The Mysteries of God: Mystery # 1
“God was Manifest in the flesh” (I Tim. 3:16 KJV)
The Scriptural definition of a “mystery of God” is understood by comparing scripture with scripture. The New Testament "mysteries" are spiritual truth not revealed during the Old Testament, but now revealed by God to the whole world through the preaching of the Gospel. (Eph. 3:4-6; Col. 1:26; Rom. 16:25-26; Dan. 12:9-10). The mysteries of God give us a profound understanding of God, His Eternal Kingdom, The Church of our LORD Jesus Christ, and the spiritual warfare engulfing the Universe. Every Christian has a responsibility to know and teach “the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory” (1Cor. 2:7). We are “… the ministers of Christ, & stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1Cor. 2:7-14; 4:1- 2). There are great rewards for the faithful steward (Matt. 24:45-47). The Mysteries are the Church’s glory (1Cor. 2:7) & a priceless treasure that can transform our lives & society for incredible good.
Mystery # 1: “God was Manifest in the flesh” (I Tim. 3:16 KJV)
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: (1) God was manifest in the flesh, (2) justified in the Spirit, (3) seen of angels, (4) preached unto the Gentiles, (5) believed on in the world, (6) received up into glory” (I Tim. 3:16). [Many new translations translate: “He was manifest in the flesh”]
Notice the 6 great truths about Jesus Christ revealed in this Mystery. We will focus on these 6 Truths as they relate to 4 key & unique events in the life of Jesus: (1) The virgin birth, (2) Transfiguration, (3) Resurrection, and (4) Ascension. No other human being in all of History has ever been virgin born, transfigured, resurrected from the dead, ascended into heaven & sat down at the right hand of God! What most Christians seem to miss is the fact that these 4 unique events in the life of Jesus portray life changing spiritual realities every Christian will experience!
We must begin with a preliminary note on the Importance of Progressive Revelation in the Bible. Each great Divine truth & Doctrine begins in seed form in the Book of Genesis, grows with life giving insight throughout the Bible, finally culminating in a life altering full bloom of glory in the Book of Revelation. We find answers to life's great questions!
We learn a lot about God in the Old Testament but behold His glory as never before in the Historical Person of Jesus Christ (John 1:14). The ultimate revelation of God is found in Jesus, the incarnate Son of God (Col. 2:9; 1:19; John 1:14, 18). There is a progressive revelation of God “in Christ” throughout the New Testament (Matt. 1:23; John 14:10-11. 20; 2 Cor. 5:19). The full glory of the Divine Son is finally seen in the Book of Revelation with Jesus revealed as “King of Kings & LORD of LORDs” (Rev. 1:17; 19:16). The revelation transforms us (2Cor. 3:18)! This is why it takes a whole Bible to be a whole Christian (Matt. 4:4). You really grow & mature in your Faith as you read & study the Bible through from Genesis to Revelation. We can’t afford to skip parts of the Bible any more than a Surgeon can skip a few anatomy classes!
We see this Progressive Revelation in the supernatural design of the 4 Gospels. The Gospel of Mark (50 A.D) has no genealogy. Jesus presented as the perfect servant of the LORD (Isa. 52:13 – 53:12). The Gospel of Matthew (60’s) traces Jesus’ genealogy back to King David (1000 BC) then Abraham (2000 BC) (Matt. 1:1) & reveals Jesus as King. The Gospel of Luke (60 ‘s) traces Jesus’ genealogy back to the 1st man, Adam & reveals Jesus as the perfect man who came to save all mankind. The Gospel of John (90 A.D) traces Jesus’ existence & Being all the way back to the beginning; and reveals Jesus as God manifest in human flesh. The Book of Revelation gives us the full “revelation of Jesus Christ”(1:1).
“And without controversy…” - There can be no question about the validity of this truth – Jesus is God! The mystery of how God can become a man is beyond our human understanding. But the fact that God became a man in the person of Jesus Christ is beyond dispute!
“great is the mystery of godliness” - The greatest part of this mystery is that “God was manifest in the flesh.” Manifest in two ways:
First & foremost “God was manifest in the flesh” in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God! (Col. 2:9). Secondly, “God was (and is) manifest in the flesh” in every true “born again” Christian. If we are a Christian, Christ lives “in” us (Col. 1:27; Gal. 2:20; 2 Cor. 13:5; etc.). And Christ is God!
GODLINESS is a way of life: (1Tim. 4:8; 6:3; Tit. 2:12). “Godliness is profitable unto all things.” In this life & the life to come! Only God can make us truly godly (2Tim. 3:5; 2Pet. 1:3).
Supernatural Godly living is made possible by the Holy Spirit in us (I Cor. 6:19); Christ in us (Col. 1:27); & God the Father in us (Eph. 4:6; John 14:23)! It is a supernatural way of life made possible by the 2nd great mystery of God which is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). But we are warned that “… in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, … lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” (2 Tim. 3:1-5). What you believe affects how you live! Who can understand the godly life & death of millions of Christian martyrs throughout Church history? No one who doesn’t know & understand the “Mystery of Godliness.”
The Mystery of Godliness is a revelation of God in Christ through His virgin birth, Transfiguration, Resurrection from the dead, and Ascension into Heaven where He now reigns in glory as a perfect, sinless, glorified Man! (I Tim. 2:5).
