How Great Is Our God

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"HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD"

2 TIM 3:16

1 Timothy 3:16

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.

A. Without any doubt this is truly one of the most profound, theological statements made in the Word of God. If we had one thousand hours we could not begin to teach all the wonders included in this verse.

I could translate this verse this way and would be true to the revelation of God.

Great is the mystery of the God Head: God was manifested in the flesh. God was justified in the Spirit. God was observed by angels. God preached unto the Gentiles. God was believed on in this world and God was received up into glory.

B. Let me list the Profound truths found here:

1. God was manifested in the flesh. (That we might know God)

2. God was justified (vindicated) in the Spirit.

3. God was seen by angels. (The angels watched to see what God was doing)

4. God was preached unto the Nations (The world might know through us.)

5. God was believed on in the world.

6. God was received up into Glory.

On the truth of these hang all the cardinal doctrines of the church.

Let us look at each very briefly:

I. GOD WAS MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH.

READ JOHN 1:1-18

A. The deity of the Lord Jesus was and has been and is and shall always be the single most important doctrine in the Bible.

It was the one teaching of our Lord that cause Him to get crucified.

John 10:27-33, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: {28} And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. {29} My Father, which gave me, is greater than all; and no is able to pluck out of my Father’s hand. {30} I and Father are one. {31} Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. {32} Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? {33} The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

Did you notice verse 33? . . . .because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

B. You see Jesus was all right as long as he would say, "I’VE GOT A BETTER WAY" but he was saying, "I AM THE ONLY WAY."

It would be like the TIDE washing detergent advertising and saying, "WE ARE THE ONLY WASHING DETERGENT ON THE MARKET". It is alright as long as they say, "WE ARE THE BEST ON THE MARKET" but they would be sued if they said, "WE ARE THE ONLY ONE". That is what Jesus did that made the religious crowd so mad. He said, "I am the one and only way to God.":

D. John said, 1 John 4:3, And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that of [antichrist], whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

1 John 2:18, Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that [antichrist] shall come, even now are there many [antichrists]; whereby we know that it is the last time.

1 John 2:22, Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist], that denieth the Father and the Son.

E. The attack is subtle on many fronts:

The validity of Scripture; The virgin birth; the sinless life; the substitution death.; The resurrection; the ascension; the bodily return.

II. GOD WAS JUSTIFIED IN THE SPIRIT.

Romans 3:20-26

{20} Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law the knowledge of sin. {21} But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; {22} Even the righteousness of God by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: {23} For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; {24} Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: {25} Whom God hath set forth a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; {26} To declare, , at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.