Godliness With Contentment

I Timothy 6: 3-8

Paul just told Timothy about the attitude slaves should have toward their masters, and he said that he was to teach and preach these principles (verse 2). 

This phrase is often put as the beginning of the next verse, so it applies here, too. Actually, it applies to this whole letter. 

(3) If anyone advocates a different doctrine 

A different doctrine would be anything different from what Paul is writing here, and the rest of Scripture. 

and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 

These sound words are those spoken by Jesus in the Gospels, and also the whole Old Testament, which the rest of the New Testament is at that time being written to explain how the faith is applied and lived out. 

(4) he is conceited and understands nothing; 

If anyone doesn't want to hear sound words, then he is conceited, proud, thinks his own ideas are better than God's; that shows that he has no understanding at all of God's ways. This word is in the perfect passive, which shows "a fixed state or condition." 

but he has a morbid interest 

This is an unhealthy state of mind, the word noson, "being sick" (mentally), is "having a morbid craving for." He's describing one sick puppy! 

in controversial questions and disputes about words, 

In controversies and arguments. The controversial questions are investigations of religious and theological problems. This in itself is actually good, but the indication here is that they are being used only to argue and fight about words. The heretic described here is merely a theorist, his interest is only in academic disputes; he doesn't take into account the reality of what God's word is about. 

out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, 

Because of their pride their studies only result in negative consequences. Five are listed here: 

Envy and Strife are used together also in Romans 1: 29 and Galatians 5: 21. Envy always produces quarreling and strife. 

"Abusive language" is blasphemiai (plural). When directed against God it means "blasphemy," but when directed against men, as it is here, it means "slander." 

"Evil suspicions" would be "false, slanderous conjectures." 

(5) and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, 

The fifth is constant friction, "mutual irritations" or "incessant wranglings," which characterize the conversations between these men who have thoroughly corrupted and depraved minds, who have been robbed of the Truth. If the Truth was once theirs, they have deliberately disinherited themselves of it, or they may have never had it. 

who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. 

These men think that godliness is only a means to procuring financial gain. 

(6) But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied with contentment. 

Godliness with contentment really is a means of wonderful gain in mental and spiritual and psychological wealth, but not necessarily financial. 

(7) For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. 

(8) If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 

Since we are all born with nothing, and everything we have in this world will stay in this world when we leave, then we can be content as long as we have enough food to eat, and covering, which usually refers to clothing, but can also include shelter. So our basic needs are simple. We are rich when we have all we need, and don't need to wear ourselves out with trying to get ahead in the world. 

O my Father, please show us how to live our lives simply here in this world, while enjoying the bounty You have provided us here. Give us contentment with our basic needs and not think that we need more to have Your joy. 

My Father, when you grant us more material goods than what we need, show us how to help others who have needs, and not squander them on ourselves. Teach us Your generosity and compassion. 

O Father, send out all of Your children to tell everyone alive how much You love us all! Please help them to understand how You have already met all of our needs, particularly the spiritual, eternal ones. 

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! 

Slaves And Employees

I Timothy 6: 1-2

(1) All who are under the yoke as slaves

The word for slaves here is correctly translated, as they are under the yoke of slavery. These people had no choice but had to do whatever their owners said.

are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor

This doesn't say only the nice and reasonable masters. The word here is despotes, despots, little dictators. And yet they were to give them respect and obedience. Why?

so that the Name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against.

Because these slaves were Christians, and to do otherwise would bring criticism on the church and the faith. This is pretty stringent and straight-forward.

(2) Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brethren,

The idea here is that because their masters are also Christians, then they don't have to obey them.

but must serve them all the more, because those who partake of the benefit are believers and beloved.

They should want to go above and beyond for these brothers in Christ, seeing them with eyes of family and realizing their mutual benefit.

Teach and preach these principles.

Timothy is to be sure his congregation all are aware of these positive attitudes they are all to have toward one another.

I find it interesting that Paul never condemns the institution of slavery in the societies of his day. But that institution was never even questioned until very recently in history, only two hundred years ago.

