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.

Summary Part 2

While considering the mystery in light of God’s plan for redeemed Israel and the Gentile members of the body of Christ is both edifying and answers a lot of questions concerning God’s Word.  It would be of no profit if we did not consider a second aspect of the mystery which the risen ascended Lord Jesus Christ made known after the apostle Paul was saved on the road to Damascus.  Lord willing, in this post we shall examine a second aspect of the mystery that teaches us how we can live godly in Christ Jesus and have His works manifest in us and through us to others.

The preaching of the cross is offensive to the natural man, for it condemns man’s attempt to justify himself before a holy God.  It renders all of man’s attempts to earn salvation or make himself righteous by his working absolutely useless.  By the preaching of the cross, we learn that every man stands sinful and totally unable to save himself, so that when we realize we are a sinner deserving of eternal punishment in the lake of fire, we can then see the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ who shed His blood and died for our sins and took the punishment and the wrath of God that we deserved.  We then see that by the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, God graciously offers the gift of salvation to all who will believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.  You can’t earn a gift, you can only accept this gift by faith.  At that moment of belief, God quickens our dead spirit as we are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ.  God seals us with the Holy Spirit and gives us the earnest (downpayment) of the Spirit until the day of the “redemption of the purchased possessions” when our bodies will be changed into eternal glorified bodies.

When we learn of these things in the apostle Paul’s epistles, we also read many times of the flesh and the spirit, and how they differ.  In our spirit we were quickened and made alive the minute we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Our quickened spirit is where the Holy Spirit resides and that part of us can not sin, but if we mind the things of our flesh, we can grieve the Holy Spirit who dwells there.  Our flesh on the other hand is absolutely dead and cannot be improved one bit.  The only thing the flesh can produce is more sin and dead works if we feed it.  Thus when our mind in not totally focused on Christ, we feel a struggle within ourselves.  We see this struggle recorded in Galatians 5:17

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that you cannot do the things that you would.

Now notice here how the flesh lusts against the Spirit, to lust is to covet or desire something that does not belong to you.  The Spirit on the other hand does not lust against the flesh, but is directly against or opposed to the flesh.  So as we see this struggle, we can also see that by the flesh lusting against the Spirit, the flesh will also try and mimic the things of the Spirit.  We again look to Galatians and find in chapter 3, and verse 3 this:

Are you so foolish?  Having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh?

We have to remember that Paul is writing by inspiration of the Holy Spirit to saved members of the Body of Christ.  We see that these brothers began in the Spirit, when they were saved, but then they were attempting to live the Christian life by the will of the flesh, by trying to keep the law for righteousness.  And folks, there are numerous Christians today doing the same thing, trying to accomplish the things of the Spirit by a will of the flesh.  So what is so awesome about the aspect of the mystery we are looking at today, is we learn that not only is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ what saved us for eternity, but the working of the Lord Jesus Christ is how we can live godly and perform good works in this life.  This happens not by the will of our flesh or our determining to do good works, but rather as we yield to God through the study of His Word and prayer, He will grow us in Christ, and we will be vessels for His use and working.  We then rejoice as we witness Christ in us the hope of glory!  Let’s consider some more verses as we consider these things.  Colossians 2:6-7

As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Now here we see the Holy Spirit inspire the apostle Paul to compare how we received Christ, when we were saved, and in the same way walk in Him.  So we are seeing the Holy Spirit point us back to when we were saved, to see how we can live the Christian life.  So if we find out how to walk in the Lord in this life by remembering how we were saved, we need to immediately ask ourselves how we were saved and what our part in it was.  Well, we know it was the Lord Jesus Christ’s finished work that saved us, not any works that we did.  We simply believed in what He accomplished for us, and accepted God’s gracious gift.  We realized we were sinners and as good as dead, but then we realized God’s love for us in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord.  So considering this, if we want to walk in Him and perform the good works which were created Christ Jesus for us to walk in, how do we do this?  The same way we received Him.  We heard His Word and realized we were sinners and as good as dead, and then we heard how the Lord Jesus Christ saved us by His finished work and we trusted in Him.  So in this life we need to continually reckon ourselves (that is our flesh, or “old man”) as dead and crucified with Christ, and we need to read God’s Word and hope in Christ and His working in us.  Please understand this does not mean that we have no responsibility to perform good works, but rather our responsibility is to yield to God, by prayer and reading His Word, then He will equip us and send us out according to His will.  We will see the the Lord Jesus Christ working out of us and abound in thanksgiving for His working!

In closing, when we yield to God by prayer and reading His Word, and He purges our vessels and we are made fit for His use, in those times we can rejoice as we thankfully affirm Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

Grace and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ,

DW

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.

As we reach the end of this study of the mystery of godliness, we can’t help but ask a couple of questions.  Why is this mystery so great?  Why after 2000 years since this mystery was revealed to the apostle Paul by our Lord Jesus Christ, is this mystery barely talked about in churches that profess the name of Christ?  Well, before we attempt to answer these questions, let’s look at some other verses that touch on different aspects of this mystery or secret that was “hid in God” since the foundation of the world until revealed to the apostle Paul and then to the other apostles.

Romans 11:25

For I would not brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits;  that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.

Romans 16:25-26

Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest,  and by the Scriptures of the prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.

1 Corinthians 2:7

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52

Behold I show you a mystery;  we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Ephesians 3:1-6

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles.  If you have heard of the dispensation  ( administration or household) of the grace of God which is given me to you.  How that by revelation he made known to me the mystery, as I wrote afore in few words  (referring to Ephesians 1:9).  Whereby, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.  Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.  That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs (along with Israel), and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.

Ephesians 3:9-11

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places (angelic realm, both elect and fallen), might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 5:30-32

For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.  “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh”  This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Colossians 1:26-28

Even the mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints.  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you the hope of glory.  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 2:2-3

That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ.  In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 4:3-4

Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I also am in bonds:  That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

1 Timothy 3:9

Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

Now for those of you who have a concordance, you may have noticed that I left out one verse above which touches on this mystery, I’ll touch on the reason for this momentarily.  The “preaching of the cross” (1 Corinthians 1:18) and the “preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery” (Romans 16:25) are one and the same.  The Holy Spirit inspires the apostle Paul to explain what the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished for us.  It is not until we come to Paul’s epistles that we learn of the secret reason for the cross.  We know that by our Lord’s sacrifice for our sins He saved us for eternity.  The mystery has at least two major aspects in view in Paul’s epistles.  First the aspect of how God is going to reconcile both the heavens and the earth back to Him, and how He is going to do this with both Israel and the Gentiles.  When we learn this aspect of the mystery, the whole Bible opens up to us as we see God’s purpose for Israel concerning the earth, and the Gentile members of the body of Christ concerning the heavens.  We see the book of Romans basically show what happened to the Gentiles when God formed Israel, and then what happened when God temporarily set aside Israel on a national level.  Please make no mistake He is still dealing with individual Jews who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, as God’s grace is to all who believe, regardless if they are Jew or Gentile, but as a nation Israel’s program has been temporarily suspended during this unprophesied age of grace in which we live, which has lasted for nearly 2000 years.  At the Lord Jesus Christ’s second coming, He shall sit on the throne of David and set up His eternal kingdom and Israel shall be a nation of priests.  Prior to this the Gentile members of the body of Christ will be “caught up” to be with our Lord Jesus Christ and taken to the heavens and given our specific places and duties as we reign with Christ in the heavenlies.  Then at the end of the thousand year reign, when the devil and his fallen angels are cast into the lake of fire.  Well, let’s read the verse about the mystery that I didn’t type above to see what happens at the end.

