1 Timothy 3. Let's begin reading
at verse 14. 1 Timothy 3. 14. These things
write I unto thee. Now, we know that all Scripture
is given of God. God breathed. Paul is penning
these words, but these words are inspired and given of God.
All Scripture. Hold your place there and turn
over here to 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy over here. Chapter 3. 2 Timothy, verse 16,
where it talks about all Scripture is given by inspiration of God
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness that the man of God, the believer,
may be mature, complete, throughly furnished unto all good things,
unto all good works. Now, back to 1 Timothy 3, verse
14. These things write I unto thee. given of God, hoping, here's
his hope, hoping to come unto thee shortly. Paul, the veteran
preacher of the gospel, loved this young man, Timothy. He called
him his son in the gospel. He wants to see him. He wants
to fellowship with him. He wants to encourage him. He says over in the second epistle,
he said, don't be ashamed of me, the prisoner of the Lord. But let's give thanks unto God
who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according
to our works, but according to God's own purpose and grace given
us in Christ before the foundation of the world, hoping to come
to thee and to see you shortly. But if I tarry long, if I tarry
long, if I don't come, that thou mayest know how you ought to
behave yourself In the house of God, in the house of God,
which is the church of the living God, the pillar and stay or ground
of truth, the house of God and the church of the living God
is built upon a foundation. That foundation is not sand.
That foundation is the rock, the Lord Jesus. You remember
what he said in Matthew 16, verse 18, I'll build my church upon
that rock, that confession that Jesus Christ is God. I'll build
my church and the gates of hell. Nothing can prevail against God's
purpose to call out and to save his people. And in doing so in
such a way to honor and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. He instructed
His church to go into all the world and preach the gospel to
every creature. That's what we're to do. We are
to go by whatever means and method God gives to us and provides
for us. The church of the living God,
these who are believers, called out of darkness into God's marvelous
light, being born again, bought by the blood of Christ, washed
and made white, New creatures in Christ. God's given us the
truth. We are determined to preach the
truth. The church of the living God. I like that, don't you?
The church of the living God. He is the eternal God that we
worship. And His church stands for something. Stands upon someone and for something. And that is Christ. the Lord
Jesus Christ and Him crucified as the only Savior. The only
way that God can be just and justify the ungodly is by and
through Christ and Him crucified. As Paul said, I'm determined
to know nothing among you but Christ, Christ, Christ, Christ
and Him crucified. It's the only way of salvation. This is the ground. This is the
stay of truth. Our Lord said, it's the truth
that will set you free. It is the truth. Stands fast
in the liberty with which Christ has set us free. Free by His
grace. No more under the law. Delivered
from the curse of the law. Being made free. Liberty to worship
God and to serve Him and to love one another. And then He says
in verse 16, and without. This is without
debate. This is without controversy among
God's people. This is not up for question.
It's not up for argument. This pillar and ground of the
truth of the living God, it's not debatable issue, not among
God's people. It is the truth. It is the truth. And here's what it is. This is
without controversy. Great, great mysteries we have
in the gospel of the Lord Jesus. Great mysteries we have in the
gospel. God was manifest in the flesh. These are the great mysteries
that we don't know these things naturally. Not at all. Hold your place here and find
1 Corinthians chapter 2. Salvation is not by education,
it's by revelation. He reveals unto us these mysteries
of the gospel. 1 Corinthians 2, verse 7. But we speak the wisdom of God
in the mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before
the world unto our glory, which none of the princes of this world
knew. Or had they known it, they would not have crucified the
Lord of glory. But as it is written, I hath
not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart
of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."
We don't know these things naturally. We're in the dark. We're dead
in sin. Verse 10, "...but God hath revealed
them unto us by His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things,
yea, the deep things of God, Deep things of God. Look at verse
14 in this text. But the natural man receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God, or they are foolishness
unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned. Spiritually learned. It has to
be a revelation. I can preach and preach and preach,
but God's got to turn on the light. And He does that through
preaching, but it has to be empowered by God the Holy Spirit. So it's
a mystery. until he reveals the gospel unto
us, and then we say, I see that. I see what you're saying. How
God can be a just God and Savior. I see that. How God can save
me and not violate His holy character and be holy and just, and yet
justify the ungodly through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus.