So these principles would also apply to employees' attitude toward their employers. The situation is not quite the same, as workers today are free to quit and find another job. But the best employees have always considered how to make their boss look good, and help him profit financially in the business.

Anyone who doesn't feel he or she can be that supportive an employee needs to find either a different attitude or a different job. And until one can be a good employee, one is not ready to be an employer.

And a Christian is to always put the other first (Philippians 2: 3), and mutually submit to one another (Ephesians 5: 21). This is the Christ-like attitude we all are to have. Even when an employer is not a Christian, he needs employees like this to show him Christ.

O my Father, You know how hard it is for us in our weak humanity to submit ourselves to the wishes of another, especially when we either don't like the other or we don't agree with the other. Please show us how we can do this in gentleness and compassion, without compromising Your standards. Help us to be Christ to the world around us.

My Father, send out Your children into their workplaces, into the stores and shops, into the arenas for events, into the world around us, and show us how to be Christ to everyone we encounter.

Father, we are living in what can be very scary times even now. Please let Your peace in us in the midst of the turmoil and chaos show the world Your steadfastness and compassion.

And Father, open opportunities for us to share Your goodness and grace to those who are groping for survival. Help us to demonstrate Your gentleness and generosity to all.

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess 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 quickly, Lord Jesus!

Elders And Discipline

I Timothy 5: 17-25

Now Paul has returned to the subject of elders, the pastors and bishops in the local congregations.

(17) The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

The pastors who do a good job at supervising the work of the local congregation are to be considered as deserving double pay. This word refers to a price paid for something.

If this means to double their paychecks, then to apply this again would double it again! So it probably means that their respect and admiration would be increased. And an extra honorarium could be given from time to time.

(18) For the Scripture says:

"You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing" (Deuteronomy 25: 4),

 and

"The laborer is worthy of his wages" (Luke 10: 7).

The Old Testament quote is from a list of general laws, referring to allowing domestic animals to be able to enjoy the results of the work they do, with an application also to human workers, to partake of the benefits of their labors.

And if Paul is quoting Jesus' words as Scripture also, then this may be the earliest instance of the Lord's words being quoted as "Scripture."

(19) Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.

This is a serious matter, and Paul goes back to the principal given in the Law (Deuteronomy 19: 15; 17: 6) to not entertain any charge against any man, but especially one who has authority in the church, unless there are at least two, or even three who can personally witness to the error or wrongdoing.

(20) Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.

This is a process of encouragement to repent and forsake the sin, that brothers and sisters in Christ have been given responsibility for over one another (Matthew 18: 15-17).

Here Paul is dealing with the pastoral team in a local congregation, when one who is in authority in the church has fallen into error. So the pastor or deacon is to be approached individually first, then with the two or three witnesses; and if he turns around and repents and forsakes the sin, then all is good. But if he is stubborn and refuses to listen and consider, then he must be reprimanded in front of the whole pastoral staff of the local church, so that they also will be on their guard against the error or failing in their responsibility to be an example to the flock. The pastoral team are the ones charged to be this example.

I have seen this principal applied at the local church I was a member of. But this pastor was rebuked before the whole congregation. This man did repent and turn around the situation, but he was so humiliated publicly that he left that congregation in disgrace, and had to find another local church and start over.

(21) I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.

This is a very serious and important matter to be carefully and wisely applied. There must not be any application of any discipline that would be too lax or too stringent. We must carefully apply the Word as a scalpel, to cut only what needs to be cut, and not a sharp sword swung carelessly about.

(22) Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.

This laying on of hands would apply to ordination to a position of authority in the church, as the one who ordains another puts himself into a measure of surety for this person's character, and so would be implicated in any sins or errors the man is likely to commit. Therefore, someone who is being considered for ordination should be the subject of inquiry into his character and faith.

And here is also the admonition for Timothy to keep himself personally free from error or heresy or personal wrongdoing.

(23) No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

Timothy apparently had a weak stamina, as indicated by his frequent illnesses, so Paul recommended that he use a little of the fermented wine in the area he was in as a medicinal measure because it contained the probiotic he needed for his digestion. He was telling him to "take his vitamins and supplements"!

(24) The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after.

