied with spiritual riches rather than material ones. Everything else falls short.

c. The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: The love of money can motivate any evil on this earth. There is no sin that cannot be committed for the sake of money.

d. Pierced themselves through with many sorrows: This is the fate of those who live in the love of money. They are not satisfied. We sometimes want the opportunity to find out if riches can satisfy, but we should trust the Word of God and the experience of many.

i. “So do these strangle, drown, poison their precious souls with profits, pleasures, and preferments, and many times meet with perdition and destruction, that is, with a double destruction, temporal and eternal, as some expound it.” (Trapp)

5. (11-16) True riches: serving a Great King.

But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

a. But you, O man of God: Timothy was commanded to be different from those who lived for riches and material wealth. He was to flee the proud arguments of those who misuse God’s Word and who suppose that we should follow God just for what we can get out of it.

b. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness: Instead of pride and riches, Timothy was to make these things his pursuit. These are things which are often not valued in our present age but are very valuable to God.

i. This challenge to leave some things and follow hard after some other things isn’t just directed to Timothy, but to everyone who would be a man [or woman] of God – as opposed to being a man of this world.

c. Fight the good fight of faith: Going God’s way – against the flow of this world – won’t be easy. Therefore, Timothy had to have a soldier’s determination.

i. God calls us to be fighters, but to fight the good fight of faith – a fight where some may lose a battle here and there, but they will carry on the fight with great determination until the war is over – when we lay hold on eternal life.

ii. Timothy was drafted into this war: To which you were also called. But Timothy also volunteered: And have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Timothy had to consider both so as to set his thinking right for the fight. God had called him, and he had also freely chosen.

d. In the sight of God who gives life to all things: Since Paul called Timothy to a difficult battle, it was good for him to know that the orders were given under this great God. Timothy had an obligation to serve the Creator who gave him life.

i. The denial of God as Creator has done wide damage in our culture. Some of the biggest damage has come from the simple fact that many people no longer believe they have a Creator they must honor and be accountable to.

e. Christ Jesus: This was who gave Timothy the difficult command. Jesus Himself knew what it was to fulfill a difficult command, because He witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate and Jesus did it in several ways.

i. Jesus admitted the truth about Himself, agreeing with Pilate’s statement that Jesus was the King of the Jews (Matthew 27:11).

ii. Jesus testified to Pilate about the sovereignty of God, saying You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given to you from above (John 19:11). Jesus let Pilate know that God was in charge, not Pilate.

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul declared that one of his reasons for writing the epistle was that men might know how to behave themselves in the house (family) of God, which is the church of the living God (3:15).

Further, he affirms that it is the responsibility of those in the church to be the pillar and support of the truth. The great truth, so worthy of Christian support, has to do with the redemptive mission of Jesus Christ, which the apostle summarizes in the following fashion:

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory (v. 16, ASV).

In this study, some of the thrilling gems of this context will be considered.

The expression “without controversy” translates the Greek term homologoumenos, which literally denotes that which one confesses, hence, it might be rendered “confessedly,” “undeniably,” “most certainly.” It is a declaration of absolute confidence.

Next, the apostle speaks of the great “mystery of godliness.” “Mystery” is a rendition of the Greek word musterion. The term does not, as many suppose, refer to that which is mysterious, hence, incapable of being understood. Rather, in Bible parlance, the word denotes that which was formerly obscured, but which has now been announced through the gospel of Christ. It has to do with the unfolding of the heavenly scheme of salvation. Compare the expression “the mystery of the faith” in verse nine of this same chapter.

Perhaps the most comprehensive discussion of this matter is to be found in Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians, where the apostle declares that the “mystery,” which in former generations was unknown to men, has now been revealed through Spirit-inspired apostles and prophets, so that those who read the New Testament record can perceive the heavenly plan which is fulfilled in the work of Christ (cf. 3:1-12).

The word “godliness” in the Greek Testament is the noun eusebia. This term, along with its various cognate forms, suggests piety, devotion, religion, or a disposition of God-towardness.

One version renders the phrase, “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our religion” (RSV). A fair paraphrase might be, “Undeniably, great is the strategy of the divine plan of salvation.”

Subsequently, Paul lists six magnificent propositions which form a miniature outline of the life of Christ. They are as follows:

“He [Christ] who was manifested in the flesh”

Though the King James Version has it, “God was manifest in the flesh,” the better manuscript evidence supports the rendition “He who” (cf. Metzger 1971, 641). Be that as it may, the text certainly argues for the incarnation of Christ, hence, his deity. It postulates the mission of one who was existing in a pre-fleshly condition, but who appeared in human form.

John wrote: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). This affirmation was in direct conflict with certain gnostic ideas of antiquity which asserted that Christ could not have possessed a body of flesh, since flesh was intrinsically evil—a concept which John labels as the spirit of the anti-christ (1 John 4:2, 3).

The New Testament reveals that Jesus was manifest in the flesh for the following reasons:

(1) He became flesh so that men might see, in visible form, a commentary on Deity. John affirmed that Christ came to “declare” (exegesato—to give an exegesis of) the Father (1:18). Thus, to view the Lord was to comprehend something of the nature of his heavenly Father (John 14:9).

(2) He became flesh to identify with us (Hebrews 5:1-10). Having lived in human form, and thus been subjected to temptation (Hebrews 4:15), he is able to effectively function as our high priest, hence, come to our aid when we are tempted (Hebrews 2:17, 18).

(3) He was manifested as man to provide us with a model for living (1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6).

(4) Since it is impossible for Deity, as a spirit being, to die (cf. 1 Timothy 6:16), Christ became flesh so that he might be subjected to death (Hebrews 2:9, 14), hence qualified to put away sins (1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 John 3:5).

(5) Finally, the Lord was manifested that “he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8), which, of course, will be realized ultimately at the time of his second coming.

“Justified in the spirit”

First, we must note that the word “justified” does not suggest that Christ at one time was sinful, hence, at some point, was pardoned or justified from sin. That cannot be the meaning (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22).

The term denotes a vindication. Though Jesus was manifested in the flesh, and “put to death in the flesh” by his enemies (1 Peter 3:18), God Almighty vindicated the Lord, raising him from the dead. Thus was the Master “declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4).

But what does the phrase “in the spirit” signify? There are several possibilities, both grammatically and contextually.

Most translations capitalize the term “Spirit,” suggesting that there is an allusion to the Holy Spirit. If that is the meaning, the phrase could be a reference to the Spirit’s operation at the time of the Lord’s bodily resurrection.

In Romans 8:11 Paul wrote: “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwells in you.” Roy Lanier Sr. observed that “the word ‘also’ suggests the Holy Spirit not only will raise our bodies, but ‘also’ was the agent of the Father in raising Christ” (n.d., 56).

Others think that “Spirit” in 1 Timothy 3:16 is a general reference to the Spirit’s operation in the life of Christ. The Lord’s miracles, message, etc., climaxing with his resurrection, demonstrated his deity, hence, in spite of his death at the hands of cruel men, the Savior was vindicated.

The ASV does not capitalize “spirit,” thus reflecting the opinion that the allusion is to the Lord’s human spirit. This could also be a reference, however, to the resurrection of Christ, at which point the Savior’s spirit re-entered his body.

In 1 Peter 3:18 the apostle states that Jesus “was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.” Roy Deaver has effectively argued that Jesus was raised by the re-energizing of his body through his spirit (1974, 11-13), though some also see “spirit” as a reference to the Holy Spirit in this passage (Kistemaker 1987, 140).