Without controversy, if God revealed this gospel unto you, God who
commands the light to shine out of darkness, who shines in our
heart to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of
God that shines in the face of Jesus Christ. If God revealed
this mystery unto you, the gospel is not something we debate over.
We believe the gospel. We believe it and love it and
own it as the only gospel that honors God. The only gospel that
gives Christ all the glory. And it's the only gospel that's
the power of God and the salvation. This is the gospel I need in
Christ Jesus. And this is not a debatable issue,
not to the believer. Without controversy, great is
the mystery of godliness. Now, he gives us six things in
the last part of this verse, verse 16. Six plain statements
Truthful, comprehensive statements that sum up this pillar and ground
of truth. Christ the truth. Christ the
truth. First one is this. God was manifest
in the flesh. God was manifest in the flesh. The Word was made flesh and dwelt
among us and we beheld His glory. God was manifest in the flesh,
exposed to view, made known in human flesh. The invisible God. God is spirit. God is eternal. The invisible God, the invisible
God became visible. You think about that in human
flesh. God who inhabits eternity inhabited
a body of a man. Unto us a child is born, a son
is given. His name shall be called Wonderful
Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father. Who is the
Lord Jesus Christ? I say in no uncertain terms and
as clear as I can be, God manifests in the flesh. Do you believe
in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ? Has anybody ever asked
you that? Yes, absolutely. He is God. He is God, 100% God,
100% man. Turn back to the book of Philippians.
Let's see if we can read that. Philippians chapter 2. Philippians
2, verse 5. Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus, who being in a form of God, thought
it not robbery to be equal with God. You see that? Equal with
God. But made himself of no reputation,
he took upon himself the form of a servant, and was made in
the likeness of men. Did he ever stop being God? He remained what he was, God,
remained what he is, God, and became what he was not, flesh,
and dwelt among us. Made himself of no reputation,
took upon him the form of a servant, Man of sorrows acquainted with
grief, Isaiah said, and was made in the likeness of men. He was
a real man. He had no sin, did no sin, knew
no sin, and being found in fashion or habit as a man. He humbled
himself, became obedient unto death. You remember he said,
no man takes my life from me. I have power to lay it down.
I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received
of my Father. Became obedient unto death, even
the death of the cross. The cross of the Lord Jesus Christ,
his crucifixion, is not an accident. He died on purpose, God's purpose. John said that's God's lamb,
that's his sacrifice to put away sin. Wherefore, God also hath
highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every
name, that at that name every knee should bow, every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the
Father. Turn to John 17 and look at this.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal God. That's what I'm
saying. God was manifest in the flesh. Now, this is not something
we debate. We believe this, because that's
what the Word of God teaches. John 17. Here we see the eternality
of God, the eternality of the Lord Jesus, who is God. John
17, 2. As thou has given him power over all flesh, that he
should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
There's a sovereignty of God in salvation. And this is life
eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, Jesus
Christ, whom thou hast sent. This is life eternal, the only
true God. Now look at verse 3 again. John
17, 3. This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the
only true God. I like to read it this way. The
only true God, Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified
thee on the earth. I finished the work you gave
me to do. Now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self,
with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." You
see, He is the eternal God. Yet He was manifest in time in
the flesh. The Word made flesh and dwelt
among us. Truly, totally, and fully God. Truly, fully, totally man in
one blessed person. The God-man. Now that's what
they called, the old timers called him. You read some of those old
theologians. Turn back to 1 Timothy chapter
2. 1 Timothy chapter 2 and look at this verse. The God-man. Or really, God-man. He's the God-man mediator. And we get this. We get that
phrase from 1 Timothy 2. Verse 4, it says, Who will have
all men to be saved, that is, all sorts and all kinds of men,
and come to the knowledge of the truth. Now that's what he
reveals unto us, the knowledge of the truth. For there is one
God, one Mediator between God and men. It doesn't say man there,
does it? God and men. Christ Jesus, who gave himself
as a ransom for all, all sorts of men. That doesn't mean he
died for all of the sins of all men. He died for his covenant
people. But here it's saying all without distinction. Not
all without exception, but all without distinction, Jew, Gentile,
bond, rich, see what I'm saying, poor, rich, black, white, so
on, male, female, OK, to be testified in due time. So. The pillar and
ground of the truth that's not debatable. That's the mystery
of the gospel. Number one, God was manifest
in the flesh. Do you believe that? I believe
that. I believe that. Why was this
necessary? Why was this necessary that God be manifest in the flesh,
that God the Son in time would take a body? Why was that necessary? Well, I'll give you two reasons. Two reasons. One, to establish
as our representative, as a representative man, to establish a righteousness
for us. To establish a righteousness
for us. You see, I can't establish a righteousness by the deeds
of my hand. God can't receive anything but perfection. It must
be perfect to be accepted. He came to establish a righteousness
for us in the fullness of time. God sent forth His Son, made
of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under
the law. That's why He came. I can't work up a righteousness.