When someone becomes a candidate for ordination, some are obviously not suited for leadership in the church, and others' shortcomings will come out with the Background Check done to research their character.

(25) Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.

On the other hand, a person's good character will also be evident, and the same Background Check will prove that their good deeds reveal their heart for the Lord and for His people.

In any case, the Background Check is necessary today before anyone can be trusted to have any authority in the church, especially to work with the children.

O my Father, there are so many "out there" who claim to be Yours, and only want to take advantage of Your flock. Please help our church leaders to be wise and discerning in choosing who they will trust to pastor Your church, or to teach or minister to Your people, or to work with the little ones.

My Father, every one of Your chosen and redeemed is precious. Father, every member of the whole human race is worth rescuing and saving. Even though none of us deserves Your grace. If we could deserve it, it wouldn't be grace!

O Father, please keep Your church pure and straight, to present Your gospel in truth and compassion, and to tell every living person about how much You love them and want them to be rescued, too. Father, give everyone enough understanding to turn to You when they feel the need for help, and not get sucked into the seductive deception that is coming on the whole world.

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess 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 swiftly, Lord Jesus!

Care For Widows

I Timothy 5: 1-16

(1) Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, 

(2) the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity. 

All four of these groups need to be treated with utmost respect. The older men and women are to be treated as their own parents, and the younger as siblings in their own family, with the extra admonition for the young women. 

(3) Honor widows who are widows indeed; 

This would be a widow who doesn't have any means of support. 

(4) but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God. 

Natural families are to care for one another in the family. Especially so when the whole family is Christian. 

(5) Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day. 

I am reminded of Anna, the 87 year old widow who regularly went to the Temple, fasting and praying (Luke 2: 37). As a widow, I don't need to go to the church building to learn of God and His provision, I have my own Bible. 

(6) But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives. 

A woman who only pursues worldly means of meeting her needs is denying the spiritual life that should be in her as a Christian, and may only have a religion instead of the relationship God wants with us all, and is therefore spiritually dead. 

(7) Prescribe these things as well, so that they may be above reproach. 

As a doctor prescribes the medication, Timothy as the pastor is to command that these standards be upheld in order to protect the congregation from blame. 

(8) But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 

Church members who have older family members need to consider how their parents sacrificed to raise them to adulthood; now the adult children are to return the courtesy and show their appreciation for their parents by helping them in their needs now that they are older. This is only right. 

(9) A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man, 

(10) having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work. 

Here are the requirements for a widow to be enrolled onto the list of those the church will take care of. The wife of one man is the same construction as the stipulation for the elder and the deacon (3: 2 and 3: 12); she is to have been a faithful wife to her husband. Only scholars with a strong ascetic or ecclesiastical bias would insist that this means "only married once." Verse 14 shows that widows were not forbidden to remarry. 

Several tasks of generosity and humility in serving are listed here showing the desired and expected general attitude and lifestyle of a Christian woman in that culture. It ends with noting that she is generally a helper, not a troublemaker. 

(11) But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual desires in disregard for Christ, they want to get married, 

(12) thus incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their previous pledge. 

If a younger widow desires to be put on this list, she would be pledging herself to the Lord in never marrying again, which would be a foolish promise, not realizing that in her youthfulness she would more naturally desire to marry another husband and have a family. This would break her promise to the Lord. 

(13) At the same time they learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention. 

These women would likely end up not knowing what to do with their days, and "idleness is the devil's workshop." Having been deprived of purpose, they can become gossips and busybodies, getting into everyone else's business. 

(14) Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach; 

(15) for some have already turned aside to follow Satan. 

The younger women need purpose, so should seek to have another family or to serve in some specific capacity, to keep busy and not fall into the habits of boredom, as evidently some already had in that congregation. 

(16) If any woman who is a believer has dependent widows, she must assist them and the church must not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are widows indeed. 

This family responsibility to care for the elderly parents or grandparents falls not only on the sons and grandsons, but also on their daughters and granddaughters. Family is family, and in Christ there is no more male or female (Galatians 3: 28). Different roles to play are assigned, but responsibilities are carried by all. 

