Bear with me, if you would, to
1 Timothy 3. 1 Timothy 3, and let's read verse 16 together. 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. When I read that verse, I think,
if that's the only verse of Scripture I had, that's all the Scripture
that a man or a woman needs. Without controversy. Without
controversy. This is one of the great stand-alone
verses in Scripture. One verse among many stand-alone
great verses. What I mean by that is contained
inside this one verse is an eternity of wonder. If we could only see
this and understand what this is saying. Contained inside this one verse
is the full declaration of the glory of God's gospel. The full
declaration of it. The mystery of godliness, it's
called. It's revealed, it's declared
right here. Not that we have the full capacity
to understand it, but God has declared it and we believe it.
I just want to look at this line upon line, verse 16. It says, and without controversy. That means by the consent of
all. Nothing disagrees with this.
Nothing. Everything supports this as the
absolute truth that it is without controversy. We're not even going
to have a discussion about it. Well, let's have a discussion
about this and debate this. Let's not. Without controversy. Men can discuss and debate all
they want to through this life. It changes this not one bit. When they get to the end of all
their discussion and all their debating, this doesn't change
one cross of the T or dot of the I. It doesn't change anything. That's what I love about the
truth of God's gospel. It is without controversy. Religion is so full of controversy. And I should clarify that by
saying false religion It is so full of controversy. Nobody agrees on anything. Nobody
agrees on anything. And it's because everybody has
their own opinions and their own imaginations on how they
think things are or how they imagine things ought to be. Everybody
has their own thoughts and their own opinions of these things. And obviously men and women have
not consulted God's word on their thoughts, because if they did,
they would see that God's word does not consent to man's thoughts. It actually disagrees with man's
thoughts, every natural thought that man has. It doesn't support
man's thoughts at all. Isaiah 55 says our ways are not
God's ways. His ways are much higher than
our ways. His thoughts are infinitely higher than our thoughts. And if men and women really knew
that, they would realize when we try to intertwine our thoughts
with God's thoughts, all that can come from that is controversy. confusion, which ultimately leads
to error. If man starts interjecting his
opinion into God's word, that's only going to lead that man and
everybody who listens to him to error. That's all that will
happen. Honestly, honestly, what I love
about the truth of God's word alone is this. There is no opinion
in it. There is no opinion in it, no
opinion from man in it, only fact from God. And as long as
men and women stay focused on fact from God, singled in on
fact from God, we will be standing on truth. And every soul who stands on
truth is in perfect agreement. Every soul who stands on truth
is without controversy. No controversy. And here is the
fact of God's truth that we're all standing on all who believe
this word and who have been caused to believe this word. Here it
is. Verse 16 says without controversy. Great is the mystery of godliness. Without controversy, great is
the mystery. Great is this mystery. Everything concerning God is
a mystery. Everything concerning God. Can we, by searching, find out
God? Can we find out the Almighty
unto perfection? God is high as heaven, what can
we do? Deeper than hell, what can we
know? That's what Job chapter 11 says.
Man naturally thinks that he understands God. Explain eternity, really. Explain eternity, really. We try to go back in our minds
as far as we can go in both directions, forwards and backwards. At some
point in our brain, there's an end. Man cannot even fathom space. Man thinks he has a handle on
outer space. Where does it end? How far do
you go before you hit that wall? No more. Where does it end? We can't even fathom space. How
can we fathom God's eternity? Explain the Trinity really. Explain the Trinity really. Man thinks he can fathom God. Three persons. Are we talking
about three persons? Yes, we are. One God? Honestly, are we really talking
about one God? Yes, we are. Explain how God can be just. God is holy. This is the first
attribute we need to understand about God. He is holy. That means
he cannot do the things that we do. He can't. He has to do what's right. We
constantly do what's wrong and try to justify ourselves in doing
it. He has to do what's right. So how can God be just in dealing
with sinners and justify sinners at the same exact moment in time? You say, well, here's the answer.