“Seen of angels”

Angels were intimately involved with the work of our Lord. Note the following:

(1) Angels were associates of the preincarnate Word (cf. John 1:1, 14). When Abraham was visited by “three men” at the oaks of Mamre, two of them are identified as angels (Genesis 19:1) while the other is a divine person who subsequently rains “upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah out of heaven” (19:24; cf. 18:1, 21).

(2) Angels heralded the impending birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:26) and praised God when Mary brought forth her child (Luke 2:13).

(3) After Christ concluded his temptation ordeal in the wilderness, “angels came and ministered unto him” (Matthew 4:11).

(4) When the Lord experienced great agony of soul just prior to his death, “there appeared unto him an angel from heaven, strengthening him” (Luke 22:43), and had he so chosen, he might have summoned thousands of angels to deliver him from the curse of Calvary (cf. Matthew 26:53).

(5) Angels were present at the time of Christ’s resurrection from the grave (Matthew 28:2ff; Mark 16:5; Luke 24:4; John 20:12) and at his ascension into heaven (Acts 1:10).

(6) Finally, the angels of heaven are subject to him (1 Peter 3:22), and praise him saying, “Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honor, and glory, and blessing” (Revelation 5:11, 12).

“Preached among the nations [Gentiles – KJV]”

This, of course, suggests the universal scope of the Savior’s redemptive system—a fact that was predicted in the Old Testament (Isaiah 2:2; 11:10), previewed in the earthly ministry of Christ (Matthew 4:15ff; 8:11), announced in the “great commission” (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47), and implemented by the apostles, prophets, and others, as revealed in the book of Acts.

We must note in passing that when the New Testament speaks of preaching “Christ,” such expression not only denotes the historical facts regarding the person of Jesus, but also the truths concerning his kingdom and how to gain entrance into the same (cf. Acts 8:5, 12, 35ff).

“Believed on in the world”

Though a majority in the first-century world did not believe on Christ (cf. Isaiah 53:1; John 12:37; 1:11), nevertheless, many did (Acts 2:44; 4:4; 5:14; 9:42).

It must be understood, however, that the expression “believed on” does not denote a mere “faith-only” concept as implied in some of the creeds of protestantism (cf. Discipline of the Methodist Church 1939, Article IX; Hiscox 1890, 62). Rather, “faith,” or “believing” in Bible terminology, that avails in God’s sight is that which is active in obeying the Lord, as the following evidence indicates:

(1) John declares that “whosoever believes” should not perish, but have eternal life (3:16), while the writer of Hebrews affirms that eternal salvation is given to those who “obey” the Son (5:8, 9). Obviously, therefore, believing in Christ must include obedience as a requisite to salvation.

(2) John 3:36 affirms: “He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him” (ASV).

Note how the terms “believeth” and “obeyeth not,” as correctly reflected in the American Standard Version, stand in bold contrast. To believe is to obey!

(3) The Scriptures speak of being “obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7).

(4) When the jailor at Philippi heard Paul’s proclamation of the gospel, acknowledged its validity, evidenced penitence, and submitted to immersion (Acts 16:31-33), Luke sums up the entire process by saying that he, along with his family, had “believed in God” (16:34).

(5) Romans 5:1 announces: “Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” In the same inspired document, however, the apostle argues that one is “made free from sin” after he has “become obedient from the heart” to the pattern of divine instruction (6:17, 18).

Since “peace with God” and being “made free from sin” are equivalent, it necessarily follows that the “faith” of 5:1 includes the “obedience” of 6:17. Indeed, one of the major emphases of the book of Romans is the “obedience of faith” (cf. 1:5; 16:26).

(6) The author of the book of Hebrews stresses that those Israelites who perished in the wilderness were condemned because they were “disobedient,” which, in fact, was an expression of their "unbelief ’(cf. Hebrews 3:18, 19; 4:3, 6 – ASV). The terms are employed interchangeably.

(7) The discussion of James, that faith apart from works is “dead,” “barren,” etc., is too well-known to need elaboration at this point (cf. James 2:14ff).

“Received up in glory”

This refers, of course, to the Lord’s reception into heaven some forty days following his resurrection from the dead. Jesus had prophesied that he must suffer and then enter into his glory (Luke 24:26); and so, following his bodily resurrection, he was “received up into heaven” (Mark 16:19; cf. Acts 1:2).

In these latter passages, the same verb (analambano) is used as that employed by Paul in his letter to Timothy. When Jesus entered into this glorious realm, all authority was made subject to him (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:20ff).

Thus, Paul’s great “mystery of godliness,” when unfolded, is rich indeed. It is the gospel in seed form. It is intellectually satisfying, emotionally rewarding, and practically motivating.

May the church of the living God recognize her mission to proclaim these pearls of truth in a world that languishes in darkness and has no hope apart from the mission and message of Christ. To this end let us dedicate ourselves.

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
1 Timothy 3:16

Redemptive Work

The mystery of godliness was an astonishing truth explained by Paul to Timothy. This mystery of righteousness encompasses the redemptive work of Christ Jesus. It was a truth that was hidden from man in the Old Testament, and it was a truth that was explained through Paul in the New.

Glorious Gospel

This is no “mysterious phenomena,” that cannot be understood by you or me! This is no “secret illumination” given only a few men with mystical minds. This was a truth hidden by God, until it was time to proclaim it to the world. The mystery of godliness is the wonderful truth of the glorious gospel of Christ.

Gift of Grace

The mystery of our faith was a truth that emanated from the heart of God. The mystery that demands our reverence, is God with us, the hope of glory. The mystery of godliness is the gospel of Christ, unfolded in the scheme of salvation. It is the mystery of our faith; it is the glorious gospel of Christ; it is the amazing plan of God’s gift of salvation to you and to me.

Undeniably Certainty

This mystery from God is an undeniable certainty – it is a truth without controversy. We can confidently believe His word with absolute assurance and utter confidence, for without question, this is the great mystery of our faith.

Christ in the Flesh

The 1st principle in this open secret is the manifestation of Christ in the flesh: 'the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us'   John1:14. He was clothed in mortal flesh so that He could be identified as one with our race. God became man so that man could return back into fellowship with a holy God. Christ became sin so that sinners could be covered in His perfect righteousness. Jesus became the Captain of our salvation to demonstrate how to live godly in Him. He was made in the image of man, that He might destroy the works of the evil one. Great is the mystery of godliness. Precious is the gospel of God’s great salvation.

Justified in the Spirit

The 2nd principle of this mystery of our faith is that Christ was justified in the spirit. Christ, Who knew no sin, was made sin so we might be made righteousness, in Him. He was made sin, and He bore the world’s sin – but Christ was the innocent sacrifice.. and so He was justified: vindicated – cleared of all its guilt, consequences and wages.. for the wages of sin is death but Christ being raised from the dead, dies no more. Christ lived a perfect human life – living, walking, and praying in spirit and truth. He fulfilled God’s righteous requirements and so He was vindicated by the Spirit. Great is the mystery of godliness. Precious is the incarnate Word of God and His great salvation.

Seen of Angels

The 3rd principle of God’s revealed mystery is that Christ was seen of angels. It was angels that heralded His birth and angels that announced His resurrection. It was angels that ministered in temptations hour and also in Gethsemane’s pain. It was angels that sang at the womb of creation and they who saw His asention.. and angels around the throne worship before Him crying: ]Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty. Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honour, and glory, and blessing.' Rev.5:11. Great is the mystery of godliness. Wonderful is His name – the anointed of God, our precious Saviour.