Ephesians 1:7-10

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;  Wherein he has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he has purposed in himself:  That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.

Let’s look at a another verse talking about this time.

1 Corinthians 15:24-25

Then comes the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and authority and power.  For he must reign, till he has put all enemies under his feet.

And let’s look again at how through the Lord Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection He reconciled all things to himself, both heavenly and earthly.

Colossians 1:18

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.  For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell;  And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

2 Corinthians 5:17-18

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.  And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

So this one aspect of the mystery shows God’s purpose and grace for both the Jews and the Gentile believers, by the shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The reconciliation of all things, both heavenly and earthly.  By understanding this aspect of the mystery, we  see God’s purpose and grace unfold from the beginning of time until eternity and how He is in control and works all things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.  But just the knowledge of this aspect of the mystery is not enough, we can know all these things, and know the counsel of God which He has revealed to us through the revelation of the mystery, but if we have not love, this knowledge is nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2).  This first aspect of the mystery shows how God worked and will work with Israel as a nation and how God is working with the Body of Christ, both Jews and Gentiles today.  It shows God’s eternal plan for the heavens and the earth.  But to have the life and love of our Lord Jesus Christ working in us and out of us to others, we need to also understand and have the Holy Spirit apply His Word concerning a second aspect of the mystery, which might be termed “Christ in us the hope of glory”.  In learning of this aspect of the mystery we learn how to live godly in Christ Jesus.  How to walk in the Holy Spirit and perform the good works which God created in Christ Jesus for us to walk in.  We learn how to avoid falling into the pit that Paul cautioned the Galatians against, which was…

Galatians 3:3

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh?

Lord willing, in the next post we shall look at this second aspect of the mystery.

Grace and Peace in our Lord Jesus Christ,

DW

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.

Received up into glory – part 2

In the last post we considered how the Lord Jesus Christ was received up into glory when He ascended to heaven, we also considered how we will be received up into glory, when the Lord comes back for us and we are caught up to be with Him for eternity and our bodies are transformed into glorious bodies fashioned like His.  While we have been saved according to our Lord’s purpose and grace for us in eternity, we have also been saved for our Lord’s purpose and grace for us in this life.  As we again consider being received up into glory, and we desire to exercise ourselves to godliness in this life, we must contemplate how this aspect of the mystery of godliness pertains to us in the here and now.

When Adam and Eve sinned,they immediately knew they were naked, so they attempted to sow fig leaves together and hide their nakedness.  As we know from Scripture, when they heard God’s voice they hid.  After God talked with them and issued their judgement, He graciously made them coats of skin.  So the very first animal sacrifice that happened was done by God to graciously cloth Adam and Eve’s nakedness.  This also pointed forward, to the need of every man and woman since.  Every one of us prior to salvation is naked in the eyes of God, He sees everything and knows every intent, we stand guilty before Him.  Many try to sow together fig leaves by their own might and cover their nakedness and make themselves acceptable to God.  By their own works and righteousness they seek to establish themselves.  This then is man’s religion, whatever the name of that religion may be.  But we know that God’s Word says that our own fleshly good works are as filthy rags.  So just as we see God sacrifice an innocent animal and provide coverings for Adam and Eve’s nakedness, so too this points forward to how by the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, God would provide a covering of Christ’s righteousness for us to cover our nakedness.  What can be done to earn this covering?  Absolutely nothing, we can only receive God’s gracious gift of salvation, which He provided for us, believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.

So as the sacrifice in the garden of Eden pointed forward to our need for Christ’s sacrifice, so too did the sacrifices mandated by the law God gave to Moses.  So as we consider these sacrifices and much more consider the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection.  We again consider after our Lord’s resurrection, He ascended to God the Father, and this is what the savor and smoke of the sacrifices of the Mosaic law pointed forward to.  Now let’s consider ourselves being received up to glory in this life, let’s consider when we exercise ourselves to godliness, when we yield to the Lord in prayer and the reading of His Word, and He lives His life in us and the good works which He created for us are manifested, let’s consider how this is like the savor of a well pleasing sacrifice ascending to God.  Ephesians 5:1-2

Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children.  And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor.

So the Holy Spirit’s admonition through the inspired pen of the apostle Paul is to walk in love as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us.  So we must consider how He gave Himself for us so that we might walk in His love.  Christ Jesus our Lord, died for us, was buried, and rose again the third day.  Then He ascended to the Father.  So when we consider ourselves, we need to die to ourselves, we need to see ourselves as pertaining to our flesh as we really are.  As it is written, we need to reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive in Christ.  We need to realize this like Paul did when he said, “I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing”.  Before we ourselves can do any good work, we need to realize that we can’t do any good work of our might or will.  We need to correctly identify this flesh we still have as being dead and incapable of producing any good work.  This is not a one time time process, but just like Paul stated in Corinthians that “he died daily”, so too we need relegate our own power to the dung heap.  Once we realize that “we can’t” of ourselves live a godly life, then we realize that God can and does empower us to live godly in Christ Jesus.  That just as Christ was raised from the dead, so too we in the inward man have been made new creatures in Christ and been raised to walk in newness of life and the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is at this point we are vessels purged and ready for God’s use, and then we can realize this like Paul did when he said,  “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me”  When this happens, and the Lord is working in us and out of us to others, we are a sweet savor of Christ being received up to God.  We read about this in 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

Now thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place.  For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish.  To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life.  And who is sufficient for these things?

It’s interesting to note that when we are living godly in Christ Jesus, not only are we a savor to God, but also to others.  We see an example of this happening is Scripture, when we read of how the Philippians helped Paul.  We read this in Philippians 4:18

But I have all and abound:  I am full, having received of Epaphroditus, the things which were sent from you,  an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.

So as we desire to offer up sweet smelling sacrifices to God that will be received up into glory.  We must yield to God, through prayer and reading and contemplating His Word, then we will be vessels ready for His use, and directed by Him to walk in the good works which were created in the Lord Jesus Christ for us.  The Lord Jesus Christ freed us from the bondage of sin, we don’t have to sin anymore, instead we can yield to God.  As we walk in this life, we are often faced with the choice to sin or the choice to yield ourselves to God.  If we choose to sin, we know from Galatians that God is not mocked, and we will reap in this life what we sow to our flesh.  But if we yield to God as those that are alive from the dead, God is faithful and will direct our hearts into His love and the patience of our Lord Jesus Christ.  May we pray that the Lord would teach us through every trial and tribulation, whether external or ones that we caused, to yield to Him more, and may we comprehend more the amazing grace, mercy, and love of God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 12:1-2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Grace and peace,

DW

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.