The substitution of Christ. I know. I know, but. Really explain that to its fullest
degree. Explain how Christ, who knew
no sin, was made to be sin for his people,
in the place of his people. Explain that really. This is what we have to call
the mystery of godliness. This is the mystery of godliness.
Mark 4 11 calls it the mystery of the kingdom of God. Ephesians
1, 9 calls it the mystery of his will. Ephesians 3, 4 calls it the mystery
of Christ. Ephesians 6, 9 calls it the mystery
of the gospel. Verse 9 right here in 1 Timothy
3 calls it the mystery of the faith. And verse 16 sums it all up by
saying this is the mystery of godliness. And the thing to know
about a mystery is this, it has to be revealed. It has to be
revealed. It has to be revealed. If a man
or a woman is ever going to know the truth concerning God, the
truth concerning the will of God, the desire of God, people
are always talking about what God wants. Always are also always
saying, well, now, you know that God wants this or God wants that. Usually when people do that,
they're wrong. Usually, almost almost all the time. They are
wrong. You say, how do you know that?
It's because the truth concerning His will and His desire has been
revealed in His Word. And those who have been given
eyes to see it have seen it. If a man or a woman is ever going
to know the truth concerning God, and the truth concerning
the will of God and the truth concerning the work of God. That
truth is going to have to be revealed by God. And how does
He reveal that truth? Where does He reveal that truth?
Right here in the pages of this book. Right here in His Word. But it has to be revealed. Men
and women can read this book and read this book cover to cover
and read this book and never see the mystery of godliness,
never see this mystery at all until God reveals it to them.
It has to be revealed. But inside this word, if God
will give us eyes to see it, the mystery of godliness is revealed
to us, and this is what it is. Verse 16, it says, without controversy,
Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. That is impossible for man to
get a hold of until God reveals it to him. That is the groundwork
of our salvation and it is impossible for man to fathom until God reveals
it to him. This goes back to trying to understand
the Trinity. This is what people naturally
think. People naturally think that God
stayed in heaven. And God's son came down here
to earth. And God's spirit just floats
back and forth between the two. That's basically what people
naturally think. Let me share an amazing mystery
with you. That's not what happened. That's not what happened. Verse
16 says, without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. God was manifest in the flesh.
That's what happened. Hold your place right here and
turn with me to Matthew chapter one. Matthew chapter 1 verse 21, it
says, And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his
name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Now
all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken
of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with
child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his
name Immanuel, which being interpreted is God with us." God with us. That was God with us. There should
be no doubt in our minds whether Christ was able to accomplish
the work he was sent to do. That was not God's apprentice
who came. That was not God's ambassador
who came. That was Emmanuel. God himself,
the only God that there is. John chapter one says, God was
made flesh and dwelt among us. You say, no, it says the word
was made flesh and dwelt among us. Well, the word was God. The
word was God. Calling the Lord Jesus Christ
the Son of God, that does not mean that He is God's Son in
the same way that I am my Father's Son. He was before me. I came after Him. I came from Him. I was raised by Him. He taught
me the things that I know. Well, that's not what the Son
of God is to God the Father. Saying that the Lord Jesus Christ
is the Son of God according to the scripture, according to the
Word of God Himself. What that saying is, He is the
only begotten image of God that there is. That's what he's saying. It's saying if you want to see
God, you are going to have to look at Jesus Christ. Great is the mystery of godliness. That was God that was manifest
in the flesh. That was God that brings such
hope to salvation. That was God. And I tell you
this, it brings such amazement to salvation. That was God. It makes it even that much more
of a mystery. Once we understand that and say, I have it. It's
now just that much more of a mystery. That was God. God was manifest
in the flesh. Look back with me at first Timothy
three. Verse 16 says without controversy. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. Justified in the Spirit. Justified. That's what we all
need to be before God. That's what we need to be. Justified. We need to be justified. What is justification, really? We talk about justified. We need
to be justified. What is justification, really?
Let me tell you a true story that I believe is one of the
clearest definitions of this. Years ago, I remember this many,
many years ago, before there were cameras everywhere. Now
there's a camera everywhere and they have footage of everything.