Preached to Gentiles

The 4th principle of this wonderful truth is that Christ preached unto the Gentiles. Though many rejected the king of the Jews, nonetheless many gentiles believed.. and out of the nations was called a people for Christ’s name to bear much fruit. His blood has bought men from every tribe, language, people, and nation, for you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him. Who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. 1Peter 2:9. Great is the mystery of godliness Praise the Lord – for He wills that all are saved and come to faith in Jesus.

Christ is Believed on

The 5th principle in this great assurance is that Christ is believed on in the world.. 'for he that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeys not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him.' John 3:36. How gracious is God – for the people that walked in darkness were given the light, and those born dead in their sins can become sons of God, by grace through faith. Great is the mystery of godliness for the earth shall be filled with His glory as the waters cover the sea.

Received into Glory

The 6th principle of this undeniable certainty is that Christ was received into glory. Christ finished the Father’s work and claimed His position on His Father’s throne. His glorious resurrection was done, and His position in glory awaited Him. Both acts verified His authenticity – both affirmed His eternal kingship.

Gift of Salvation

The mystery of godliness is that astonishing truth given by Paul to Timothy. The mystery of godliness is the wonderful truth of the glorious gospel of Christ, unfolded in the scheme of Salvation. It is the mystery of our faith. It is the glorious Gospel of Christ. It is the amazing plan of God’s gift of Salvation to you and to me.

1. There is nothing more important for you to learn than the knowledge of Jesus Christ (I Cor 2:2; Gal 6:14).
2. The preaching of the gospel is to bring the good news and glad tidings of Jesus Christ (Acts 8:35; II Pet 3:18).
3. God has testified of His Son Jesus Christ, and we are to believe the witness God has given (I John 5:5-13).
4. The Holy Spirit, regardless of what you feel, exalts Jesus Christ (Jn 14:26; 15:26-27; 16:13-14; Eph 3:14-19).
5. Our entire faith, religion, and worship are wrapped up in Jesus of Nazareth, our coming Saviour and King.
6. There is no fuller, single sentence summary of the mystery of our faith than that given in this glorious text.
7. It would be a very gratifying pleasure if I could show some of you to make this your favorite doctrinal verse.
8. I speak to those who love the Lord Jesus Christ, for all others have no part or lot with us in His salvation.
9. This sermon, though dealing mainly with just one verse of Scripture, is the essence of our faith and religion.
10. Keep in mind the six very short phrases intend everything associated with them, thus all the gospel facts.
11. If you are too tired or bored to pay attention to this message, you shall give an account for your profanity.
12. If you allow petty little problems of life, and that is all of them, to affect you, where is your love of Christ?
13. There is no other knowledge to learn that can compare with the benefit to heart and mind of knowing Christ.
14. This is God’s beloved and only begotten Son, and He will not allow any competitors (Matthew 3:17; 17:5).
15. Do you grasp that the Person of this mystery stands and asks you entrance for fellowship (Revelation 3:20)?
16. If you were to seek to know this Christ better, it passes knowledge and is the fullness of God (Eph 3:14-19).
17. The riches of the gospel excel and exceed all the riches of any other kind of the world (Rom 11:12; Col 1:27).

 

AND

1. Paul exhorted Timothy to godliness in the church, the pillar and ground of the truth (I Tim 3:14-15).
2. The book of I Timothy, a Pastoral Epistle, contains sundry instructions for Timothy as a true bishop.
3. Paul solemnified Timothy’s conduct in the church by calling it God’s house and preserver of truth.
4. The church is the congregation of the living God, before Him all should fear (Heb 10:31; 12:28-29).
5. This metaphor, “pillar and ground,” tells the church’s supporting and defending role toward truth.
6. The church must know the truth, love the truth, spread the truth, and defend the truth in its holy role.
7. Paul next prophesied a departure from apostolic faith and truth by doctrines of devils (I Tim 4:1-3), which we understand to be Roman Catholic heresies by the two examples provided by Paul.
8. Paul later prophesied to Timothy of perilous times due to Christian compromise (II Tim 3:6-9; 4:3-4), which is visible in the early years of the 21st century in all the mega-church pulpits and activities.
9. Paul summarized the glorious truth given to the church in the one spectacular sentence that follows.
10. The revelation of this fantastic mystery by God through His holy scriptures should move every saint.
11. You cannot and must not take for granted what has been committed to the church in the way of truth.
12. Ministers must carefully convey it to other preachers, for the church’s sake (II Tim 2:2; Eph 4:8-14).
13. Fathers must convey truth to their children and children’s children (Deut 6:4-9; Joel 1:1-3; Eph 6:4).
14. It is our duty to remember sacred truth, teach it to others, and defend it from all attacks (Jude 1:3-4).

 

WITHOUT CONTROVERSY

1. There is no arguing that the gospel given to the saints of Jesus Christ is a great religious mystery.
2. There is no doubt or contest about this matter – the gospel is sublime and supernatural revelation.
3. Paul earlier wrote a faithful saying worthy of all acceptation about Jesus and salvation (I Tim 1:15).
4. Paul elsewhere argued that a proposition of his was without contradiction – very obvious (Heb 7:7).
5. Let me ask you, Why and how can anything in your life compete with this revelation? It is supreme!
6. If you allow any other pursuit to compete or crowd out this knowledge and joy, you controvert it!
7. No man can be allowed to demean or neglect these glorious facts by word or by deed in the church.

 

GREAT

1. This is not a slight matter; if you slight it in your mind or response, you face horrible vengeance.
2. Whether a man believes them or not, there is nothing slight about the claims of Christianity. Glory!
3. Bible Christianity is either the most astounding of shams by far or the most amazing of revelations.
4. When David wrote Psalm 45, the song of loves about our Lord, he called it a good matter (Ps 45:1).
5. All six facts about Jesus Christ are great: not one should be neglected; each should be amplified.
6. There is no greater text, truth, mystery, or faith than the facts summarized by this wonderful verse.
7. These facts about the man Jesus of Nazareth is life changing information believed by His elect.
8. Paul exhorted the young minister Timothy to his kingdom duties by exalting the gospel message.
9. The old, old story we should want to tell to both old and new alike is summarized by these words.
10. Paul warned Corinth, though they had the most spiritual gifts, about not loving Christ (I Cor 16:22).
11. How great are these six things to you? Are you deceived or distracted? You need to see them great.

 

IS THE MYSTERY

1. The gospel is the good news of God and His salvation of the elect in Christ, which cannot be known apart from a revelation from heaven; therefore it is a mystery, though well understood by the saints.
2. The word mystery does not require things are secret, confusing, unintelligible, or unspeakable to all.
3. Note in the preceding verses, Paul described deacons as holding the mystery of the faith (I Tim 3:9).
4. Jesus used parables to reveal kingdom mysteries to some and conceal them from others (Matt 13:11).
5. The most important events and facts in the universe are only known to God’s children (I Cor 2:6-10).
6. Neither God’s natural creation nor human reason can ever uncover and explore these sublime facts.
7. Jesus declared that His identity as the Son of God was by pure revelation (Matt 11:25-27; 16:13-17).
8. Some cloud and confuse the gospel of Christ, but this summary is obviously simple (II Cor 11:3).
9. Most religions have their greater and lesser mysteries for the initiated members to hold as precious.
10. Some call the Nicene Creed or heresy of transubstantiation the mystery of their faith. Ridiculous!
11. In spite of the gospel called a mystery here, there is not a breath or hint about sacramentalism at all.
12. The facts are not all in order, as the ascension of Christ into glory is put last, rather appropriately.
13. For more about the “mystery” of the gospel.
14. Author of Confusion.