Received up into glory

The Lord Jesus Christ gave us a hope in Him that is sure and the anchor of our soul.  This hope is threefold and is evidenced when we were saved, and as His life is manifested in us during our earthly walk, and when we shall be caught up together with Him in the air and  our bodies shall be changed into glorified bodies fashioned like our Lord’s body.  As we desire to exercise ourselves to godliness and see the application as we learn of God being received up into glory, we must view the last aspect of our Lord’s earthly ministry and understand how and where He went, so we might further understand how and where we’re going.

When we read the Old Testament and learn about the animal sacrifices, we see how they pointed forward to Christ.  The fire for the altar on which the sacrifices were burnt, was originally lit by God by fire coming down from heaven.  As a sacrifice was burnt, the smoke and savor of the sacrifice would ascend back to the heavens.  We immediately think of our Lord Jesus Christ coming down from heaven, dwelling on the earth, shedding His blood and being sacrificed for us, rising from the dead and ascending to heaven.  The perfect sacrifice for a world of lost sinners.

When we examine our Lord’s ascension to heaven, we notice that it is two-fold.  When Mary Magdalene was at the empty tomb weeping because she didn’t know where our Lord was, Jesus appears to her and He says in John 20:17

Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God and your God.

This ascension was the pure sacrificial savor to God the Father, Christ could  not have sinful human flesh touch Him before He was received by the Father in glory.  Later in the same chapter we can see that He had ascended to the Father and was back on earth, for we see he was able to be touched by human hands as we read in John 20:27-29

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.  And Thomas answered him, My Lord and my God.  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because you have seen, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 

It is very interesting to note that the first ascension of Christ was in secret in the sense that it was not viewed by anyone and as far as we can tell by the Scriptures and was only known about by Mary Magdalene who was looking for the Lord.  With that in mind let’s look at the second ascension of Christ.

After the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the grave, ascended to God, and was back on earth, He taught the apostles for forty days and then He ascended to heaven the second time.  We read about this ascension in Acts 1:9-11

And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.  And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

As we examine this ascension to the throne of God, we can read the outcome, which the Holy Spirit through the pen of David prophesied in Psalm 110:1

The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Here then we see God the Son received up into glory a second time,  this time seated at the right hand of God the Father.  So now we need to consider that when we see the disciples witnessing Christ’s second ascension and the two men in white explaining that our Lord will return in the same manner, we need to follow where the Holy Spirit is pointing to.  So if we consider these things and then think of how His ascensions are similar with the way He will return, we notice that the first ascension was in secret, it seems then that the first return of our Savior will be in secret.  This is commonly called the rapture of the church, though the word rapture is not found in our Bibles.  The words “caught up” are in our Bibles and are describing this coming of our Lord in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Now what is interesting is when we see the words “caught up” this is actually one word in the greek, and that same word is used in Acts 8:39 to describe when the Holy Spirit caught up Philip and brought him to another city, and we also see this word used in 2 Corinthians 12:2,4 when Paul describes the man who he knew who was caught up to paradise in the third heavens.

Now when we consider Christ’s second ascension into heaven being visible with men watching, we think of His coming back which will also be visible as we read in Revelations 1:7

Behold he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.  Even so Amen.

We also see this in Matthew 24:30

And then shall the shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

So then this coming will be at the end of the 7 year tribulation period, when our Lord Jesus Christ comes back to the earth and sets up his millenial reign, as He sits on the throne of David and rules and reigns the earth and Israel is a nation of priests.

There is a lot more to consider, but I want to post this, so Lord willing, we will continue looking at God being “received up into glory” in the next post.

Grace and Peace to you all,

DW

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.

Believed on in the world

As we continue our study the next couple of posts, and examine the fifth and sixth parts of the mystery of godliness, we will see the results and purpose for which the first four parts were designed by God.  As we looked at in the last post, the apostle Paul had a special commission from the Lord, to preach the gospel of the grace of God to the Gentile world and to reveal the mystery.  We too, by the Holy Spirit’s instructions through the pen of Paul have been charged to preach the gospel as well, being made ambassadors for Christ.  God’s Word illustrates a clear principle that before someone can believe, the gospel has to be preached or published.  We see this in Romans 10:14-15

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?  And how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Everyone of us has a ministry and is a preacher in a sense to someone.  That someone could be a family member, a co-worker, or someone who you meet randomly.  All saved men and women since the beginning of time have been saved based on the Lord Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.  But it is not until the apostle Paul was saved and instructed, that the secret of God’s grace and His plan for the heavens and the Body of Christ was made known.  To Paul was given a dispensation or administration that was never made known before and was distinct from God’s plan for Israel.  In this age of grace it is in the apostle Paul’s epistles that we find the explanation for our salvation by God’s grace, the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ, and through faith in His finished work on our behalf.  In the epistle’s of Paul we learn how to stand, walk, and run in Christ.  It is not until we learn this truth, that we can appropriately apply the spiritual truths found in the Old Testament Scriptures to our lives as Paul did, while we at the same time leaving the physical ordinances of the law and convenant promises where they belong with Israel.

We rejoice that the Lord’s grace abounded in Paul as he preached to the Gentiles and the Lord Jesus Christ was believed on in the world 2000 years ago.  And we rejoice that almost 2000 years later, God is still graciously empowering members of the Body of Christ to preach the good news and the Lord Jesus Christ is still being believed on today. But as we rejoice, we also shed a tear because we know people who have not believed.  Sadly many have had the gospel preached to them, but they have not believed.  So what explains this, how come some believe and some won’t believe?  What does the word “election” really mean?  There are plenty of lengthy theological explanations out there today, with some saying that God picks and chooses who is saved and who is not saved, and some people saying that it is totally by a person’s choice.  We know that the natural man or flesh is completely depraved, so can a totally depraved person choose to believe God?  Well, let’s not ponder a bunch of theological positions with a bunch of words that aren’t found in the Bible, but are popular in theology.  Instead, let’s take a look at the cross, for it is there where we see election defined.

Matthew 27:38-44

Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.  And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that will destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save thyself.  If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.  Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save.  If He be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.  He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.  The thieves also which were crucified, cast the same in his teeth.

So let’s notice some things about the three crosses.  We have two thieves, both of whom are guilty and deserve their punishment.  One on the right hand and one on the left hand of our Lord.  Both are nailed to their crosses totally unable to save themselves.  And they are both equally near to the Savior of the World, but both of them are hurling insults and mocking the Lord.  Now let’s consider the state of every man born into this world except the Lord Jesus Christ (who was sinless being both God and man).  We read Romans 3:10-18

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.  Their throat is an open sepulcher (grave), with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways:  And the way of peace have they not known:  There is no fear of God before their eyes.