O my Father, please help us to be able to care for our own families. Give us the family love that we need to have to find ways to help one another of our family members. And then we will see how we can help our church family members, also. 

My Father, You have already met all of our needs, and so many of Your blessings have human finger prints all over them! You love to use us to help one another, and You will give one more than she needs so she can share it with another. 

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess 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 quickly, Lord Jesus! 

Temporal And Spiritual Self-Discipline

I Timothy 4: 6-16

Paul has written about godliness, then about ungodliness. Now he is charging Timothy to teach these things to his congregation.

(6) In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus,

Teaching these things will show Timothy to be a good servant of our Lord. The word for servant here is diakonos, usually translated as "minister." This is the aim of every good pastor.

Using the order of "Christ Jesus," Paul is claiming that Jesus is our Lord God Almighty. When he previously used the order of "Jesus Christ," he was noting that Jesus is our anointed Savior, Messiah and Redeemer.

consistently nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.

Studying God's word every day will give us the spiritual nourishment we need, just as eating every day nourishes our physical life. This word of God teaches us what we are to believe, the sound doctrine that Timothy has already been following.

(7) But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women.

Paul is not putting down elderly ladies here, he's only using the term, "old wives tales." He's saying that these are only worldly fables, that he doesn't need to pay any attention to.

On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;

Paul tells Timothy to "train himself," the word is gymnaze, for "physical training;" Paul uses it here to demonstrate the spiritual and moral and doctrinal effort Timothy is to exert in order to grow in godliness.

(8) for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

He is comparing the physical to the spiritual training: physical is only beneficial for a short time, while we live here in this world. Spiritual godliness is beneficial right now in this world as well, and also for forever, the life to come.

(9) It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance.

Again we find this formula. This could apply either to the preceding statement or to the one following, or even to both.

(10) For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.

We "labor" and we "strive." Labor is a word for toiling with effort, and to strive is to agonize as in an athletic competition. Both are strong words. We are to give the work of ministry all we have, all of our effort, to the last ounce.

Because of what Christ has done for us. He has come to pay the sin-debt of every person in our human race; but not everyone wants to accept this gift, so it is applied only to those who have humbled themselves in submission to God, letting Jesus take their death as the Lamb of God.

(11) Prescribe and teach these things.

As the pastor, Timothy is to command and teach all of these things, continually, in the present tense. To continue to fulfill his responsibilities to his congregation.

(12) Let no one look down on your your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.

The word for youth is neotes, "used of grown-up military age, extending to the 40th year." Timothy was probably about 30 years old, the age a young man would take a wife.

Timothy was to present the proper image of the Christian as a pattern for other believers to follow. This is an awesome responsibility that one accepts on entering the ministry. And since Christians all live in "glass houses," we all should take this to heart.

(13) Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and to teaching.

Timothy was not to just wait for Paul to show up to start doing all these things, but he was to be busy doing these three things:

The reading of Scripture. This was a practice of the Jewish synagogues that the churches also followed. Not everyone was literate or had copies of their own to read, as is the situation today. We now can read our Bibles every day on our own, but it is good to read it aloud at every service.

Preaching is exhorting the people to apply the Scriptures to their own thinking and attitudes, and obey what God is telling us to align our lives with His ways.

And the teaching is instruction in this Christian living, how to practically apply God's ways to our everyday living.

(14) Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.

Paul doesn't want Timothy to be careless in his consideration of the spiritual gift God has given him. We're not told when this laying on of hands by the whole "body of elders," presbyterion, took place, but it may have been when Paul left him at Ephesus to be their pastor.

(15) Take pains with these things, be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.

There is a play on words here that does not come through the translation to English. Paul's do not neglect in verse 14 is contrasted with take pains in this verse. What he is saying is, "Don't be careless about your gift, but be careful about your pastoral duties."

He is to be absorbed in them, focus wholly on his whole responsibility in the ministry. He can do this, not having a wife.

(16) Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching;

These are the two areas that are most critical. If there is a flaw in his personal life it will ruin him. While he is watching over others, he must keep an eye on himself, no matter how straight he may be in his doctrine or effective in his teaching. Many ministers have tragically failed here.

persevere in these things,

This is epimene, literally, "stay, remain" and figuratively, "here." Paul says, "Stay right there; keep in doing the things I have called your attention to."

for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.