 

OF GODLINESS

1. Godliness here is the doctrine according to godliness, the apostolic gospel revealing Christ (I Ti 6:3).
2. It is a term describing the religion of the true God (II Tim 3:5). Here is the mystery of our religion!
3. Men claim what they think is truth, but God’s truth is the truth which is after godliness (Titus 1:1).
4. We may classify some things as practical godliness – things we do, but this is theological godliness.
5. We may preach doctrine in its place, but these facts about Jesus Christ are truly the gospel of Christ.
6. We may preach prophecy in its place, but these historical facts of Jesus are truly the gospel of Christ.
7. We want to keep the wisdom of Proverbs in its proper place, somewhere below knowing the Christ.
8. We want to keep the “Witness of 70 A.D.” in its proper place, somewhere below knowing the Christ.
9. The Person, glory, knowledge, works, purpose, and nature of God are all parts of divine revelation.

 

GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH

1. We arrive as an ass, depraved and deceived, and leave the same (Job 11:12; Jer 17:9; Eccl 3:19-21).
2. Not even angels have flesh, since He made them to be spirits (Ps 104:4; Heb 1:7; 2:16; Luke 24:39).
3. But Jehovah God, revealed first to Moses, came into this world as a Man to redeem His elect people.
4. The invisible, incomprehensible, and infinite God was made flesh to bodily, physically die for us.
5. He was not a phantom or spirit, for He said, “A spirit hath not flesh and bones, as you see me have.”
6. The Almighty Creator God took on the flesh of mere human creatures well below His own angels.
7. The infinite God of heaven became intimately connected to an infant of poverty in the earth. Great!
8. He that the heaven of heavens cannot contain limited Himself to a child of a poor couple in a stable.
9. Manifest. Clearly revealed to the eye, mind, or judgment; open to view or comprehension; obvious.
10. The Word became flesh to declare God, and the Word of life was manifested (Jn 1:14,18; I Jn 1:2).
11. Jesus is the brightness of His glory and the express image of God far above the angels (Heb 1:1-4).
12. Men and devils have sought for 2000 years to compromise or deny the full deity of Jesus Christ.
13. We believe the King James Bible; we reject all other versions in English as being inferior or frauds.
14. Therefore, we reject Christ-haters who corrupt this clause by changing “God” to Who, He, or Which.
15. There is nothing vague here; the great mystery of godliness is the incarnation of full Deity as a man.
16. Jesus being manifest in the flesh has little meaning, for without flesh there is no Jesus of Nazareth.
17. Jesus was not truly manifest in the flesh; God manifest in the flesh was Jesus; know the difference.
18. The Son of God was not manifest in flesh; God manifest in flesh was the Son; know the difference.
19. We totally deny the eternal sonship of Jesus as a blasphemous begotten god imagined by Origen.
20. But God manifest in the flesh is indeed meaningful, for it describes the glorious incarnation of God.
21. An eternally generated son was not manifest in the flesh; Jehovah God was manifest in the flesh.
22. There is no begotten god as the NASV and NWT in John 1:18; there is a begotten Son named Jesus.
23. Here is Bible doctrine: God the Word was made flesh in the person of Jesus (Jn 1:1-3,14,18; Ro 1:3).
24. God’s power combined two natures in one man, by a virgin; He was the Son of God (Luke 1:30-35).
25. Of course, even elementary believers know about the virgin birth, but it is indeed a profound fact.
26. The Lord Jesus Christ – the Godman – had the fullness of the Godhead in a flesh body (Col 2:9).
27. The full mystery is the true God, Jehovah, was the Father of the Son, and He was the Son (Col 2:2).
28. Jesus Christ is God blessed forever, Immanuel, the Mighty God (Rom 9:5; Is 7:14; 9:6; Matt 1:23).
29. Such a stupendous truth, God as a man, cannot be found in nature or the reasoning of sane men.
30. Insane men have reasoned all sort of perverse things about gods and lords, but not this blessed truth.
31. He partook of literal and true flesh and blood, for He partook of our very own nature (Heb 2:14-17).
32. We do confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, contrary to first century heretics (I John 4:1-6).
33. Jesus our Advocate gloriously mediates between God and men (I Tim 2:5; Heb 2:17-18; 4:12-16).
34. It is at the cross we must see God upholding humanity while God forsakes the Man for our salvation.
35. The perfect Substitute for our corrupt estate is the crowning jewel of this aspect of Christ’s gospel.
36. He chose to redeem flesh, so we rightly assume we shall be most exalted of His creatures in heaven.
37. God in the flesh was conceived in a virgin, was born in a stable, laid in a manger, circumcised the eighth day, held in the temple, debated with doctors of the law at twelve, obeyed his parents, baptized in Jordan, tempted by the devil, read the scriptures at Nazareth, healed the sick, preached the gospel, cleansed the temple, rebuked devils, slept during storms and silenced storms, wept at a cemetery before raising the dead, put on trial for his life, mocked, scourged by Romans, crucified, buried, rose from the dead after three days, ascended into heaven, sat down as Prince of all kings!
38. For more about the sonship of Jesus Christ.
39. For more about the birth of Jesus Christ.
40. For Jesus as Seed of the woman.
41. For the childbirth of Jesus as the means of redemption.
42. For genealogies of Jesus Christ.

 

JUSTIFIED IN THE SPIRIT

1. The sense of justification here is proving one’s identity and character (Luke 7:29; Rom 3:4; Is 5:23).
2. Every religion must be measured by the certainty and validity of its claims, including the gospel.
3. The Holy Spirit of God so moved in and through Jesus Christ as to prove His identity as God’s Son.
4. It was the Holy Ghost that came upon Mary and wrought the glorious conception in her (Luke 1:35).
5. The Holy Spirit moved Simeon and Anna to declare about His Person and Character (Luke 2:25-38).
6. He appeared as a dove at His baptism, proving His exceptional Person (Matt 3:16-17; John 1:32-34).
7. The Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness for successful resistance of the devil (Matthew 4:1-11).
8. He was anointed with the Holy Ghost above all others (Ps 45:7; Is 42:1; John 3:34; Hebrews 1:9).
9. Elisha may have had twice the spirit of Elijah, but Jesus Christ had more than both squared. Glory!
10. The Holy Spirit gave Him revelation in knowing God (Isaiah 11:1-4; 50:4; 61:1-3; Luke 4:16-22).
11. The Spirit gave Him power for signs and wonders (Matt 12:28; John 14:11; Acts 2:22; 4:27; 10:38).
12. The Holy Spirit raised Jesus Christ from the dead, declaring Him to be God’s Son with power, as He had promised (Romans 1:4; 8:11; I Peter 3:18; Acts 13:30-35; Hebrews 2:9; 9:14; Matt 12:38-40).
13. The Spirit, from Pentecost forward, has testified of Jesus Christ (John 15:26; Acts 2:33-36; 18:5).
14. The gift of the Spirit that Jesus had promised confirmed Him and His word with many at Pentecost.
15. The apostles did mighty signs and wonders by the Spirit to vindicate Jesus (Heb 2:1-4; Rom 15:19).
16. The Spirit still justifies Him by Bible preaching along with baptism and communion (I John 5:6-8).
17. Jesus died, which is the curse of sin, but He rose again, which declared Him to be righteous from sin.
18. Jesus died, in spite of claims as God’s Son, but He rose again, which declared Him to be that Son!
19. Jesus died, under a charge of blasphemy, but He rose again declaring to all that He was innocent!
20. Ever proper baptism is a testimony of Jesus as the resurrected Son of God (Acts 8:37; I Peter 3:21).
21. Changed lives in the name of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit continue to justify God’s Son.
22. For more about the witness of Spirit, water, and blood.
23. For more about tongues to vindicate the gospel.
24. For more about the apostolic gifts for the gospel.