This Scripture we just read describes man in his original state as a child of Adam, both those who would go on to believe in God and those who wouldn’t believe in God.  And returning back to the thieves we see that they both have mouths that are full of cursing and bitterness as they mock our Lord on the cross.  We need to remember that we were there that day as well, for it was our sins and the punishment we deserved that the Lord Jesus Christ graciously shed His blood for us.  He was also shedding His blood for both the thieves as well.  Let’s look what happened a little later.  When we look at this time when Christ was on the cross in the Gospel of Luke, when we come to chapter 23 and verse 37 we see that this the exact point where we left off in the gospel of Matthew.  We read in Luke 23:35-37

And the people stood beholding.  And the rulers also with them derided him saying, He saved others; let Him save himself, if he be the Christ, the chosen of God.  And the soldiers mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar and saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

What happens next is absolutely awesome, as the Holy Spirit gave us view in Matthew, we saw two thieves, equally guilty and deserving punishment, both mocking the Son of God.  And we see this is the same timeframe that Luke records in Luke 23:35-37.  Then as we look in Luke 23:38 we see words being published, these words were in three different languages that all the world could read.  The words were true words, though perhaps written in mockery, they were true words describing the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son, King of kings, and Lord of lords, they described His attribute as “King of the Jews”. We read Luke 23:38

And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 

Let us now read the rest of this passage and see how these words being published  caused one man, a thief of the world, to believe on the Son of God.  We read further in Luke 23:39 -43

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.  But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amiss.  And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.  And Jesus said unto him,  Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

So as we again consider the two thieves we see them equal in depravity, equal in their ability to look at the Savior, equally mocking, and then the Word is published, and they equally have a chance to read it.  After the published Word they equally have a chance to fear God, one thief does, one thief does not, this then is free will.  Both were unable to choose to believe God before the Word is published, but after the Word is published one thief fears God and one thief doesn’t.  Before the foundation of the world, God knew which thief would believe and which thief would not, therefore as pertaining to election, He manifested the Way to salvation, the Truth of salvation, and the Life of salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ.  And in election according to his foreknowledge, He ensured that all those that would believe were thoroughly equipped unto good works which He created in Christ Jesus for us to walk in.

As we again consider these two men on either side of our Lord, we see that the one man believed, because he spoke, “And he said unto Jesus, Lord remember me when thou comest into they kingdom” and then the Lord spoke to him, “Verily I say unto thee, Today thou shalt be with me in paradise”.  How unsearchable are His judgements and His ways past finding out!  When this man was mocking the Lord, the Lord knew all along that the man would believe in Him, and inspite of the mocking, that He would save him.  What grace, what mercy, what manner of love this is!  When we look at the thief on the other side of Jesus, we notice that nothing more is said to him or by him.  Silence and an eternity of suffering and seperation from God await him.  The savior is right there next to him, but he will not believe, he does not fear, he is dying, he does not care, he witnesses the other man speaking to the Lord and the Lord assuring that man that they shall be together that day in paradise, but all we have is defiant silence from the unsaved thief, before he is ushered into an eternity in hell.  Oh may we pray that those who are not saved, would hear the good news of God’s grace in the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ, and would be pricked in the heart.  But while our hearts hurt for these people we know, we realize that is up to them to accept God’s free gift of salvation and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

As members of the Body of Christ, we know that we have much more of God’s Word available to read than did the thief on the cross.  May we then yield to God, through prayer and the study of His Word, so Christ would manifest His life through us and we might speak the truth in love, and tell others of the Lord Jesus Christ and how He saved us by shedding His blood and dying for us, being buried and rising from the dead.  And as He is believed on in the world, may we praise Him and thank Him for His awesome power and working.

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.

Preached unto the Gentiles

As we examine the fourth aspect of the mystery of godliness, we recall Christ’s words during His earthly ministry recorded in Matthew 15:24:

But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

The Holy Spirit through the pen of the apostle Paul confirms this in Romans 9:4-5:

Who are the Israelites; to whom pertains the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;  Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever.  Amen.

The few instances that we see the Lord Jesus Christ interacting with the Gentiles during His earthly ministry, is only when they took their place as inferior compared to the Israelites.  We see an example of this when the gentile woman acknowledged her position as a “dog” feeding off the crumbs of the children’s (Israel) table in Matthew 15:27.  So if we look at the whole span of God’s Word we notice that after the tower of Babel, God chose Abram who would become Abraham and made a covenant with him and gave him some promises.  A couple generations later we see Jacob born who would be named Israel and who begat 12 sons.  The nation of Israel was born.  Prior to God calling out Abraham, God dealt with the whole world on an even footing.  The nation of Israel was separated from the rest of world (Gentiles) and given a place “nigh to God”.  At that point God’s interactions with the Gentiles were on the basis of the their interaction with Israel.  For any Gentile to come to God at that point, He had to come to Israel and be converted.  So at that point the Gentiles were without God as we see in Ephesians 2:11-12:

Wherefore remember, that you being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands.  That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.

Time forbids looking at this in detail, but when we read the prophecies in the Old Testament, we see that when the Messiah would come and set up the eternal kingdom, then Israel would be a nation of priests that would bring the nations back to God (This will happen during our Lord Jesus Christ’s millenial reign when rules the earth.)  But until those prophecies would be fulfilled, the Gentiles were to be viewed at unclean, inferior and to be strictly avoided especially in the sense of intermarriage because of the heathen idol worship and influences they would bring, which we see happen in the Old Testament.  So as we consider this subject of  “preached unto the Gentiles” we must realize this did not happen during Christ’s earthly ministry.  Many people today, only want to read the red words in their Bible, which were the words that the Lord Jesus Christ spoke during His earthly ministry, but they don’t realize that those words were to the Jews.  Does that mean as Gentile Christians we don’t get have any application for us in the gospels?  There is plenty of application in the gospels for us, but we must realize we can’t have it applied appropriately until we understand what God provided for us in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.  If we just read the gospels, we might begin to attempt to live Jesus Words according to our might or our will.  It just can’t be done and neither could it be done by the Jews He spoke those words to.  When we learn of all that happened by the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ concerning His death, burial and resurrection we find out that our flesh (old man, sin nature) is utterly depraved and can’t do the works of God.  But when we are saved we are a new creation in Christ, and then we are empowered to do the works of God through him, not by our will or determination, but rather as we yield to the Lord through prayer and the study of His Word, He will purge our vessels, equip us and send us out.  We learn to differentiate the flesh from the Spirit.  Praise the Lord our strength is not in ourselves or what we will to do, but if we simply yield to Him then He will direct our path and grow us in Him.

