February 7 , 2001
Reading
“Great is the mystery
of godliness” (16)
“A mystery it is, and that of those
dimensions as no creature can comprehend.” John
Owen c 1660 A.D.
How frequently do we seek to delve into the mysteries of God and after many hours, maybe years, we conclude that we must accept the Word of God at face value and allow the subject at hand to remain a mystery? There are many things that God wishes to remain a mystery and calls upon us to accept them as such and walk in faith.
I cringe when I hear someone say, “Let us just suppose that …” and they blindly go down the path of supposition. However, in accordance with His will, we have a plethora of truths God has revealed to us; glorious things about Himself and His plan of salvation but, even when revealed, they remain a mystery.
“And without controversy great is
the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the
Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the gentiles, believed on in the world,
received up in glory” (1 Tim: 3:16). Can we understand these things? Try as we
may to look into them, we are left standing in admiration that God became man.
How could this be? This One named Jesus, in whom both the nature of God and man
combined, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and
truth” (John
But what Word was this? That which was in the beginning, which was with God, which was God, by whom all things were made, and without whom was not anything made that was made; who was the light and life. This Word, the Son of God, was made flesh and dwelt among us! Who else but God could have designed such a plan? Who else but God would volunteer to fulfill this plan?
Since the life and death of Jesus, the Godhead has been a battlefield of controversy. Some scholars have fought for their doctrine that the Son of God laid aside His divine nature when He became man, but the Bible teaches us that He never ceased to be God. God “has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high” (Heb: 1:2,3).
That He purged our sins by His death and is now exalted at the right hand of His Father, is the divine revelation upon which His church is built and maintained. That this work should be accomplished by Him by whom the worlds were made, by Him who, “being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men” (Phil: 2:6,7).
That which has been revealed to us will cause the halls of eternity to sound with the praise and adoration of His redeemed, yet the counsels of God, wherein this amazing salvation plan was conceived, will forever keep the mystery of godliness secured behind its doors. While in this human frame we find great difficulty realizing and understanding that which has been revealed, we will never draw close to understanding the mind of God: His love, mercy and grace to those bound for hell because of their sin. Truly, He will forever be named “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
“For unto us a child is born … The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this” (9:6,7).