The Mystery Of Godliness

I Timothy 3: 14-16

Paul has just listed all the qualifications that a leader in the church should possess before he or she is given authority in any position over the congregation.

(14) I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long;

He wants them to know these things, even though he is planning to travel there to be with them.

(15) But in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God,

In the event that he would be delayed in coming, he is writing his letter to make sure they will not end up elevating the wrong person in the church in the meantime.

which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

Paul says that the church is God's household, His family, which is to maintain and hold true to the Truth, holding it up to the world. This is our job.

(16) By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness:

He says that everyone agrees that what God has revealed to us, that we could know in no other way but His revealing it, is magnificent, who God is, our Lord God.

This mystery of godliness is the revealed secret of true religion, the mystery of Christianity, which is not a religion at all, but a relationship with God the Father through our Lord God Christ Jesus.

He who was revealed in the flesh.

He is the Son of God, who was born into our human race of flesh.

Was vindicated in the Spirit,

Jesus was "justified," declared to be just, by the Holy Spirit in His miracles, culminating in His Resurrection from the dead.

Seen by angels,

Angels watched this amazing wonder, as Jesus walked this Earth, and watched over and ministered to Him (Matthew 4: 11; Luke 22: 43).

Proclaimed among the nations,

What was preached after His death and Resurrection was not a theory or even a creed, but a Person. Paul declared, "We preach Christ" (I Corinthians 1: 23).

Believed on in the world,

This is the result of the previous statement, the preaching produces faith on the part of people all over the world, and still does promote belief in the Truth that is preached among all the nations of the world.

Taken up in glory. 

This verb, analambano, is used of Christ's ascension in Acts 1: 2. This is the climax of His Earthly ministry. Preaching Christ means preaching His life, death, resurrection and ascension as the glorified Lord God Almighty.

O my Father, You have given to Your Son the Lordship over Your creation, from before You made it. You thought it up, planned it out and designed it all to fulfill Your purposes. Then You made it by Your Word, Your Son, Your doing; all in the life, light and power of Your Holy Spirit.

Three separate functions, three Persons, all One God! O Father, You are so magnificent! Your wisdom and knowledge and planning and cleverness and imagination totally surpass my puny understanding! But then I have the "mind of Christ" to perceive all these character traits You have!

Father, send out all Your children to preach and proclaim this Truth of Christ to the whole world! Everybody, every living person, needs to hear and realize how much You have loved them, sending Your own Son to take their debt of sin so they can be royal children of the King!

O Father, please let everyone hear the story of Salvation so they can be Redeemed and live with You forever!

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!