THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS
"I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. And by common confession (beyond all question, NIV; without controversy, KJV) GREAT IS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was  Vindicated in the Spirit, Beheld by angels, Proclaimed among the nations,  Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory" (1 Timothy 3:15-16).

Devotion 12 of 13

DIVINE LIFE MADE KNOWN IN THE WORLD
     The life of God in this world is only a temporary situation! It is not made for this world, but for the one to come. We have been brought into an eternal realm by faith, and live as citizens of that realm in a world destined to be destroyed. Godliness is the dominancy of that world now! We are "in the world," but not "of the world" (John 15:19; 17:14,16).Our temporal environment is not compatible with our renewed nature. That is the nature of godliness!

THE COMMON FACTOR
     There is something common in all of the aspects of godliness. Think of the marvelous breadth of the subject again. Concerning the objective, "God was manifest in the flesh." As for the area of demonstration and confirmation, the Life was "justified in the Spirit."  The  real spectators are the heavenly hosts who behold the outworking of Divine purpose; "seen of angels." The target of the Divine initiative is arresting; "preached unto the Gentiles." The arena in which the heavenly  objective is effectively enacted is declared; "believed on in the world."  The consummation of the purpose is realized in spite of fierce opposition; "received up into glory." Here heaven and earth are brought together. 

    The Lord Jesus Christ, the embodiment of godliness, became the focus of the heavenlies and those upon earth. God in heaven was manifest to those upon earth. Heavenly life was justified in the Spirit by One in the world. A gallery of  heavenly witnesses behold Divine life observed by and expressed in a wicked world. Those who were alienated from God, knowing Him not, receive good news from heaven. The persuasion of an invisible God is embraced by personalities in a cursed realm. And finally, a holy life, lived in an unholy domain, is received back into glory--without defilement.

     The common denominator in our text is the "eternal purpose" of God. That is what sent Jesus into the world and caused Him to be vindicated in the Spirit. That purpose is what was beheld by angelic hosts in the Person of Christ, and is what was proclaimed to those that knew not God. Insight into this purpose, as revealed in Christ, is what provoked faith in the Gentiles. The execution of that "will" by the Savior of the world justified God in receiving Jesus back into glory, where He was highly exalted.

     From our viewpoint, godliness is the execution of God's purpose  through us. It is accomplished with our consent, and through our involvement and understanding. Godliness is a great mystery to the flesh, but it is revealed in the Spirit. It cannot be deciphered by the wisdom of this world. Godliness is the life of God lived out in a hostile environment, effectively and joyfully. 

     However, this life is not lived in the futility of Law, or a moral code. The "eternal purpose" of God cannot be fulfilled in people by the principle of Law. The Sinaitic code, which was the best of moral codes, made no one holy, or godly. Israel was distinguished from the world by their call, but not by their character. Godliness was not made known through them, even though they were the exclusive custodians of the Law of God for 1,500 years. Their character was never changed, never transformed, and they were never born again. Human gifts and abilities were simply not sufficient to the challenge of godliness. Given all of the information necessary to live pleasing unto God, the Israelites were still unable to do so.

     There is no salvation without the "Savior" (1 John 4:14). There is no life without the "Prince of life" (Acts 3:15). There is no redemption out the "Redeemer" (Isa 59:20). The human condition required Divine intervention. As well, the will of God required the work of God. Jehovah's purpose could not be fulfilled by fallen man. If God does not bare His holy arm, His work will not be done! If He does not reveal His will, it will not be known! The "eternal purpose" of God relates to the fulfillment of His will. That purpose pervades all of His dealings with the world. Salvation is
not God reacting to the human predicament. It is the Lord fulfilling His good  pleasure, which He determined "before the world began" (2 Tim 1:9; Tit 1:2).

     God was "manifest in the flesh" because His purpose could not be accomplished until He Himself was made known in the Person of the Son. Divine Life was "justified in the Spirit" because the temporal order was contaminated by sin, rendered incapable of conveying the ultimate proof of life and immortality. The fulness of the Godhead was perceived "bodily" by angelic hosts because they were principle figures in the execution of the Divine will--"sent forth to be  ministers for the heirs of salvation" (Heb 1:14). The Gentiles heard the "glorious Gospel of the blessed God" (1 Tim 1:11) because God had determined to be known by those who sought Him not. The Lord was "believed on in the world" because His purpose involved conforming those from that realm to the "image of His Son" (Rom 8:29). Jesus was "received up into glory" because that is the realm of dominance. The purpose of God is executed from there. The people of God are being brought there. The "eternal purpose" of God, not the need of man, is the predominate factor in "the mystery of godliness." The theme of godliness is what God is doing, not what man should do. Take away the objective of the Almighty, and godliness has no purpose or reward! Godliness, or holiness, is not an end of itself, but a means to an appointed end.

PRAYER POINT: Father, because of, and in the name of Your Son, I want to participate fully in His, burial, resurrection, and exaltation. Bless me to that end.

-- TOMORROW: BEHOLDING THE UNSEEN --