 

SEEN OF ANGELS

1. Angels see many things (they are called watchers), so we look for more; this is angelic involvement.
2. Angels declared His conception and birth to both Joseph and Mary (Matt 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38).
3. Angels announced His birth in a glorious display to shepherds abiding in the field (Luke 2:8-20).
4. Angels worshipped Him at His birth, which we know from doctrine outside the gospels (Heb 1:6).
5. Their new human Lord was laid in a manger, but they worshipped the soon-to-be-crowned Captain!
6. Angels comforted Him at His temptation by the fallen angel, the devil (Matthew 4:11; Mark 1:13).
7. Angels comforted Him just before His death, in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-46).
8. Twelve legions of angels – about 72,000 – would have come in vengeance at His call (Matt 26:53)!
9. Angels assisted in circumstances around His resurrection with great power and told of His resurrection to those looking for His body (Matt 28:1-7; Mark 16:1-5; Luke 24:1-10; John 20:11-13).
10. Jesus told of great angel activity – ascending and descending upon Him (John 1:51; Genesis 28:12).
11. Angels were present to see His ascension; they explained He would return like He left (Acts 1:9-11).
12. Angels were present to see His ascension into heaven, many over 100,000,000 of them (Re 5:11-14)!
13. Let your soul understand and appreciate the prophet’s words from Psalm 24 about the King of glory!
14. Angels fought against the devil and his angels and cast them out of heaven for Jesus (Rev 12:7-11).
15. Even the devil knew that Jesus had attendant angels to protect Him (Luke 4:9-12; Psalm 91:11-12).
16. As we follow our Lord’s life in the gospels, how many events did His angels play a role in? Glory!
17. God’s eternal purpose in Jesus Christ toward the church displays Him to the angels (Eph 3:8-12).
18. The angels desire to look into the things concerning our salvation (I Pet 1:12), which ought to provoke men to consider it more highly than they do, since angels far excel them by intelligence.
19. Fallen angels saw and worshipped (Matt 8:28-32; Mark 1:23-26; 5:1-15; Luke 4:33-37; 8:26-36).
20. Fallen angels confessed they knew Jesus and Paul, but not gypsies using His name (Acts 19:13-20).
21. The glory of Jesus of Nazareth is enhanced by the attendance given to Him by these heavenly beings. If He was worthy of their attention, how much more of ours, for whom He gave His life?!
22. Men may despise the Son of God and think Him nothing, but angels adore and serve Him carefully!
23. His birth, temptations, death, resurrection, and ascension demand heaven’s attention – what of ours!
24. The angels never saw the Son of God until His incarnation – neither His invisible Deity nor His visible Humanity – for God did not have a Son until the incarnation. But they glorified Him after!
25. What angels have attended philosophers, scientists, titans of business, or any other men called great?
26. All angels, principalities, powers, thrones, might, and dominion are now under Him (Eph 1:20-23)!
27. The things in heaven bow their knees to our Jesus – the angels (Phil 2:10; I Pet 3:22; Rev 5:11-14).
28. Jehovah is called LORD of hosts 235 times in the O.T., but Jesus is now the Lord of hosts with all things under His feet (Heb 2:8; I Cor 15:27-28; Eph 1:21; 4:10; Heb 1:4-6; Col 2:10; Matt 28:18).
29. We see the elect angels celebrating with the saints in the church above (Heb 12:22-24; Rev 5:11-14).
30. The angels of God are so such watchers of redemption that they rejoice at conversions (Luke 15:10).
31. They are assigned to serve and protect the least of Christ’s sheep (Ps 34:7; Heb 1:14; Matt 18:1-10).
32. They are to be recognized in our faithfulness to marching orders from Jesus (I Tim 5:21; I Cor 4:9).
33. Angels will soon come with Jesus to wreck vengeance on unbelievers (II Thess 1:7-10; Jude 1:14).
34. Angels worship God in heaven beside the redeemed Gentiles as they praise the Lamb (Rev 7:9-12).
35. The holy angels will participate as observers in the great Day of Judgment (Revelation 3:5; 14:9-11).
36. For more about the angels of God in general.
37. More about angels and Jesus.
38. For the coronation of Jesus.

 

PREACHED UNTO THE GENTILES

1. When God separated the nations, He set the bounds by the nation of Israel (Ex 19:5-6; De 7:6; 32:8).
2. Of all the families or nations of the earth, God chose to deal exclusively with Israel (Amos 3:2).
3. God gave His word to Israel only, leaving the Gentiles slobbering in their ignorance (Ps 147:19-20).
4. Gentiles showed their gross spiritual ignorance by worshipping anything (Is 44:9-20; Rom 1:19-23).
5. How or why would the most spiritual doctrine be preached to the least spiritual men on the planet?
6. Why preaching as means of conversion (I Cor 1:17-21)? Islam is devoted to the scimitar and bombs!
7. Why no ambassadors of Baal, Zeus, Jupiter, Allah, Krishna, Buddha? How did preaching originate?
8. Jesus and His apostles while He was here limited their preaching to Israel (Matthew 10:6; 15:21-26).
9. Though Jesus knew He would bring other sheep to gospel faith not of the Jewish fold (John 10:16).
10. Caiaphas prophesied Jesus Christ’s ministry included Gentiles outside the Jewish nation (Jn 11:52).
11. This incredible preaching change had been prophesied in the prophets (Gen 49:10; Ps 22:27; 72:17-19; Is 2:1-5; 11:10; 49:5-12; 54:1-3; 60:1-3; Amos 9:11-12; Micah 4:1-2; Zech 2:10-13; 8:18-23).
12. The message of Jesus was carried by apostolic preachers from Israel to Gentiles, which Jews would never have done on their own, and what Gentiles would have believed the Jews’ change in religion!
13. Peter would not preach to Cornelius until the Lord had made it obviously clear to him (Ac 10:9-20).
14. He then made a profound announcement upon meeting Cornelius and his family (Acts 10:34-35).
15. And God confirmed His judgment by giving the Holy Spirit to encourage Peter (Acts 10:44-48).
16. And Peter had to answer for it when Jerusalem heard he had gone in to Gentiles (Acts 11:1-18).
17. The greatest bigot and most ferocious enemy, Saul of Tarsus, was spiritual father to the Gentiles!
18. Paul was given the special commission of preaching it to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; Romans 11:13).
19. Paul began by preaching to the Jews, but he switched to the Gentiles (Acts 9:20-22; 13:46-48).
20. The Jews rejected the gospel news, but the Gentiles received it with great gladness (Acts 13:46-48).
21. The Gentiles rejoiced at this great change, and Paul explained it on His return (Acts 13:48; 14:27).
22. A large council was held at Jerusalem to deal with what these Gentiles needed to do (Acts 15:1-41).
23. Paul gave a long explanation of this great mystery in Christ to the Ephesians, which ought to be considered in detail to grasp the inclusion of this item in the great articles of faith (Eph 2:10 – 3:13).
24. It was so contrary to the minds of Jews that Paul hoped it would cause them jealousy (Rom 11:14).
25. If you are a Gentile, rejoice with Jews the Jewish minister Jesus extended His gospel (Rom 15:8-12).
26. This is sometimes viewed in the New Testament as THE mystery, for the Jews were ignorant of it.
27. It had been prophesied before (Is 42:6; Luke 2:32), and Paul spoke of it as well (Gal 2:8; Col 1:27).
28. If Jesus had not given the order to Paul (Ac 22:21), you would be burning incense to Buddha today.
29. Jesus clearly prophesied the gospel of the kingdom would be preached in all the world for a witness before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD (Matt 24:14,34-35; Mark 13:10,30-31). And it was!
30. For more about the Great Commission.
31. For more about why we preach the gospel..
32. For more about Romans 11and the gospel to Gentiles.

