1 Timothy 3:14-16 - Such a Great Mystery!

1 Timothy 3:14-16

14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; 15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 

16 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.

Such a great mystery has been revealed to us by God our Creator and Father in the life and words of Christ’s teaching, His suffering as innocent to save we who are all guilty from judgment, His painful sacrificial death, and His glorious resurrection from death to life out of the grave!  We are shown these truths to know the only true good and Jesus Christ His Son whom He sent (John 17:3) and unveiled all these things hidden in the scriptures from the beginning.  Just as the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom (Mark 15:38-39, 2 Corinthians 3:14, 16, 18), so Christ tore His body as Hebrews 10:19-20 tells us that the veil opened to us was the Son of God Himself who allows us entrance to the most holy place that we may know and see His face to worship Him without being hidden any longer.  The mystery has been revealed at last to we whose eyes are opened!  And because of this great mystery revealed to us, we know we are called to conduct ourselves in true righteousness and holiness within His body, the church, which these truths are founded upon in Him.  Yes, this mystery of God and His character is admittedly immense as we consider how God showed Himself as a man (John 1:1, 14, 10:30) and justified Himself as completely righteous and pure to be a perfect sacrifice in our place.  He was observed across the theater of heaven in His work revealed according to scripture (Luke 24:26-27) and was announced among the nations from out of Jerusalem (Romans 10:17-18) and many believed in whom he revealed He is (Romans 16:26, Colossians 1:5-6) and then received back from the lower parts of the earth back to His home in heaven (Luke 24:51-53) to be worshipped and praised.  This is the mystery revealed which is not only who Christ is and what He has done, but also that He now lives in we who believe as our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27), which hope is with Him in the kingdom shown us now that lasts into eternity.  Such a great mystery has been revealed to us!