Turn with me to the book of 1
Timothy 3. I'm going to read verse 16. Before
we read, let's go to the Lord in prayer. Our Father, how wonderful it
is to be able to call upon Your holy name and to speak to You,
to think that we've got a mind that now desires to call on You. We ask You this morning Lord, prepare our hearts to hear. Bless Your Word. Lord, may we
hear something today that would set our heart aflame with joy
and peace and comfort. Let us say with a heart that's
truthful a new heart, it's good to be in your house. Thank you. For Christ's sake, we thank you.
Amen. I was just sitting listening
to Brother Scott. I had prepared this message 1 Timothy 3.16. I got here this morning and going over that message, I was
trying to get it in my mind. settled some things. As Brother
Scott got up and started speaking, this Scripture began to, at least
in my mind, as feeble as it is, seem to make a little more sense
to me. Not the problem with the Scripture,
the problem with me. I appreciate what you had to
say, brother. And this Scripture, I pray this
morning that the Lord truly would bless this message to our hearts. Paul writing in 1 Timothy chapter
3 and verse 16, he says, 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, and received up into glory. Now, you know, if there's anything that's going to give any believer
some assuredness, if there's anything that's going to give
a believer some peace and some comfort, it's going to have to
be that which is without controversy. without controversy. That is to say, that is without
controversy before God Almighty. Now, I know that there is much that is preached. I am talking about much that
is set forth that man, by nature, when the gospel is preached,
when the truth of God's Word is preached. I understand that
men have controversy with it. I understand that. I am talking
about something that is without controversy before Almighty God. That which is without controversy
before His law, His Word, His will, His purpose, That which
is without controversy concerning His justice, His holiness, that
which is without controversy. Paul says, without controversy. Let me ask you something. Does
not the Scripture say, shall not the judge of all the earth
do right? Is that not so? Proverbs 19.21 says there are
many devices in a man's heart. Nevertheless, the counsel of
the Lord, that shall stand. That's going to stand. Many devices
in man's heart. Isaiah 14.27 says, for the Lord
of hosts hath purposed who shall disannul it." And his hand is
stretched out. And who shall turn it back? Who? If Almighty God has purposed
to do whatsoever His will. Let me ask you something. Who
is going to change it? Isaiah 40, verse 22 says, sitteth upon the circle of the
earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers." Almighty
God is God. God. If I'm going to have any
hope, I must agree with Him. How can two walk together except
they be agreed? Now, stop just a minute and ask
yourself this. Consider in all of the Scripture
men or women that have been revealed in Scripture to be at odds with
God. How many of them prospered? How
many? How many? How about Abel in Scripture? Cain and Abel. How about Cain? Which one was at odds with God? Cain. How about Korah in the desert? When Korah came up and told Moses,
along with his band of followers, He said to Moses, he said, you
take too much on yourself. Who do you think you are, Moses?
Korah was at odds with God. And what happened to him? The
earth opened up and he went alive, the Scripture says, into hell. How about Judas? How many men
or women in Scripture that died at odds with God prospered. God's people are made by God's
grace, by new heart, by faith. God's people agree with Him. They agree with Him. They agree
with Him concerning Himself, His holiness, His sovereignty,
His majesty. They agree with Him concerning
the Lord Jesus Christ, God's Lamb, God's chosen, God's surety
for the elect. They agree with God concerning
themselves. God's people called out of darkness
given a heart to believe, a new heart, a new mind. God's people
agree with Him concerning what they are in themselves by nature. They are without power. They are totally depraved. None good. No, not one. We agree
with Him. God's people agree with Him.
They agree with God concerning salvation. They agree with God
Almighty concerning their election. Paul said that Scripture that
we quote so many times, we are bound to give thanks to God for
you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God has from the
beginning chosen you to salvation. Chose you to salvation. through
sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. We agree
with God. We agree with God on particular
redemption. The Lord Jesus Christ said, I
lay down my life for the sheep. He prayed for those that the
Father had given Him. He said, I pray not for the world.
I pray for those You gave Me out of the world. You chose them.