So back to our current subject, it is not until Peter is sent to Cornelius that the Gentiles are preached to.  (Many think that there were Gentiles preached to at Pentecost, but upon closer examination we find those were Jews from many different nations, we also see that only the Jews were being preached to up until Acts 11:19).  Now when Peter was sent to Cornelius, the Lord was having him use a key of the kingdom that He gave to him, showing Peter that the Gentiles were no longer to be viewed as unclean.  The Lord would also use this instance in Peter’s ministry to prepare him to confirm Paul as the apostle to the Gentiles.  We see this recorded in Acts 15, when Paul met with the other apostles in Jerusalem and communicated the gospel of the grace of God which the Lord Jesus Christ had given him.  This meeting is also recorded in Galatians 2, where we read of Peter, James, and John shaking hands with Paul and agreeing that they would go the Jews while Paul would go to the Gentiles with the gospel of the grace of God.

Now prior to this, when Israel’s rulers stoned Stephen, they nationally rejected the Holy Spirit and the offer of the “times of refreshing”.  At this point all was ready for the seventieth week of Daniel also known as the tribulation to begin.  Had the Israelites repented and accepted that Jesus was the Christ and admitted that they had killed Him and He rose from the dead, the Lord would have come back and set up His kingdom and ultimately Israel would be going to the Gentiles as a blessing to them.  But this did not happen.  On a national level Israel repeatedly rejected God the Father when they rejected the prophets, the last one being John the Baptist, then they rejected God the Son, when they crucified the Lord, and then they rejected the Holy Spirit when they stoned Stephen.  But here is what is awesome and what so much of Christendom misses, God in His foreknowledge knew all this would happen and despite Israel’s failure to accept their Messiah, He would still go to the Gentiles with the good news of His grace through Christ Jesus the Lord.  The order was always supposed to be Israel first as a nation of priests that went to the Gentiles who would be second, but because of Israel’s national rejection, the Lord raised up Paul to testify of His grace towards the Gentiles inspite of Israel’s failure.  The prophetic time clock was stopped and has been stopped for nearly 2000 years as God in grace offers salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ to anyone who will believe whether they are Jew or Gentile.  Every one is on an equal footing as God reconciled Himself to the world through the shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Everyone is brought near to God.  So if everyone is brought near, what is the admonition?  Be reconciled to God!  But how?  By believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and accepting God’s gracious gift of salvation by grace through faith in Christ and His finished work!

So far in our study of the mystery of godliness, we have seen the dual meaning of each aspect as we desire to exercise ourselves to godliness.  When we looked at “God manifest in the flesh” we understood that the Holy Spirit conveyed both the physical manifestation of God the Son on this earth, and the spiritual manifestation of Christ in us, the hope of glory.  When we look at “justified in the Spirit” we understood that Christ was raised from the dead and also that we are raised in Him to walk in newness of life.  When we looked at “seen of angels” we saw Paul and his fellowlaborers were made a spectacle to the angels as they learned of the grace of God by witnessing the Lord Jesus Christ working in him, and by extension us as members of the body of Christ are also being used to show the manifold truth of God’s grace to the principalities and powers.  Now as we look at “preached unto the Gentiles” we again view both the dispensation (economy or administration) that Paul was given concerning the Gentiles and our responsibility to preach the gospel of the grace of God as well.  Let’s look at just a few verses where the Holy Spirit inspires Paul to testify of the apostleship given to him.

Romans 11:13

For I speak to Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles I magnify my office.

Romans 15:16

That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

Galatians 2:7-8

But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter: (For He that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles.

Ephesians 3:7-8

Whereof  I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.  Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.

Paul did not preach himself to the Gentiles or nations, but he preached Christ Jesus the Lord, and Paul himself a servant for those who heard him (2 Corinthians 4:5).  So also we too, as we exercise ourselves to godliness, should follow the pattern he was given in Christ (1 Timothy 1:16). This pattern shows Paul who was the number one persecutor of Christians, saved by the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ and then we see God’s grace working in Paul greatly.  This pattern shows that no one is beyond the reach of the grace of God.  No matter what you’ve done, if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ He will save you for ever!  Throughout Paul’s epistles the Holy Spirit inspires Paul to testify of the apostleship given to him many times.  Why is this?  Why is the fact of the Gentiles being preached to is so important, why if we desire to exercise ourselves to godliness is it so important to understand that God was “preached unto the Gentiles”.  Because it is in Paul’s epistles where we find the “preaching of the cross” and the “preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery”.  If we are going to be vessels ready for the Lord’s use, we need to eat our spiritual food, we need to read God’s Word.  When we learn of the salvation that has come to everybody, Jew and Gentile, we are learning of all that Christ has done for us and accomplished for us by the cross.  We learn of the earthly purpose of Israel and the heavenly purpose of the Gentile members of the body of Christ.  We learn of how the law and ordinances all pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ.  The outward circumcision of the Jew pointed to the need for the inward circumcision of the heart, a circumcision that could not be performed by the hands of men, but by the operation of God through the Holy Spirit, based on the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The various water baptisms were outward pictures of the inward need for cleansing.  The law was never given to justify a man, but by it man found out that he was a sinner and needed a Savior.  Flesh and blood could never keep the law, only the Lord Jesus Christ could keep every part of the law perfectly.  But as we yield to the Lord through prayer and consumption of His Word, and His life and love are working out of us, we will glimpse the Lord Jesus Christ working out of us and Him performing the law.  The minute we say we will keep the law or we will do this or that for the Lord and it is by our might, we will fail and we fall from grace experientially.  But the minute we say we can’t, but praise the Lord He can and through His resurrection He has raised us to walk in newness of life, we will see the fruits of the Spirit being produced all according the good works He made for us to walk in according to His purpose and grace in saving us.

By prayerfully reading God’s Word and understanding what was preached unto the Gentiles and why this age of grace we live in was not prophesied about until it was revealed to Paul.  By understanding the difference between Israel and Gentiles, we can also see how there is no difference between Jew and Gentile in Christ.  The same Lord is rich to all those who call upon Him.  When we see how we can live godly in Christ Jesus during our lifetimes, we find out how any man could ever live godly in any age.  By our faithfulness?  No, by the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.  “The volume of the book is written about Him”  When you read your Bible from Genesis to Revelations, whenever you read of a man or woman performing a good work, it is because the Lord Jesus Christ was faithful to go to the cross, and shed His Holy blood and die for us, we who deserved an eternity of separation from God and punishment in the lake of fire.  He voluntarily died for us, He who knew no sin, became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.  He was buried and He rose from the dead on third day.  The firstborn from the dead providing our justification, providing our redemption, providing us to be able to eternally be with our Lord and Savior.  All glory, honor, praise and thanksgiving to God the Father through Christ Jesus our Lord forever and ever!

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.