 

BELIEVED ON IN THE WORLD

1. How could the unbelievable message of a few fishermen find martyr believers throughout the world?
2. Nations typically do not change their gods, as religion is part of national/cultural tradition (Jer 2:11).
3. Yet Christianity has gone into the world, and there are Christians today in every nation on earth.
4. Without immigration of Buddhists, there would not be any Buddhists in the Western Hemisphere.
5. The wicked do not think about God in the vanity of their minds (Ps 10:4; 14:1-4; 58:5; Is 44:9-20).
6. Moses tried the gospel on Pharaoh, and you can see the natural tendency of an Egyptian dead in sins.
7. The idolatrous, pagan nations of the heathen were like India today, but the gospel went with success.
8. The gates of hell were not able to resist the gospel (Matt 16:18), for the devil was bound (Rev 20:3).
9. Why is worldwide belief in the gospel included in this glorious list? Because of the improbability of the message, the wickedness of the hearers, the lack of precedent, and the very great success of it.
10. Men by nature have no regard for God, let alone a spiritual message about Jesus Christ (John 3:3; 8:43,47; 10:26; Rom 3:9-19; 8:7-8; I Cor 1:21-24; 2:14; II Thess 3:1-2; II Tim 2:24-26).
11. The power to get one person to believe the gospel is the same power necessary to raise Jesus from the dead (Eph 1:19-20; 2:1-3; Acts 16:14; John 1:13; 3:8; 5:24; I Pet 1:21; II Cor 3:3; 4:1-7; Tit 3:5).
12. No human means can even increase the probability of faith (Luke 16:27-31; I Cor 2:1-5; Is 26:10).
13. Jesus had sent His apostles into all the world based on His own glorious power (Matthew 28:18-20).
14. Jesus purposed to rebuild David’s kingdom with converted Gentiles (Acts 15:13-18; Amos 9:11-12).
15. Even enemies of the truth declared that the apostles had turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6).
16. There is evidence the mystery was carried by Pudens and Claudia to Britain from Paul (II Tim 4:21).
17. The eunuch went on his way rejoicing, having heard about Jesus and baptism in Him (Acts 8:26-40).
18. What caused men and women to live in catacombs and suffer death cheerfully for an unseen religious leader who had been convicted of capital crimes and put to death by the government?
19. How could uneducated fishermen turn the world upside down with a message too good to be true?
20. Why did men committed for millennia to darkness and depravity obey a holy message of self-denial?
21. Those who put emphasis on getting the gospel to the world miss the glory of it already getting there!
22. We are told that the apostles, and their assistants, took the gospel to every creature in all the world (Mark 16:19-20; Acts 17:6; 21:28; 24:5; Rom 1:8; 10:18; 16:19; 16:26; Col 1:5-6; 1:23; Tit 2:11).
23. We should feel great kinship with believers throughout the world, as we hold these things precious.
24. Consider the places mentioned: Jerusalem (Acts 1:12; 2:5,14; 4:15; 5:28); Judea (Acts 2:14; 11:1,29; 26:20); Samaria (Acts 8:5,14,25; 9:31; 15:3); Ethiopia (Acts 8:27); Corinth (Acts 18:1-5); around Corinth (Rom 15:20-23); beyond Corinth (II Cor 10:14-16); Phrygia (Acts 16:6; 18:23); Galatia (Acts 16:6; 18:23); Asia (Acts 19:10,26); Greece (Acts 20:1-2); Crete (Tit 1:5); Rome (Acts 23:11); Italy (Heb 13:24); Spain (Rom 15:24); Illyricum (Rom 15:19); Babylon (I Pet 5:13); and many more represented at Pentecost (Acts 2:9-11).
25. To assist worldwide preaching, they traveled by angels (Acts 8:39-40) and with tongues (2:1-11).
26. The multitude in heaven includes those from every nation, kindred, people, and tongue (Rev 17:9).
27. True belief of the gospel includes life-changing works (Acts 19:19; I Cor 12:2; I Thess 1:9-10).
28. Here we must also include the powerful miracles to confirm their word (Mark 16:19; Hebrews 2:4).
29. What was in the gospel for the natural man? A life of self-denial? Persecution? Far-fetched ideas?
30. Paul even reported that members of Caesar’s household had been converted (Phil 4:22). Hallelujah!
31. The confidence of salvation comes via the gospel, and that required preachers (Romans 10:12-18).
32. Where are you hearing/reading this? God sent the gospel to you and gave you hearing ears by grace!
33. For more of a fulfilled Great Commission.
34. For more of Cornelius.

 

RECEIVED UP INTO GLORY

1. Jesus rose bodily, physically, and visibly from earth to heaven and the right hand of Almighty God.
2. This is far beyond bare resurrection, for His glorified body travelled through space to God’s throne!
3. A Moabite was resurrected by Elisha’s bones (II Kgs 13:21); Lazarus was resurrected to die again.
4. Resurrection showed victory over sin and death; ascension escape from earth to heaven’s glory!
5. It had been prophesied of Him, and He looked forward to it (Ps 68:18; Dan 7:13-14; Luke 9:51).
6. He has gone before us, and we will certainly follow. He is the firstfruits, but we will also be fruit!
7. We will be raised from the dead, but we will also ascend into the clouds to God (I Thess 4:13-18).
8. The throne room of glory is depicted wonderfully for us by John’s inspired vision (Rev 4:1 – 5:14).
9. Apostles on earth saw Him leave (Acts 1:9-11); John in vision saw Him arrive in heaven from earth!
10. This event makes Apollo moon missions and NASA space shuttles to be mere toys in comparison, yet the world knows nothing about the historical event, cannot explain it, and cannot imagine it.
11. Angels and devils, all principalities and powers, are now subject unto Him as the Ruler over all.
12. He is no longer humble, meek, weak, modest; He is jealous, confident, powerful, and challenging!
13. We shall also be received up into glory at His glorious appearing, whether we have died or not!
14. The New Testament refers to this event repeatedly, for our dear Saviour is now a Dread Sovereign.
15. What event compares in glory and splendor to the ascent of Jesus into heaven after our redemption!
16. What is He doing in glory? Making intercession for us as our Guarantor (Romans 8:34; Heb 7:25).
17. All things were put under His feet, and He was crowned with glory and honor (Ps 8:4-8; Heb 2:6-9).
18. These six events are not in chronological order, as there is no need for them to be. It is the crowning event, though it was preached to the Gentiles and part of what was believed on in the world!
19. The angels at His ascension declared He would return in like manner (Acts 1:9-11)! Rejoice, reader!
20. Consider the multitude of references to His ascension and position at God’s right hand: Ps 8:4-8; 68:18; Is 14:13-14; 52:13; Dan 7:13-14; Mark 16:19; Luke 9:51; 24:26; 24:50-53; John 6:62; 7:39; 13:3; 16:28; 17:5; 20:17; Acts 1:1-3; 1:9-11; 2:33-34; 3:21; 7:55-56; Rom 8:34; I Cor 15:27; Eph 1:20-23; 4:8-10; I Thess 4:16-17; Heb 1:3-4; 2:5-9; 4:14; 6:19-20; 7:26; 8:1; 9:11-15; 9:24; 10:12-13; 12:2-3; I Pet 3:21-22; Rev 3:21; 4:1 – 5:14; 12:5-10.
21. For more about Christ’s ascension into heaven.
22. For the coronation of Jesus.
23. For more about Jesus as lawyer.