I pray for them. We believe that Almighty God
shall irresistibly call His people out. My sheep shall hear My voice. They shall come to Me. We believe that we're kept preserved
in the Lord Jesus Christ, kept by the power of God through faith. What we speak of here is without
controversy. It is declared and confessed
without shame, without doubt, and without apology. Without
controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. Without controversy
before Almighty God, without controversy to His Word, With
that controversy to his will, with that controversy to his
purpose, great is the mystery of godliness. Godliness. Godliness. What is that? What is that? A moment ago, Brother Scott was
standing and speaking. I began to think on this. It is a miracle of God's grace
that there is godliness in this world. Godliness. I read every
definition that I could find on godliness. Godliness. Boy, there's a lot of high-sounding
definitions on Godliness. What is that? What is it? Godliness. Great is the mystery
of godliness. Turn with me to 2 Timothy 3.5. 2 Timothy 3.5. Scripture says that there are
some spoken of beginning in the first verse of 2 Timothy 3. Paul says, let's look at verse
1, This know also that in the last days perilous times shall
come. Men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection,
trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers
of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of
pleasure more than lovers of God. Something has been described
right here on godliness. And the Scripture says that they,
in verse 5, having a form of godliness, but denying the power
thereof from such Turn away. Godliness. Godliness. Denying the power, denying the
source of godliness as being sovereign grace, the means of
godliness, the gospel, the preaching of the gospel, and the power
of it. Godliness. Godliness, I know this, is something
that is found, let me say it like that, in those whose standing
of being justified before Almighty God based totally upon the imputed
righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, godliness, is, if I can
say this, a result a devotion, a love. It is found
in those that Almighty God has by His power and His grace and
His purpose done something for. Not in themselves, I will agree
totally, but there is a standing before Almighty God justified
based totally on Christ's righteousness imputed. And those that Almighty
God has done something for have a heart after Him. Great is the
mystery of godliness standing before God Almighty based totally
on the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. That basic word broken
down means a Godward attitude. Godward attitude. That which
is pleasing to Him, that is to possess true life in Christ alone. He that hath the Son hath life. Great is the mystery of godliness. I in myself am nothing, nothing. Left to myself, I am nothing. I disagree with Almighty God. But there are those in this life
that have been made by God's grace to agree with Him. New heart. New life. Almighty God has done something
for them according to His purpose because Almighty God purposed
to do so. Great is the mystery of godliness. 1 Timothy 2. 2 and 3 says, we are
to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable
in the sight of God our Savior. Godliness is set forth only in
the gospel. 1 Timothy 6, 3 and 4, If any
man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even
the words of our Lord Jesus, and the doctrine which is according
to godliness, he is proud, that is, a fool, knowing nothing,
but doting, or he is sick, spiritually so, about questions and strife
of words whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
From such, withdraw thyself." Godliness. Great is the mystery
of godliness. That's standing before Almighty
God, accepted in the Beloved. Godliness. Godliness. I kept looking at that word and
looking at that word and reading it, looking it up in the Greek
and just breaking it down. Piety, devotion, devotion, love
for, a heart for. God's people, what do they say? Don't look at me. Don't look
at me. Don't look at me. But there's godliness there.
Of themselves, no. By grace, Almighty God has done
something. For that small group, that remnant
according to grace, election, godliness, godliness. Ask them what they think of themselves
and they don't want to talk about themselves. But what Almighty
God says, they are in Christ. They are. They are. Great is the mystery of godliness. Godliness. That state, that position
by which that man, that woman is accepted just before Almighty
God and declared in the Gospel. Paul said, I am not ashamed of
the Gospel. It is the power, it is the means
under salvation. Godliness. Well, I'll tell you
what, you'd be surprised how hard it can be to sit down and
take a word and just explain it just in a few sentences. Great is the mystery. I kept
reading that, great, great is the mystery. Great is the mystery
of godliness. How can I set forth godliness,
absolute godliness? How do you set that forth? Great
is the mystery. of it. Great is the mystery.
I'm saying, who's sufficient for these things? Who's sufficient
to sit down and just explain godliness? Godliness. I want to say three things about
it and I've already said one. It's without controversy. Without controversy. is the mystery
of godliness. Someone says, I can't see how
God could look at me and see me as being described in this
book. Well, let me just say this. Be
thankful that He looks at you in His Son. Great is the mystery of godliness. Almighty God considers for those
who have life, spiritual life, concerning His Son This is my
beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." You hear Him. To consider me in Him, I have life. To see me, to look
at me, to love me in Christ. Great is the mystery of godliness. It is without controversy. Without controversy. Therefore,
being justified. Justified. I don't want to go
into that right now, but I'm going to say this one thing.
Justification. God Almighty has declared, based
on Christ alone, His people justified, justified in His sight. It's without controversy. Gray
is the mystery of that godliness. It's a mystery, secondly, and
thirdly, God has revealed that which He alone declares. Great is the mystery of godliness. It's a mystery. How a man should
be just before God as it is clearly set forth in Scripture, in the
Gospel, is a mystery. It's a mystery to the carnal
mind. Mystery. Man as born in Adam
has absolutely no idea concerning the truth of it, and he has from
the dawn of time attempted to devise his own method of establishing
acceptance with God. When Adam and Eve in the garden
They took big leaves and they were going to cover their nakedness
before God. Man before Almighty God is ignorant
in himself. It is a mystery. Godliness is
such a mystery. that it is only believed by those
who have been given a new heart, mind, eye to see, new ear to
hear, faith from above to believe that Christ alone is the way."
Christ. Not Christ by my free will, Christ
by my decision. Christ. Christ. Someone will say, well, it's
Christ plus my faith, Christ. He said, I am the way. I am the way. I am the truth.