Seen of Angels

Just as the earth has a governmental structure associated with it, with certain men holding positions of rank and authority, so when we read Daniel 10 we see that the angelic realm also has a similar structure of rank and authority.  When reading Daniel 10 we notice that just as the earth has believers and unbelievers, so too the angelic realm has angels that are loyal to God, and angels that have fallen and follow the devil.  We see in Daniel 10 a struggle between the angel that talks with Daniel and the “prince of Persia”.  We see that Michael comes to help battle against the prince of Persia.  Towards the end of the chapter we also read that there will be another struggle with a “prince of Grecia”, which correlates with the rise of the Grecian empire that would follow after the Persian empire.  So we are actually getting a glimpse into spiritual warfare in the heavenlies and how it corresponds with happenings in the earth.

As we contemplate this third aspect of the mystery of godliness, namely “seen of angels”, we must realize that what the Holy Spirit inspires Paul to call “the preaching of the cross” and “the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery”  was “hid in God” until revealed to Paul.  This means that it was also hid from angels as well, both the elect and the fallen.  In the Scriptures prior to Paul’s epistles we see how God is going to reconcile the earth back to himself by setting up a kingdom on earth that will be eternal with the Lord Jesus Christ ruling the earth.  What we don’t see until Paul’s epistles is how God is going to reconcile the heavens back to himself.  We often think of how the earth was corrupted with sin when Adam and Eve sinned, but we also have to realize when Lucifer fell and took a third of the angelic realm with him, the first and second heavens were corrupted as well.  Of course we must note that the third heavens where the throne of God and paradise are, were not corrupted.

When we learn of the mystery, we are learning of what the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished by the cross.  The death, burial and resurrection of Christ is the centerpiece of time.  By the Lord Jesus Christ’s finished work He made possible the reconciliation of the whole universe back to God.  Both the heavenly and earthly.  That this would be accomplished by the cross, was not known to the angels, yes they knew of earthly reconciliation, but they had no clue about the heavenly reconciliation.  For the fallen angels, this heavenly reconciliation spelled their defeat.  Just as saved Israel and the Jewish members of the body of Christ will be a nation of priests when the Lord Jesus Christ sits on the throne of David and rules the earth, so too the Gentile members of the body of Christ have a heavenly calling and purpose.  When the Lord Jesus Christ rules the earth, Israel will be a vessel for His governance, so too as He also rules the heavens, the Gentile members of the body of Christ will be vessels for His governance.  Where does this leave the devil and his fallen angels?  Well, they will be kicked out of heaven and cast into the earth for a short time and then ultimately thrown into the Lake of Fire.

Let’s look at some Scripture which talks about what the angels saw when the mystery was made known.  As Paul and his fellow laborers were made a spectacle unto the world, angels, and men (1 Corinthians 4:9) so we as members of the body of Christ (also called the church) are being viewed by the angelic realm so the manifold wisdom of God might be known to them.  We see this in Ephesians 3:9-10

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers  in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.

As pertaining to the wisdom of God that is being made known by the church, the fallen angels would never have had our Lord crucified if they would have known how it spelled their defeat as we read in 1 Corinthians 6:3

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

We see that by the Lord Jesus Christ dying for our sins and rising from the dead He spoiled the fallen angels.  We read this Colossians 2:13-15

And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses;  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross;  And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

And we see that we shall judge angels in 1 Corinthians 6:3

Know ye not that we shall judge angels?  how much more things that pertain to this life?

As we contemplate our heavenly calling and purpose what is amazing is that spiritually we are already seated at the right hand of God in Christ Jesus as we read in Ephesians 2:5-6

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you are saved)  And has raised us up together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Is it any wonder then, why the adversary and his fallen angels fight so vigorously to keep the mystery of godliness unknown among the members of the body of Christ?  We are engaged in spiritual warfare as we read in Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Before can we can engage in this battle we have to be equipped by the Lord.  We see our armor listed in Ephesians 6:13-18.  Note that our only offensive weapon is the Word of God.  How important then that we read God’s Word and ask Him to give us understanding.  Preachers and teachers are great gifts from the Lord but they are not to have dominion over our faith, we must read the Word of God for ourselves.  While our fight is not against flesh and blood, we do see that the adversary uses flesh and blood to suppress and corrupt the Word of God and the gospel of His grace.  We see this in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  And no marvel: for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness: whose end shall be according to their works.

Now this verse doesn’t mean that we deem ourselves false apostle detectors and start tracking and attacking every person we think is a false apostle.  Quite the opposite, this verse should spur us that much more to study God’s Word, so we might have eyes to see and ears to hear and discern.   The best thing we can do for a pastor or teacher of God’s Word is to study the Word of God ourselves and ask questions.  Iron sharpens Iron.  If you have never heard the mystery of godliness preached on, go and ask your pastor about it, it may spur both of you to search the Scriptures that much more, and praise the Lord that is always a great thing!

In closing, throughout the ages, God and His work has been witnessed and seen by the angels.  At Pentecost we see Peter declare that the Holy Spirit inspired words of the prophet Joel were being fulfilled and the last days had begun.  But the prophetic time clock abruptly stopped and we see Saul of Tarsus saved on the road to Damascus.  Saul who would be called Paul was given a mystery not made known to man or angel before being revealed to him.  This mystery period has lasted for two thousand years while God continues to graciously offer salvation to any and all who will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  After Paul was given the mystery and Peter learned of the gospel of God’s grace, Peter wrote this in 2 Peter 3:15-16

And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him has written unto you.  As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction.

If the apostle Peter by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, states that there are some things that are hard to be understood, then obviously that should prompt to us to pray that much more and ask God our Father through our Lord Jesus Christ for understanding from Him and a hunger for His Word.

So as we contemplate God being seen of angels, we realize that the angels have always seen God, but they did not know about the mystery.  As we yield to God through prayer and study of His Word, what will naturally result is the life and love of Christ working in us.  Just as we read that the apostles were being viewed by the angels in 1st Corinthians, so they are viewing us, witnessing the grace of God at work in the lives of believers.  When we are walking in the Spirit and we are empowered by the Lord Jesus Christ, they are actually witnessing the mystery of godliness.  How could man every live godly?  Only by the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work and His sanctifying work in the life of the believer.  May we pray that we might walk more circumspectly in this life, prayerfully reading God’s Word and seeking understanding from Him, so that His grace may be magnified as the Holy Spirit empowers us and the Lord Jesus Christ manifests His life in us.  May we by His power be reflectors of His grace!

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.

Justified in the Spirit

To be justified is to be made right with God also known as righteous in the sight of God and acceptable to His holy standard.  I have heard this modification of the word justified in the following sentence used as explanation.  “Just as if I’d never sinned”.  The only way our sins could ever be forgiven and forgotten forever was by the Lord Jesus Christ shedding His blood, dying on the cross, and being buried for us.  In the same fashion, the only way we could ever be quickened or made alive, thus being made acceptable to God in His beloved Son was by our Lord Jesus Christ being resurrected from the dead and our being clothed with Christ’s righteousness.  We see this clearly defined in Romans 4:25 when the Holy Spirit inspired the apostle Paul to say this about Christ’s death and resurrection:

Who was delivered for offenses and raised for our justification.