 

Conclusion:

1. Do you understand that these history-changing, world-altering, other-world events are unknown to most men?
2. There is no controversy about the importance of these things! Are your heart and mind enthralled with them?
3. There is no controversy about the importance of these things! Is your life consistent with their importance?
4. Sinner, if the gospel is as great as Paul summarized it here, what keeps you from embracing and obeying it?
5. Distraction from the glory of the gospel in your life is a flesh-world-devil effort to controvert these events.
6. We now approach the Lord’s Table with the fullest appreciation for the incredible message of the gospel.
7. Do you know where to insert the betrayal, crucifixion, death, and burial in this summary statement of Christ?
8. It is not enough to know these things: it is our blessed privilege to love these things and the Person of them.
9. It is not enough to know these things: it is our blessed privilege to teach and defend them and live by them.
10. Do you grasp that the Person of this mystery stands and asks you entrance for fellowship (Revelation 3:20)?
11. If you were to seek to know this Christ better, it passes knowledge and is the fullness of God (Eph 3:14-19).
12. The riches of the gospel excel and exceed all the riches of any other kind of the world (Rom 11:12; Col 1:27).

I Tim. 8:16:—"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness."

"confessedly great," says Paul, "is the mystery of piety." This does not mean that piety is exceedingly "mysterious." There is no "mystery" in piety as such. As Paid means it here it rests simply, objectively on the great fact, subjectively on the hearty conviction that God was in Christ reconciling the world with Himself. The word "mystery," in the usage of Paul, does not imply inherent incomprehensibility, but only actual inaccessibility to the natural inquisition of men. Whatever is known by revelation rather than by unaided reason, is, in his usage, a "mystery"; and the employment of the word by no means implies that the revelation has not already taken place and the hidden truth been made fully known, but rather just the contrary. The "mystery of piety" is thus just "the opened secret of piety." And what Paul affirms of it is that this "opened secret of piety" is confessedly of the highest importance. "Confessedly great" he says, and he throws these words forward with sharp emphasis, "of admittedly the highest importance," "is the mystery of piety."

What Paul is doing in this clause, then, is simply impressing on Timothy's mind as deeply as possible a sense of the supreme value of the Gospel, which he calls a "mystery" only because it is a matter of revelation, but without the faintest implication that it is difficult to grasp when once made known, or that it includes in it any elements of the inscrutable or incomprehensible. Christianity, like other religions, had its mysteries, its sacred truths, made known to its initiates; and these mysteries, as they constituted its very essence, were to every Christian of the most supreme importance—to be carefully guarded, preserved intact, and kept whole and entire, pure and unadulterated, at every hazard. Confessedly great, says the Apostle here with marked emphasis, admittedly of supreme importance, is the mystery, the opened secret of Christian piety, the Gospel.

It is especially worth our while to observe two things here. First, preliminarily, why the Apostle is so strenuous in insisting here on the importance of the opened secret of piety, the value and significance of the Gospel. And, secondly, and more at large, because it is this that constitutes the burden of the text, what the Apostle conceived to be this " opened secret of piety," that is to say, what he conceived to be the contents of the Gospel which he pronounces here to have such confessed importance.

We need not delay long on the preliminary point. A glance at the context is enough to inform us that the Apostle insists on the greatness of the Gospel here in order to impress Timothy with the importance of attending to the directions he had been giving him as to the proper ordering of the Church. Somewhat minute prescriptions had been laid down especially as to the conduct of public worship and as to the organization of the Church. In particular the officers of the Church had been enumerated, and the qualifications for their offices carefully described. At the close of these directions, now, the Apostle adds these pointed words: "I am writing these things to you, though I hope to come to you very soon: but if I am delayed that you may know what sort of behaviour is incumbent in God's house—seeing that it is the Church of the Living God, the pillar and buttress of the truth; and confessedly great is the mystery of piety. ..." You see, his appeal to the confessed greatness of the truth, for the support and propagation of which in the world the Church exists, is intended to impress Timothy with a sense of the importance of the proper ordering and right equipment of the Church for this, its high function.

It is of the more importance that we should note this, that there is a disposition abroad to treat all matters of the ordering of public worship and even of the organization of the Church as of little importance. We even hear it said about us with wearisome iteration that the New Testament has no rules to give, no specific laws to lay down, in such matters. Matters of church government and modes of worship, we are told, are merely external things, of no sort of significance; and the Church has been left free to find its own best modes of organization and worship, varying, doubtless, in the passage of time and in the Church's own passage from people to people of diverse characters and predilections. No countenance is lent to such sentiments by the passage before us; or, indeed, by these Pastoral Epistles, the very place of which in the Canon is a standing rebuke to them; or, in fine, by anything in the New Testament.

On the contrary, you will observe, Paul's point of view is precisely the opposite one. He takes his start from the inestimable importance of the Gospel. Thence he argues to the importance of the Church which has been established in the world, so to speak, as the organ of the Gospel—the pillar and buttress on which its purity and its completeness rest. Thence again he argues to the proper organization and ordering of the Church that it may properly perform its high functions. And, accordingly, he gives minute prescriptions for the proper organization and ordering of the Church—prescribing the offices that it should have and the proper men for these offices, and descending even into the details of the public ser

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vices. His position, compressed into a nutshell, is simply this: the function of the Church as guardian of the truth, that glorious truth which is the Gospel, is so high and important that it cannot be left to accident or to human caprice how this Church should be organized and its work ordered. Accordingly, he, the inspired Apostle—"an Apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Saviour and Christ, our Hope"—has prescribed in great detail, touching both organization and order, how it is necessary that men should conduct themselves in the household of God—which is nothing other than the Church of the Living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. In other words, it is God's Church, not man's, and God has created and now sustains it for a function; and He has not neglected to order it for the best performance of this function.

To imagine that it is of little importance how the Church shall be organized and ordered, then, is manifestly to contradict the Apostle. To contend that no organization is prescribed for it is to deny the total validity of the minute directions laid down in these epistles. Nay, this whole point of view is as irrational as it is unbiblical. One might as well say that it makes no difference how a machine is put together—how, for example, a typewriter is disposed in its several parts,—because, forsooth, the typewriter does not exist for itself, but for the manuscript which is produced by or rather through it. Of course the Church does not exist for itself—that is, for the beauty of its organization, the symmetry of its parts, the majesty of its services; it exists for its "product" and for the "truth" which has been committed to it and of which it is the support and stay in the world. But just on that account, not less but more, is it necessary that it be properly organized and equipped and administered—that it may function properly. Beware how you tamper with any machine, lest you mar or destroy its product; beware how you tamper with or are indifferent to the Divine organization and ordering of the Church, lest you thereby mar its efficiency or destroy its power, as the pillar and ground of the truth. Surely you can trust God to know how it is best to organize His Church so that it may perform its functions in the world. And surely you must assert that His ordering of the Church, which is His, is necessary if not for the "esse," certainly for the "bene esse" of the Church.