I can't provide one. My morality will never pass.
You can be as good and moral, and I'm all for morality, but
not for salvation. Not for salvation. Not at all.
I can't produce a righteousness. You remember in Romans 10, Paul
talks about those Jews who were ignorant of God, God's character,
manifested by the fact they went about to establish their own
righteousness, who didn't submit unto the righteousness of God,
which is provided in the gospel in Christ. So, He came to establish
righteousness for us. By His obedience, He honored
and satisfied the holy law of God. Now, it must be honored. In Matthew 5.17, you remember
what the Lord said? He said, I didn't come to destroy
the law. I came to honor the law, fulfill the law of God.
Isaiah 42 said, He will magnify and make it honorable in His
sight. The Lord is well pleased for
His righteousness. He will magnify the law and make
it honorable for us. Now, He's not working out a righteousness
for Himself. He is righteous. But see, he's
a representative man, representing all his elect, and he's working
out a perfect righteousness for me. No wonder David said, Blessed
is the man to whom God would impute, give, charge, reckon
to you righteousness without your contribution, without works. That's the good news of the gospel.
You see why he came? You see why he had to be manifest
in the flesh? Man disobeyed God. The God-man,
the second man, the Lord Jesus, honored God. Every word, deed,
thought, His motive was pure to magnify and honor God. In
every extent, He honored God. So why did He come? To establish
righteousness for us. Secondly, why did He come? To
make an atonement for sin. And this is Bible. I must have
those two things to stand before God. a justifying righteousness
that I can't produce, and I must have not only a justifying righteousness,
but what about my sin? I've got to do something with
my sin. I can't put it away. But the Lord Jesus Christ, as
the God-man, as God's Lamb, His sacrifice for sin, He appeared
once in the end of the age to put away sin. How? By the sacrifice
of Himself. You see, the Lord Jesus Christ
is our prophet, priest, and king. as the priest of God who represents
us. You see, the prophet represents
God to the people. The priest represents the people
to God. We have a great high priest.
It is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. And you know what? This great
high priest we have, he didn't bring the blood of bulls and
goats, did he? What did He bring? Hebrews 9,
12 says, He brought, He entered in once into the holy place,
having obtained eternal redemption for us, not with the blood of
bulls and goats, but with His own blood. You see, God can't
suffer. God can't bleed in that sense. God is Spirit. But the God-Man
did both. He satisfied and He suffered
to put away our sin. Does that make sense? God made
him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made
the righteousness of God in him." 2 Corinthians 5 verse 21. Without the shedding of blood,
there is no remission. The blood of bulls and goats
cannot take away sin. He did. You see why it was necessary? You see, what gives value and
power and merit and glory to the death of and the blood of
the Lord Jesus Christ? It's who He is. You see, Acts
20, 28 says that God bought us with His own blood. Acts 20,
28. You see, it's who He is that
gives power and glory to what He did. Who He is. It's just not that some Jew from
Nazareth died. It's He who is God incarnate. God manifests in the flesh. That's what I need. That is my substitute. And that
is why the Lord Jesus Christ came in the fullness of time.