By so doing, the pastor will ensure that he is really saved, and also his hearers.

It is a tragedy for a soul-winner to save others, but lose his own soul. To be saved but to draw no others into salvation is no less a tragedy.

We must give attention to both.

O my Father, please help all of your children to pay attention to these admonitions. Not all of us are pastors or Sunday School teachers. Most of us are just "ordinary" Christians. But these pastoral epistles are written to us, too, as part of Your Bible.

My Father, as Your children, we claim a higher calling, and the world is watching us to see if You really are real. Please help us to be strong in our witness to what our Lord has accomplished for and in us. We all are to share with others how You have loved us all, every one of us, sending Your own Son to save each of us.

O Father, help us to demonstrate to our neighbors and all the rest of the world how good You are and how strong You are in defending us and upholding us and strengthening us against all the trials and sorrows and troubles that assail us.

Father, let us show You to the world as we live in our glass houses, as we go about our business of life, interacting with others and conversing with strangers, potential friends.

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

Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!

Doctrines Of Demons

I Timothy 4: 1-5

Paul has just laid out the mystery of godliness, now he will talk about anti-godliness to watch out for, and he wants Timothy to be aware and warn the congregation.

(1) But the Spirit explicitly says

There is no ambiguity in what God's Spirit is telling us here.

that in later times

We have been in "the latter days" since Jesus ascended and sent His Spirit to indwell the members of His church. This is not as strong a term as "in the last days" (II Timothy 3:1), so there has been the spirit of antichrist infiltrating the church from the beginning (I John 2: 18).

some will fall away from the faith,

To fall away is "to withdraw" or "abandon" the truth of our faith, "apostate."

paying attention of deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,

Their focus is diverted from the truth to seductive lies, teaching what demons want us to believe.

(2) by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,

This is very strong language describing these false teachers. They are lying in hypocrisy, which implies that they are aware of what they are doing. This is one long word in the Greek: kekausteriasmenon, "branded with a red-hot iron." They have done this to themselves, having seared their own consciences so that they will be unfeeling about their own wrongdoings. They have branded themselves as the slaves of Satan.

(3) men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.

These are examples of the doctrines of demons, of what they would do; and they did exactly this in the Dark Ages, when they called their ministers priests and forbade them the gift of marriage (which attracted men who didn't want to marry, anyway, hence the scandals), and also forbade the whole congregation to eat meat on Fridays. I know, I grew up under these prohibitions. My daddy left the Seminary because he knew he wanted to marry someday.

(4) For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude;

Peter had been given the vision in Acts 10: 9-16, that God had cleansed all foods to be eaten, and also by extension, all men, the Gentiles, to be able to be saved. Therefore, there are no more "unclean" foods, but some foods are more healthy than others, and today, there are some "foods" that don't even have any nutritional value at all (like Twinkies!). And some have even been genetically modified, adulterated, that result in monstrous genetic anomalies in the animals they have been "tested" on.

(5) for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer. 

God's gifts that He has caused to grow on and appear in this Earth have been given to us to enrich us in everything we need in the world, for our benefit and His glory. And when we partake of or use any of it, whether it be animal, vegetable, or mineral, when we recognize that God has provided it and thank Him for it, then it is His blessing to us for this time.

O my Father, please protect us from the demonic commingling of the good foods and animals You have provided us for our benefit, that have been corrupted by men for monetary gain, and our destruction by our enemy. Father, these men are deceived, and some of them are deliberately so.

Father, deliver us from those who purport to be leaders or teachers in our churches. Their crime is even greater. Please give Your children the gracious discernment to call out any person who would foist him or herself on Your congregation, to lovingly and firmly call them out, and to exclude them from influencing Your flock.

My Father, I am praying for all those precious people who think they know You, or even love You, but do not yet know You. Please, Father, open their eyes and hearts to realize the truth of who You really are, and what You have accomplished for them in Your Son. That they may turn to you, and be rescued from these satanic teachers.

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

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

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!