As we read the second aspect of the mystery of godliness, which is God “justified in the Spirit”, this specifically takes in view the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and Him being the “firstborn from the dead”.  Now someone may say, “hey but weren’t other people before this raised from the dead, in fact didn’t Jesus raise people from the dead?”  Very good question, and the answer is yes other people were raised from the dead, but their bodies were not changed into eternal bodies like our Lord Jesus Christ was. Those that were raised from the dead, still ended up dying again.   So our Lord is literally  the firstborn from the dead.

Another question that might be asked is, “how was the Lord Jesus Christ justified in the Spirit, how was He made right with God, when He is and always has been God, He didn’t have the  need to “made right or made righteous” did He?”  The answer is no, He didn’t need to be made righteous, but we did.  We know that our Lord Jesus Christ has always been righteous, He was righteous in eternity past, righteous during His earthly ministry, and He is righteous forever more.  So when we read that God was justified or “made right” in the Spirit, this does not hold in view our Lord having to made right from sin, but rather shows that by God the Father raising Christ from the dead in the power of the Holy Spirit, He was made the firstborn from the dead.  By doing this, He created the way for all who would believe in Him to be made right in Him and providing direct access to God the Father in prayer through our Lord.  We received this right standing with God, the second we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and were saved.  We were literally raised with Him in the Holy Spirit so we could walk in newness of life, while here on earth.  We received the “earnest”  of the Holy Spirit and our Spirit became alive, and when we are finally resurrected when the Lord Jesus Christ comes back for us, then we will experience the redemption of our bodies as well as they are changed into eternal living bodies.  Here are a number of verses which point to some of the things we have been discussing:

Romans 8:11  But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you.

Romans 3:26  To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus.

1 Corinthians 6:14  And God has both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by His own power.

Romans 8:29-30  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.

Colossians 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

So as we again contemplate this second aspect of the mystery of godliness and desire to “exercise ourselves to godliness”, we must realize that in order to do so it has to by the power of the Holy Spirit and not our flesh or our will.  By the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit we can walk in newness of life as we read in Romans 6:4

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Note: Please note the baptism mentioned in the above verse is not some water ceremony done with human hands, but is actually the operation of God performed the moment we believed in the Lord Jesus.  God sealed us with His Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit identified us with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.  Lord willing, we will look at this further in a future post.

Continuing our study, we must now revisit a sobering verse we briefly looked at a couple of posts ago.   2 Timothy 3:5

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

The context in which the apostle Paul issues this dire warning consists of him explaining the last days and the way men will be behaving wrongly.  My opinion is that this chapter is talking about professing Christians in the last days.  When Paul talks about them having a form of godliness, we must realize that the verse we have been examining the past few posts is a verse that explains godliness.  So when he talks about those who have a form of godliness, he is talking about those who know or affirm or preach the different parts of godliness we are looking at.  But these same individuals he is talking about deny the power from which godliness is produced, which is the Holy Spirit and the application of this specific part we are looking at today, which is “justified in the Spirit”.  As we rejoice in knowing the gospel of the grace of God and gaining understanding in the preaching of the Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, we must realize the knowledge of these things alone is not what causes us to live Godly in Christ Jesus, but rather it is the Holy Spirit working the Word of God and the Lord Jesus Christ living His life through us.  As we read in 1st Corinthians 13, we can understand all mysteries, and all knowledge but if we don’t have the love of Christ, we are nothing.

When we think of having a “form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” we also immediately think of the Pharisees during our Lord’s earthly ministry as an example.  These Pharisees held the fundamental truths of God’s Word, especially in light of the Saduccees who were denying some of those truths.  But though they were correct concerning the form of God’s Word, they were blind as bats because they used it to justify themselves and they were operating according to their own works instead of God’s works.  God’s Word was not being mixed with faith, which would have given them a correct view of their sinfulness and need for a Savior.  Oh how this should cause us to walk circumspectly, so we might not turn the knowledge of the mystery and the grace of God into a system by which we approve ourselves and condemn others!  How then do we ensure that we don’t deny the Holy Spirit which is the power of godliness?  How can we ensure that it is Christ living His life in us and through us to others and not our own tricky flesh or motives?  How can we ensure that “what we have begun in the Spirit, we do not continue by the flesh” as is written in Galatians.  By yielding to the Lord through prayer and His Word.  Prayer with our heavenly Father through our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit is so important.  Do you feel like when you pray, that it doesn’t feel like you are talking to God, then tell Him that, that’s the best place to start in prayer.  Tell God everything, He is your heavenly Father.  If you want to hear what He says, you have to read His Word.

As we close this look at the second aspect of the mystery of godliness, we rejoice that when the Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, He was raised for our justification.  The same Holy Spirit that powerfully raised our Lord, works in us and raised us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection.  The Holy Spirit works in us during this life as He sanctifies and grows  us spiritually, and He will also raise us up physically when our Lord Jesus Christ returns for us.  Our bodies will be changed to glorious, eternal bodies fashioned like our Lord Jesus Christ”s body.  We know that when our Lord justified us in the Spirit, He clothed us with His righteousness, may we pray that God would teach us to yield to Him more so the fruits of His righteousness, His grace, and His working may work out of us.

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.

God was manifest in the flesh

The first part of the mystery of godliness takes in view God being manifest in the flesh.  Immediately we think of our Lord Jesus Christ leaving the throne of God and coming down to earth, being born of a virgin, and entering humanity, holding the title, “Son of God” and also the title “son of man”.  As we noticed in the last post, we are exhorted to “exercise ourselves to godliness”, so we also view God being manifest in the flesh by the Holy Spirit residing in us, and Christ living His life through us.  To see how this is possible we need to go back to the beginning of creation and see how God created man.

First, let’s look at how God created Adam after His own image and likeness as we read in Genesis 1:26-27

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

We see in verse 26 that God says, “Let us make man in our image” and then in verse 27 we see that God “created man in his own image”.  As we learn in the other scriptures, there is one God that exists in three distinct persons:  God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  So verse 26 holds in view the aspect of the tri-unity of God, while verse 27 holds in view the oneness of God.  As we touched on in a previous post, this is difficult for our human minds to grasp, but we see examples of tri-unity throughout God’s creation.  In fact, in verse 26 we see one of these examples as He explains the dominion He has given Adam over the world which is one, and then goes on to describe the dominion over… 1. The fish in the sea  2. The fowl of the air 3. The cattle and creeping things of the earth.  One world, with three distinct parts: water, earth, and air (atmosphere).  So as we learn in other Scriptures that man possesses a body, a spirit, and a soul (1 Thessalonians 5:23) we see that Adam was created after the very image of God, and not only this, but he was created perfect and alive in all three aspects.  We see this in Genesis 2:7

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Next, let’s briefly review what happened to Adam’s posterity because he sinned in Genesis 5:3

And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth.