I am the life. No man comes to the Father but
by Me without controversy. To the believer, this godliness
is not a mystery anymore. He sees Him. The mystery is not a system,
it's a person revealed, Christ revealed. Great is the mystery
of godliness. Though the saint admits the fullness
of godliness, he does not perceive. I don't see through a glass darkly. But it's not a mystery completely
concealed that he doesn't see it all. He sees it. The child
of promise esteems the mystery of godliness, Christ and Him
crucified, as a precious, precious truth set forth. What the Lord
has taught in His Word and revealed by His Spirit is food to the
soul, of God's people. Great is the mystery of godliness. How a man should be just before
Almighty God. What a mystery! But it's a mystery
revealed to those that Almighty God is eternally loved. Six divine truths set forth,
and I'm going to just say these very quickly. without controversy,
great is the mystery of godliness. God, number one, was manifest
in the flesh. How should a man be just before
God? The Scripture says that Almighty
God, the Eternal the Word Himself was made flesh. God the invisible
was manifest. God. John says, "...that which
was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have
seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, our hands have
handled of the Word of life, for the life was manifested. And we have seen it and bear
witness and show unto you that eternal life which was with the
Father and was manifested unto us. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. This is without controversy to
God's will, purpose, Design, pleasure, this is without controversy. Galatians 4, verse 4 says, But
when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son,
made of a woman, made under the law. Why? Why? The Scripture says, To redeem
them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption
of sons. Ponder this. In your heart the
Word was made flesh." Hebrews 2.17, Wherefore, in all things
it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might
be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to
God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." How
could mortal man know God? How could man be reconciled to
God being dead? Here is the great mystery of
godliness revealed. God was manifest in the flesh. And secondly, He was justified
in the Spirit. Justified in the Spirit. Great
is the mystery. Christ Himself, God Almighty,
dwelt in human flesh. He was vindicated, cleared, defended,
justified in the sphere of His manifestation in His body. The
One who came into this world, God Himself made under the Justified,
that is, declared to be just in Himself, in Himself. Acts 2.22 says, Jesus of Nazareth,
a man approved of God among you. Now you think about what that
Scripture just said. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved
of God among you. God was manifest in the flesh.
by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by Him in the midst
of you as you yourselves also know. Jesus of Nazareth was shown
to be the Messiah, the Savior, the One chosen of Almighty God
to redeem His elect, the One honored by the Father, the One
who bore witness when He said, This is My beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased. Christ Himself by miracles and
signs, water to wine, fed 5,000 with five loaves and two fish,
made the lame to walk and blind to see, raised the dead, walked
on water, calmed the sea, laid down His life, and then took
it again. That's what He said. He got the
power. Romans 1-4, He was declared to
be the Son of God with power. according to the Spirit of holiness
by the resurrection from the dead. He was justified. Justified. Justified. And the second person
of the Godhead was justified in the Spirit, the Holy Spirit. Our God is one God. 1 John 5-7 says there are three
that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy
Ghost, and these three are one. He was justified in the Spirit,
by the Spirit, by Himself, justified. That's a great mystery. Great
is the mystery. And thirdly, the third divine
truth concerning the mystery of godliness. Scene of angels,
the Scripture says. Scene of angels. They declared
His conception in Luke 1. They glorified God when He was
born in Luke 2. They ministered to Him when He
was tempted in Matthew 4. Comforted Him in His passion
in the Garden of Gethsemane. Declared His resurrection attended
His ascension. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the Spirit. Scene of angels. Scene of angels. The elect angels and the fallen
angels. You remember when He was in that
tomb area, the tomb of the Gadarenes? And there was a man there who
ran around cutting himself amongst the tombs and stuff like that.
And those demons that were in him spoke to him. If you come
to torment us before our time, they knew who he was. Scene of
angels. Elect. And those fallen, they
knew. Preached unto the Gentiles. Here's
a great mystery concerning godliness. Almighty God sent a preacher.
Sent a preacher. It's a miracle of God's grace
that He sent His Word, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, into the
world. Sent His Word first to the Jews. Matthew 10, 5 to 12. and spoke to them, sent them
forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not unto the way of the Gentiles,
and unto any city of the Samaritans, enter ye not, but by his eternal
purpose." The Jews, after they rejected,
the gospel was sent to them. Why? Because out of every nation
and kindred and tribe and tongue, God's got a people. God Almighty has means that He
has prescribed and set forth the preaching of the Gospel.
Look with me at Romans 10. Romans 10. Romans 10 verse 13 to 15. shall call upon the name of the
Lord, shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him
in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in
Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without
a preacher? How shall they preach except
they be sent, as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of
them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings
of good things? Great is the mystery of godliness. The Gospels preached to the Gentiles. Fifthly, he was believed on in
the world. Here's another great mystery
concerning godliness. Some believe. Some believe. That's a great mystery. That's a great mystery. Man by
nature is dead spiritually. He's dead. He's dead. If a man or woman sits here this
morning and he believes not, he believes not because he doesn't
want to believe, that's true. Man by nature can't believe. Can't. Does that leave him without
excuse? Nope. Man is without excuse before
God. You say, how should a man be
just with God then? Great is the mystery of godliness. You say, wait a minute. You know
what this sounds like to me? This sounds like to me that salvation
must be by a miracle of God's grace. That's right. Great is the mystery of godliness. God Himself was manifest in the
flesh and justified in the Spirit. There is a man approved of God. What a miracle! Almighty God
would send His Son, the eternal Word to come into this world.