But it is important to understand that the mystery of godliness is also related to the supernatural lifestyle of Christians that results from their supernatural relationship with the LORD Jesus Christ. False doctrines lead to false living. Faithfully teaching the “mystery of godliness” results in God’s redeemed people living godly lives!
So the mystery of godliness has to do with both the doctrine of Christ & the lifestyle of Christians. False doctrines lead to false living. Faithfully teaching the “mystery of godliness” results in God’s redeemed people living godly lives!
The lifestyle of true believers in Christ is truly one of the great mysteries of the history of the World. People who live the way Christians live was unknown until Christ came and began redeeming lost humanity! What non Christian can understand the godly life & death of the millions of martyrs throughout Church history? What unbeliever can understand the life of a believer in Christ?
So, now we will study the 6 truths of this mystery one by one:
(1) “God was manifest in the flesh…” - through the virgin birth.
Through the Holy Spirit our LORD became not “God & man” but “the God-Man.” “The angel said unto her [Mary], “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Lk. 1:35; Matt. 1:20). “…Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isa 7:14; Matt. 1:23).
God is also manifest in the flesh in the life of every truly "born again" believer because that is when Christ and the Holy Spirit come to live "in" us (Col. 1:27; John 14:16-17)
“God was manifest in the flesh…” - through the transfiguration (Mat. 17; Lk. 9). “as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white & glistering” (Lk 9:29).
The full glory of God blazed forth through the physical body of Jesus! Peter wrote “We were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (I Pet. 1:16) and John wrote: "we beheld his glory" (John 1:14).
Christ’s Transfiguration guarantees our own Transfiguration by the power of the Holy Spirit in us (Rom. 8:11; I Cor. 15:51-57; Phil 3:21). God’s “divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life & GODLINESS, through the knowledge of Christ” (2Pet 1:3-4)
(2) “Justified in the Spirit…” The Spirit Justifies Christ’s claims to sinlessness through the virgin birth. He had no earthly Father so was born without a human sin nature like all of us (Rom. 5:12). “In Him is no sin” (I John 3:5). “He did no sin …” (I Pet.2:22). Jesus “knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21). He never even had a sinful thought!
“Justified in the Spirit…” - The Spirit Justifies Christ’s claims to Divinity through the Transfiguration. Jesus “was transfigured [metamorphosed] before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. A bright cloud overshadowed them: & behold a voice out of the cloud, said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matt. 17:2-5).
The bright cloud was the “Shekinah” glory of the Holy Spirit
“Justified in the Spirit…” - The Spirit Justifies Christ’s Lordship through the resurrection from the dead: “Jesus was “declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:4). Christ was “put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (1Pet 3:18). Jesus’ humanity was made eternal in transfigured and glorified form! Even in Heaven Jesus is "the man" Christ Jesus (I Tim. 2:5).
We are “Justified in the Spirit…” through our own personal experience! Study John 14:16-20 carefully until the truth amazes you! The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God! (Rom. 8:16; 2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5; I John 4:13).
(3) “seen of angels…” - Specially at His birth (Lk. 2:9-15). When God “bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him” (Heb 1:6; Ps. 97:7; Lk. 1:31; 2:10-15). There is a unique amount of angelic activity in the life of Christ. More than for any other person in History! Jesus refers to the angels as “MY ANGELS” (Matt. 13:41; 16:27; 24:31). Why? Because He’s God & He created them all!
We are also seen of angels! (read Ps. 34:7; Dan. 6:22; Matt. 18:10; Heb. 1:14; 13:2).
(4) “preached unto the Gentiles, (5) believed on in the world” - The Church of the living God will finish the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20; 24:14). Its already recorded in Rev. 5:8-10: “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy … for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” Like Jesus, every believer will be caught up into Heaven! How do they get there? Someone faithfully witnessed to them of Christ! Are you witnessing?
(6) “Received up into glory” [the Ascension] - God the Father confirms Christ’s absolute Sovereignty over all Creation! (Acts 2:33-36)
“And while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight” (Act 1:9). David said: “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Act 2:34-36). Like Jesus, every believer will be caught up into Heaven! (I Thess. 4:13-17; John 14:1-3).
This Mystery changes our entire understanding of who Jesus really is. “Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.” (2Cor. 5:16). Jesus “is the image of the invisible God… For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, & that are in earth, visible & invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, & by him all things consist” (Col. 1:15-17).
The ascension has a huge impact on us: We experience “the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, & set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, & power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come” (Eph. 1:19-21)
Life Changing Implications
1. Because of What Christ did He guarantees my “New Birth” – I am born again of God’s Spirit (John 1:12-13; 3:3)
2. Because of What Christ did He guarantees my “transfiguration” – I am predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29; 2Cor. 3:18)
3. Because of What Christ did He guarantees my “resurrection from the dead” (Rom 8:11)
4. Because of What Christ did He guarantees my “Ascension into heaven” (John 14:2-3)
Believe this mystery of Godliness and You will come to know Jesus in the fullness of Divine Glory. You will experience your own spiritual new birth and spiritual transformation. You will lose your fear of death in anticipation of your own resurrection & ascension into Heaven. And You will live a godly life in this present evil world.