But before those days, there was a police officer who was
chasing a suspect in his car, in their cars. And when the chase
finally ended, I believe the suspect wrecked, wrecked his
car. And when they ended, they both
got out of their cars and the suspect attacked the police officer. And the police officer was forced
to fire on the suspect and the suspect didn't make it. So the event became under investigation
and the officer had to go to court over the matter. And after all of the evidence
was shown and the eyewitnesses testified who had seen the whole
thing, the judge ruled that the officer was justified in his
shooting and no sin was committed in his actions. That's justification. If we want
to know what it is to be justified, that's what it is right there.
No sin was committed in your actions. Justified in what you did. After inspection, we need to
be found not guilty of any sin. That's what we need before God.
You want to go deep into a mystery? We don't just need to be found
that we're doing better than we were two years ago. After
inspection, it's going to have to be found that we are not guilty
of any wrongdoing, no sin. Now that's exactly what all of
heaven and earth had to say about Jesus Christ. After inspection,
God the Spirit descended on him like a dove. God the Father spoke
out loud and said, I am well pleased with everything he has
done. After inspection, even Pontius
Pilate had to say, I find no fault in this man. None. This man is perfectly justified. I'll tell you the truth of a
great mystery. That's what all of God's people have been made
to be in Him. That's what all of God's people
have been made to be in Him, perfectly justified. That's what Christ earned for
His people and gave to His people. He walked this earth for 33 and
a half years, and He earned a perfect record of righteousness and justification
before God. And then he traded places with
his people. And everything they were was
accounted to him and everything he was was accounted to them. And when God looked at his own
son. He saw everything that we were. And when God looks on us,
he saw he sees everything that Christ is and was. That's what Christ earned for
us. That's what Christ gave to us. He is where all of our righteousness
comes from. He is where all of our holy perfection
comes from. He is where our sanctification
purity comes from. We have received all of that
in him. That's amazing to me. When he traded places with his
people, that's what he gave to them. Justification before God.
He said, here, take this. Justification before God. That's
yours. We don't have it in ourselves.
But we have it in Christ, what a mystery, what a mystery substitution
really is. Look at Romans three with me. Romans 3 verse 20, it says, therefore
by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in
his sight. I wish, I wish all men and women understood
that. I wish the spirit of God would
reveal that to all men and women. By the deeds of the law, there
shall no flesh be justified in his sight. I don't care how hard
we try, and I don't care how sincere we are in it. By the
deeds of the law, you might be the finest individual this world
has ever known. But in that alone, you will not
be justified before God. By the deeds of the law there
shall no flesh be justified in His sight, for by the law is
the knowledge of sin." How are we justified then? Verse 24,
being justified freely by His grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus. That's how. That's how that's
an amazing mystery. Just listen to this one. This
is Galatians 2 16. It says, knowing that a man is not justified by
the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Even
we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by
the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law or by the
works of the law. There shall no flesh be justified.
By the deeds of the law. So how are we justified then?
By the deeds of Christ. By the deeds of the Lord Jesus
Christ. By the works that God accomplished for us in the person
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah 45, 25 says, In the Lord
shall all the seed of Israel be justified. And they were.
All in Him. Look back at 1 Timothy 3. Verse 16, it says, and without controversy, great
is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the spirit, seen of angels. He was seen of angels
all through the time of the Old Testament prophecies concerning
what he would come and do for his people. He was seen of angels
when they announced his birth into this world. He was seen
of angels while they desired to look into everything that
he did as he walked through life on this earth. He was seen of
angels as he suffered in the garden of Gethsemane while the
sins of all of his people were being pressed into his body.
He was seen of angels when he from the cross bowed his head
and gave up the ghost. There was silence in heaven.