When Adam sinned and ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he died.  The form of the image he was created in, did not change, he was still body, soul, and spirit.  The likeness of that image he was created in did change, he died in the spirit and was dying in the body.  Thus when we look above we see his son Seth formed in Adam’s likeness and image, which still had the form of the image of God, but was filled with Adam’s likeness of a dead spirit and dying body.  Every single person who has walked the earth except for our Lord Jesus Christ, was in Adam when he sinned, in fact lest we get highminded, if we would have been in Adam’s shoes, we would have done the same thing as him.

Let’s now look at how God would be manifest in the flesh in Matthew 1:20 and then in Luke 1:35

But while he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

And the angel said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ could not be stained with sin as He entered humanity, thus being able to provide the perfect atonement and sacrifice for the world’s sins, reconciling the fallen sons of Adam to God, by the perfect sacrifice of Himself.  This could only be accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ entering humanity through the virgin birth.  As we looked at before, Adam was created with a living body, soul, and spirit.  When he sinned, he and all those after him possessed dead spirits and a dying body.  When the Lord Jesus Christ was conceived, He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the virgin Mary.  This resulted in the Lord Jesus Christ being born truly alive in the body, soul, and spirit.  He like Adam had a free will and encountered all manner of trials and temptations, yet unlike Adam, He was also God and  never sinned.  By this perfect sinless life and fulfilling all the righteousness of the law, He alone provided the perfect sacrifice for our sins and reconciliation for Adam’s fall, when He the perfect, spotless, Lamb of God was slain for our sins.  There has really only ever been two type of men in history, the first and the second Adam.  Let’s read 1st Corinthians 15:45-47

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

Let’s also read Romans 5:17

For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

And let’s read Romans 5:19

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

As we near the end of today’s post, let’s look at God being manifest in us who believe as we start by reading Colossians 2:13 and Galatians 2:20

And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he has quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

When we were born into this world, we were born dead in the spirit and dying in our bodies.  Sons and daughters of Adam.  As we entered the toddler stage we bore witness to this fact by beginning to sin in ignorance.  When we became old enough to discern between right and wrong we bore witness to this fact by sinning willfully.  Prior to believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, we were dead and held in slavery to death and sin.  When we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection for us.  We were instantly quickened by the Holy Spirit.  We were made alive in the spirit.  As before we were in Adam, with all the sin and slavery that entailed, we were now made free and placed in the Lord Jesus Christ by God’s grace through faith.  All glory, honor, and praise to God the Father through Christ Jesus our Lord forever and ever!

As we were made members of the spiritual organization called the “Body of Christ” and placed in Him, so the Holy Spirit resides in us, God manifest in the flesh!  As those that are alive from the dead, we still temporarily have this body that is dying, and have temptation to sin, but we are not slaves to sin anymore, and if we yield to God he will provide the way of escape when sin comes a knocking.  Our free will gives us the choice to live godly in Christ Jesus or mind the things of our flesh which is still dying.  If we yield to the Lord, He will live His life through us and we will see God manifesting His life and righteousness in us and out of us to others.  Even though our flesh is corrupted and dying and cannot be improved, we can see him transforming our bodies into vessels for His use, we can see the earnest of the Holy Spirit, working while we look forward to the redemption of the purchased possession when the Lord Jesus Christ will come back for us and give us each brand new eternally living bodies that will not be able to sin.  Then will be said, “Death is swallowed up in victory!”!

As we have examined this first attribute of godliness, which “God manifest in the flesh”.  May we pray that we might yield to God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ in prayer and the reading of His Word, as we are filled with the Holy Spirit in all wisdom and understanding.  And may we pray that the Lord Jesus Christ might manifest His life in us more and more, ministering to each other and others, while we thank God for all He has given us in Christ Jesus the Lord.

2 Corinthians 13:14

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen!

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.

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness

Many of us, by God’s grace, have come to understand the mystery or secret that was committed to the apostle Paul by our risen, ascended Lord Jesus Christ.  This mystery is great and was hidden in God until He gave it to our beloved apostle.  The more we learn of this mystery, the more we see our victory in Christ, as He works in us by faith, working His love out of us to others.  All the while we focus on the hope He has given to us which is the “redemption of the purchased possession”, when He shall change our vile bodies into glorious bodies fashioned like His.  From salvation to sanctification to glorification it is all by His working and when we yield to Him and He works in us, we are living godly in Him.  Godliness can be described as Christ living His life through us.  We see the subject of godliness summed up in one phrase, “Christ in us, the hope of glory” when we read Colossians 1:27

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

As we examine the form of godliness given to us in 1 Timothy 3:16 in the future posts, we shall take time to examine every part of the verse.  Before we do that, let’s prepare and look at a few of the other verses which mention godliness in Paul’s epistles.

We see that the key to a quiet and peaceable life is in godliness and honesty in 1 Timothy 2:2

For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

We learn that women professing godliness will be adorned with good works in 1 Timothy 2:10

But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

We see that we are to exercise ourselves to godliness and that it is profitable to us both in this life and eternity in 1 Timothy 4:7-8

But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.  For bodily exercise profits little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

We learn that the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the apostle Paul’s doctrine or instruction is according to godliness in 1 Timothy 6:3

If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness.

We see that some people will think monetary or statuatory gain is godliness, which is false, but we are shown that godliness with contentment is great gain in 1 Timothy 6: 5-6

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth,  supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.  But godliness with contentment is great gain.

We learn that we are to follow after godliness in 1 Timothy 6:11

But you, O man of God, flee these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness.

We see that some can have a form of godliness, but deny the power from which true godliness flows, which is the Holy Spirit. We see this in 2 Timothy 3:5

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

We learn that Paul was a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to his acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness in Titus 1:1

Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness.

Nearly 2000 years since the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write the verse at the top of the post, sadly we have to admit that this mystery of godliness is still a mystery to most professing Christians, though it was revealed.  Most folks think being godly involves their will and their power, though they might not say it like that.  Many labor and toil to keep ordinances not meant for the Gentiles and many zealously strive to follow Jesus by their own working and determination.  They have not heard of the mystery of godliness, they have not heard about Christ in us, the hope of our glory.  They do not know that the same Holy Spirit that raised our Lord from the dead, has raised us in the Lord Jesus, to walk in newness of life by His empowerment.  Not relying on ourselves or our strength, but on Him.  When we are strengthened and grown in the Lord by His working is when we will be vessels for His use.  But before we can do any good works we have to be strengthened and grown by God, this happens when we yield to Him by prayerfully reading His Word and by prayer.  Once He has equipped us, He will send us out or send people to us for ministry.  Our thoughts can jump all over the place, so we can’t rely on our thoughts or opinions to guide us, we must rely on the Word of God for our direction.  May we pray that our Lord Jesus Christ’s love would dwell in us richly, and we might understand and explain the mystery to others that was explained two thousand years ago.  Ephesians 3:9

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

To be continued…