Paul wrote to Timothy and the church he pastored. At the end of his instructions in this chapter he encapsulated the Christmas story. In one verse he put the entirety of what God did for us. There is a mystery high above our understanding and comprehension. We tend to look at things of God from a human perspective, but it’s far greater than we are. The universe alone, from the smallest atom to the farthest galaxy, is beyond us. We are but a small spec in it all. BUT Paul said the mystery was made visible to us.
I 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.
As great as the universe is, it was made prior to his master creation—man. God is God. He was never created. He changes not. Everything made prior to the 6th day of creation was made for what, rather who, was made on that day. It was made for us. We’re not like the rest of creation. We have the breath of life. God breathed into our nostrils and man became a living soul. Animals and trees don’t have souls. This body is destined to die and go back to dust, but we have an eternal part in our soul. That’s why a plan was needed. It was made before the foundation of the world and brought to completion by the coming of the Son of God into the world.
Many doubt it. There have always been people who say there is no God. There have always been those who question God. Paul said it is without controversy. God never took the debate. He exists not to argue and debate. He exists to be God. The controversy is not of God; it is of man. We have trouble going beyond our own minds and comprehending things of God, but what has been done has been done. We can’t argue with it or be at controversy with God about it.
Great is the mystery of godliness. This is it. God sent us a Savior. We don’t have to understand it all. We only have to believe. Much of it remains a mystery to me. I can’t explain the mechanics of salvation. I don’t know how Jesus saved me. He took care of it. He’s the Master Mechanic. If you’re saved, he “fixed your engine.” He knows what he’s doing. Don’t worry about the mystery of it. We can’t be our own soul’s mechanic. Trust God to fix what needs fixing. David said my heart is fixed. Leave the know-how to the Lord. What he did for us on Calvary, what he did by coming out of the tomb, what he did by leaving the earth 40 days later—what he did fixed everything for us.
I have to agree with Paul. It’s a mystery. God’s gift to the world was himself manifested in the flesh. He was justified in the Spirit. He was seen of men. He was seen of angels. Those who came to him were fixed. I have seen him with the eyes of my heart and soul. I can’t argue with what the Lord has done.
The best part of this verse is he preached unto the Gentiles. We are Gentiles. He came to save Jew and Gentile alike. We’re included in the plan. Unto you is born this day a Savior. He works. Believing in him always works.
He was received into glory. This is the Christmas story beginning to end. He came from glory to save us. He had to go back to glory to reign as mankind’s Savior. By trusting him, he’ll receive us to glory with him. I know I’m saved because I have Jesus in my heart.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 