Well, you talk about a somber moment. Everything just looking at that,
just watching that. The holiness of it. He was seen of angels when they
laid him in that tomb. But thank God he was seen of
angels the moment they rolled that stone away. In his resurrection. As he walked out of that tomb,
if there was silence in heaven the moment he died. What do you
think heaven sounded like the moment he arose? What would you imagine heaven
sounded like the moment he arose? Death being just announced. Everybody
knowing death has just been conquered. Sin has just been put away. Sin
that ruined everything. Redemption has just been secured.
Can you imagine what heaven sounded like in that moment? Not only was the entire work
of Christ witnessed by the law and the prophets, not only was
it witnessed by the father and the spirit, it was witnessed
by an innumerable company of angels, a great cloud of witnesses. And along with the actual angels,
you know what that word right there translates to? Pastor. messenger, pastor. Thank God he was seen of pastors.
Thank God. Men were given the eyes of faith
to see Christ. I am so thankful that men before
us, I remove myself from this situation. Me being a pastor
did not save me. God preaching the gospel of my
heart is what saved me. Christ dying on that cross is
what saved me. God the Father choosing me in
his election is what saved me. And I am so thankful that he
in his purpose and in his goodness would give the eyes of faith
to men to see Christ, see Christ in the scripture, see Christ
in salvation, see Christ in the accomplishment of the law. We
read this and we think, I can't do this. What do I do with this?
And then the spirit of God comes and says, Christ did it. Christ in all things. I'm so
glad God revealed Christ to the men before us and gave them the
gospel message of truth that opens blind eyes and sets men
and women free. Free from the law, free from
the bondage of sin. The message of mercy was preached
and it freed men and women. With that message, that's what
verse 16 says. He was preached and just enter
into this, okay? Glory in this. He was preached
to the Gentiles. Does that mean anything to anybody? That's what we are. What if this
message had not been preached to the Gentiles? We're a bunch
of heathen, outcast Gentiles. Mercy was preached to the Gentiles
too. Mercy through the blood of Jesus
Christ, not just the physical Jews only, but to all of God's
spiritual people. That's how salvation is made
known. That's how faith is given. Causing God's people to see Christ
and to know Christ and to look to Christ for all their salvation.
It pleased the Lord by the foolishness of preaching. That's without
controversy. Faith comes by hearing and hearing
by the Word of God. And with that faith that is given
through the preaching of the truth of God's Word, verse 16
says Christ is believed on in the world. What is the evidence
of salvation? What is the evidence of salvation? Here's what people say. Good
works. That's not true. Here's a great mystery. What
is the evidence of salvation? Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Not just believing in. You'd
be hard pressed to find somebody who didn't believe in the Lord
Jesus Christ. I'm talking about believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved. Believing that he accomplished
everything he came to accomplish for his people. And we do, don't
we? We believe that. Acts 13, 48
says as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed. They believed, and this is what
they believed. Verse 16, 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. And because God the Father received
him back up into glory, carrying with him all of his intercession
for his people. When he went back up, that's
what he went back up with. All of his intercession for his
people. And because God received him,
he said, I'm going to prepare a place for you. And then I'll
come again. and receive you to myself." And
that honestly is a great mystery. That is the mystery of the gospel,
the glorious good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. As our Lord
was carried back up into glory, the angels told the disciples,
they said, this same Jesus that you have seen go up in this way,
He is going to come back down the same way you've seen Him
go up. And great is the mystery that
that is going to happen. That is going to happen. The
Lord is going to descend and He is going to gather His people
to Himself. And God's Word says that all
of His people are going to be with Him Forever in the air,
wherever he takes them, forever be with the Lord. Comfort one
another with these words. It's hard for me to even understand
these words, but I'm comforted by it. I'm comforted by the word
of God, the promise of God's word. Martin Luther said, feelings
come and feelings go and feelings are deceiving. My warrant is
the word of God. Nothing else is worth believing.
Though all my heart should feel condemned for lack of some sweet
token, there is one greater than my heart whose word cannot be
broken. I'll trust in God's unchanging word till soul and body sever,
for though all things shall pass away, his word shall stand forever.
Amen. May the Lord bless that word.