But our main attention to-day must be given to the Apostle's elaboration of the contents of this "truth," or this "mystery of piety," to support and buttress which he tells us the Church has been established in the world. He moves Timothy to zeal in properly ordering the church under his care, by the declaration that "the opened secret of piety," to support and buttress which the Church exists, is confessedly of the utmost importance. And then he deepens and vitalizes the impression which this declaration is calculated to make by abruptly enumerating the chief items which enter into this "mystery of piety"—this "truth" for which the Church exists.

This enumeration thus embodies Paul's conception of the essence of the Gospel, and takes its place among the numerous brief summaries of the essence of the Gospel which stud the pages of his epistles. It differs from most of them, however, in this circumstance—that it is not couched in language of his own, but the Apostle has availed himself here, as so often in the Pastoral Epistles, of a form of statement current in the churches, which would appeal to Timothy's eye and heart, therefore, with all the force of customary and well-loved words, in which he and the congregation had been wont to express their apprehension of the truth most precious to their hearts. Whether the words thus adduced are derived from some current liturgical form, or from a hymn, or merely from some formulary of accustomed speech, we have no means of knowing. We can only be sure that the whole document is not quoted here and, from the balanced, almost mechanical form of its structure, that the original document possessed an elevated and festal character.

The choice of the Apostle to adduce the essence of the Gospel from such a current formulary, rather than to frame it out of his own heart, naturally produces a certain abruptness in the words in which it is introduced. A fragment of current speech, torn out of its own context, is here simply juxtaposed by way of apposition to his own declaration, that the Gospel is a supremely important thing, and left to exhibit that importance by its contents. "Great," he says, "confessedly great, is the opened secret of piety," this to wit: "Who was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, observed by angels, proclaimed among peoples, believed in by the world, received into glory." There is not a word to tell us who was the subject of all these transactions; that was a part of the original context of the fragment, and here goes without saying; no one of his readers— least of all his primary reader Timothy, who knew as well as Paul the whole document from which the fragment was derived,—would hesitate to supply the subject, Jesus Christ. What Paul does is simply to avail himself of this fervent fragment and set out the contents of the "mystery of piety" by means of its rapid enumeration of the principal transactions which concerned the redemptive work of Christ—beginning with the incarnation and ending with the ascension.

Now, of course, this means that to Paul, Christ is the essence of the Gospel. As everywhere else, so here, he sums up the Gospel in Christ; not Christ, of course, merely as a person, but the active Christ—or in other words, in the great redemptive work of Christ. And it will repay us to observe in some detail how the redemptive work of Christ is presented to us in this somewhat artificially because artistically ordered fragment of old Christian confessional expression.

We observe, at once, that the fragment consists of a series of six passive verbs, rapidly succeeding one another, with the common subject "Jesus Christ," each further defined by a brief predicative qualification; the verb being put emphatically forward in each case: He was "manifested" in the flesh, "vindicated" by the Spirit, "seen" by angels. . . . We observe next that the clauses are so arranged as to fall necessarily into three contrasting pairs; and yet these three pairs are bound together by the contrast in each case being made to turn upon the contrariety of earth and heaven, or of the flesh and the spirit. Thus we have the successive triads on the one hand of the flesh, the peoples, the world; on the other of the Spirit, the angels, glory. There is no strict chronological order of occurrence followed in the enumeration, but the pairs so succeed one another as yet to suggest a beginning, a middle and an end; the inception, the prosecution, the consummation of Christ's work. On the one hand, he was manifested in the flesh and vindicated by the Spirit. Here clearly His earthly life is in mind, with the stress laid perhaps on its inception in the incarnation and its culmination in the resurrection. Then we have the declaration that He was seen of angels and proclaimed among the nations. Here the process of the saving work is referred to,—chiasmically adduced. Finally, we read, He was believed on in the world and received into glory. Here the stress is laid obviously on the result of His work. The whole constitutes an exceedingly comprehensive description of the process of redemption, antithetically set forth in balanced clauses, which advert, one by one, to a characteristic transaction of which Christ was the object.

Let us now briefly observe the several items of the description, seriatim. 

He "was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit." Here we have the redemptive work itself adduced. First, the incarnated life in the flesh—He "was manifested in the flesh"; next, the successful issue of that work,—He "was vindicated by the Spirit." The two clauses together constitute a singularly vivid though compressed picture of the incarnated work of redemption. Note the clear implication of the pre-existence—the deity—of the worker: He "was manifested,"—He existed then, hidden from human eyes, before; "in the flesh,"—in his pre-existence, then, he was something other than flesh. It is as clear a declaration of pre-existence and incarnation as the Johannean, "The Word became flesh," itself. There is a change of state implied, a change by virtue of which what was hidden is now brought to light, and it is brought to light because brought into flesh. Note next the perfection of His work established: He was "justified by the Spirit"; that is to say, though appearing in the flesh, yet by virtue of the Spirit that dwelt in Him, His work of salvation was vindicated; He rose from the dead, and could not be holden of death, and so manifested the completeness of His work.

He was "observed by angels, proclaimed among peoples." Here the progress of the saving work is outlined. It was not done in or for a corner. The object of the wondering contemplation of the hosts of heaven, it is made known also to the inhabitants of earth. Performed in Judea, in a life of confined and limited relations, to all appearance, yet it was all the time the focus of the observation of the angels of God, who anxiously desired to look into it; and when brought to its glorious completion, it was made the subject of a world-wide proclamation. Obviously it is the glory of the Christ—of the redemptive work of Christ—that is the theme of the whole fragment, and in this couplet we begin to see it come to light; and, indeed, the chiasmic arrangement might well have advised us of it before, what is most glorious in it beingthrust forward to attract ourfirstattention.

He was "believed on in the world, received into glory." Here we have the issue of the work adverted to; the earthly and the heavenly issue. So little chronological is the ordering that the conquest of the world by Christ is actually adduced first, while His ascension is adduced last. The order is climactic, not chronological; He has His earthly reward and also His heavenly. In these two items the whole comes to the appropriate end. And now I think we are prepared to see clearly that the whole fragment is a hymn of praise to Christ. He was before all worlds; He was only "manifested" in the flesh and vindicated by the Spirit. He was the object of the contemplation of the angels of heaven and proclaimed in all the earth. He was believed on in the world and received into glory. It is the Glory of Christ that, according to Paul constitutes the essence of the Gospel. "O, Jesus, Thou art our head, we are thy body!"—so one of God's saints teaches us to pray. "How can the body but participate in the glory of the Head? As for Thyself, therefore, so also for us art Thou possessed of that heavenly glory: as Thou sufferedst for us, so for us Thou also reignest. . . . O then, my soul, seeing thy Saviour is received up into this infinite glory, . . . how canst thou abide to grovel any longer on this base earth? . . . With what longings and holy ambition shouldst thou desire to aspire to that place of eternal rest and beatitude into which thy Saviour has «ascended, and with him be partaker of that glory and happiness which he hath provided for all that love him."