Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. Paul writes to Timothy saying
that his testimony concerning the mystery of godliness is incontrovertible
or without controversy. Men may rage against it, but
there is no scenario where it can be disproved since it is
the very essence of truth. It matters not that some will
not believe it or that some will imagine a vain thing. The Lord
has spoken and has sent messengers into the world to proclaim the
gospel, which declares the glory of the blessed God. He has set
his king upon Zion. The Lord gave the word. Great
was the company of those that published it, saying, Thy God
reigneth. This mystery of godliness describes
that which has now been unfolded in Christ. It is that mystery
which was kept hid from the foundation of the world, but is now made
manifest to the saints of God as it hath pleased him. Paul
is an example of one of those saints who spent the first years
of his adult life engaged in a controversy concerning this
man, Jesus of Nazareth. He raged against the light and
kicked against the pricks with all of his might, supposing his
own intellect to be greater than the truth. But on the Damascus
road, all of that controversy, which dominated his thought,
was dispelled by a light which caused him to cry out, Who art
thou, Lord? No longer did he dwell in darkness,
for he who formed the light and created the darkness called him,
and he answered, and thus ended the controversy that plagued
him. The end of controversy comes to the sons of God as the gospel
of Jesus Christ is declared, and they embrace its truth, falling
down at the feet of Christ and clinging unto Him as a drowning
man to a life preserver. Even as Peter testified, Lord,
to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life. Therefore we read the tenets of this gospel which Paul preached
to Timothy, which cannot be questioned by those who believe. God was
manifest in the flesh. It is impossible that man should
ever come unto God, who dwells in the light to which no man
can approach. But God, in a display of His mercy and kindness, has
appeared unto men in the likeness of sinful flesh for sin. Jesus
Christ, born of a woman, is the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
It is in this body that He did come as an offering for sin,
that He might make atonement for the sins of His people, according
to the demands of His holy and immutable law, having laid down
His life by the shedding of His blood, did indeed obtain eternal
redemption for them. He was justified in the Spirit.
The use of the term justified here literally means to render
or have regard to righteousness. The Spirit of God continually
testified of His acceptance with God as that perfect man who went
about doing good and performing His Father's will as He walked
upon the earth. And straightway coming up out of the water, he
saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending
upon him. And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. The Spirit continues
this work even now as he testifies to the sons of God of his station
as their great Mediator and Redeemer, worthy of all praise. He was
seen of angels, for he shall give his angels charge over thee,
to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their
hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. They were appointed
to this ministry, even though unable to fully grasp the full
measure of that which he undertook. In the ages to come they shall
testify of his glory, alongside those whom he has redeemed from
sin and death. He was preached among the Gentiles.
Paul says that this is that mystery which was hidden from the beginning
of the world, that Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same
body and protectors of his promise in Christ by the gospel. And
when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified
the word of the Lord. And as many as were ordained
to eternal life believed. He was believed on in the world,
but as many as received him, to them gave he power to become
the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which
were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of
the will of man, but of God. He was received up into glory.
While they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him
out of their sight. Salvation to our God, which sitteth
upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. This is the song of the
redeemed, without controversy. Do you rejoice in the unfolding
of this grand mystery of godliness? Jesus Christ, the only begotten
Son of God, has declared it in the earth, and has demonstrated
his utter triumph over all of his enemies. May we be given
grace to praise him forever. Do you believe on his name? For
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