First Timothy 3:16 begins, “great is the mystery of godliness: He who was manifested in the flesh.” Without doubt, He refers to Christ Jesus. He is God and He became a man of flesh. John 1:1, 14 declares that “the Word was God…and the Word became flesh.” As God in the flesh Jesus manifested God, accomplished redemption, and released the divine life.
First Timothy 3:16 continues “Justified in the Spirit, / Seen by angels, / Preached among the nations, / Believed on in the world, / Taken up in glory.” Consider the sequence of the last three points. Jesus Christ was preached to Israel before His death and resurrection but was preached among the nations and believed on by them after His ascension.
The sequence of 1 Timothy 3:16 indicates that the church is part of the great mystery of godliness. The church has no share in accomplishing redemption but all the real believers have Christ living in them; this is a divine mystery. All believers should let Christ live in them and through them to manifest Him as the indwelling God in their flesh.
This manifestation develops in this age to the extent that believers live Christ, walking and acting in Him. In the coming age we will be freed from the old nature of fallen mankind and the manifestation will be much greater without that hindrance. The ultimate manifestation is New Jerusalem “having the glory of God.”
Posted by Don on March 25, 2024
Republished with permission from Blogs.crossmap.com, featuring inspiring Bible verses about Great is the Mystery of Godliness (1).