God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law
to redeem them that were under that law. So that's the first
point. Number two, God was manifested in the flesh. Have you got that
one? Why? Do you remember why? To establish righteousness, to
put away sin. I must have both. I must have
both. He got the job done. He got it
done. How do we know that? It says
right here in the text, He got it done. He finished salvation. Where it says the last line,
Received up to glory. Why was He received up to glory?
He got the job done. He said at Calvary, It is finished. It's finished. Finished. Number
two, it says here, the second thing we see, not only God manifested
in the flesh, but it says there, secondly, justified. Justified
in the Spirit. Now, notice that's a capital
S there. Justified or vindicated is a better word. Vindicated,
proven, upheld by God the Holy Spirit. Vindicated, proven. God the Holy Spirit said He owned
me. I owned him as God. We'll see
here in just a minute. Our Lord claimed to be God, didn't
He? He said, I and my Father were
one. He said to Philip, Philip, have I been so long time with
you? Remember, Philip said, when the Lord declared, I am the way,
the truth, and Philip said, well, show us the Father. He said,
have I been with you so long and you haven't seen me? I am
the Father. We're one. You've seen me. You've
seen the Father. Such a claim that he made needed
strong, disputable vindication, did it not? Confirmation, did
it not? His spiritual nature as man was so elevated by his
deity that it abundantly vindicated his claim to be God in the flesh. Listen to these scriptures. Never
man spake like this man. His word was with power at his
command death leaves. He said, Lazarus, come forth.
That is His command. Who can speak that way? None
but God. At His command, death leaves.
At His command, the water is turned to wine. At His command,
the blind see the lame walk. Lepers are cleansed at His command. You see, He is God. He is vindicating,
justifying, that He is God in flesh, God incarnate. He vindicated and proved and
justified His claim by His words, by His deeds, and by His work
that He is indeed God. But secondly, not only that,
justified in His own Spirit, but justified by the Holy Spirit. What do I mean by that? Well,
turn to Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1. You remember
when the Lord sent that angel, Luke 1, verse 35, when the Lord
dispatched that angel to Mary and said, Luke 1, verse 35, the angel answered
and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, the power
of the highest shall overshadow thee, Therefore also that holy
thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son
of God." The angel said, You're going to have a child. She said,
Well, how can I? I don't know a man. The power of God is going
to overshadow you, and the Holy Ghost is going to come upon thee,
and that holy thing shall be called the Son of God. He is
holy. You see, he's vindicated by the
Holy Spirit in his conception, born of God, or the only begotten
Son of God. At his baptism, the Holy Spirit
descended upon him, and God the Father speaks from heaven and
said, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. In
his resurrection, turn to Romans chapter 1, in his resurrection,
God vindicated and God owned all of his priestly work for
us. at his resurrection. Look at Romans chapter 1, verse
1. Paul, Romans 1-1, a servant of
Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel
of God which he had promised to for by his prophets in the
Holy Scripture concerning his son Jesus Christ, which was made
of the seed of David according to flesh, and declared to be
the Son of God with power. according to the Holy Spirit
by the resurrection from the dead." This is God's gospel concerning
the Lord Jesus Christ. Vindicated by God the Holy Spirit
in His conception, at His baptism, in His resurrection, and in our
regeneration. God the Holy Spirit convicts
us and quickens us and magnifies the Lord Jesus Christ within
us, doesn't He? cause us to love Him and own
Him and to see in Him salvation complete and full and free. So, number one, God was manifest
in the flesh. Now look back at the text again.
Justified by God the Holy Spirit, vindicated, owned and proven
beyond doubt that this is the Messiah, the Christ of God, the
Lamb of God that takes away sin. And then it says, thirdly, Scene
of angels. Scene of angels. The heavenly
host of elect angels are deeply interested in the gospel of God's
redeeming grace. Now listen to me. Peter said,
when the gospel is preached in the power of the Holy Spirit,
the angels desire to look into these things. There are angels among us right
now. When the gospel of God's grace
is preached, angels desire to look into these things. I've
never seen one, but I believe His Word. I believe His truth. They're called ministering spirits
sent forth to minister to them who shall be the heirs of salvation.
Is it not? Scene of angels. God incarnate
made a little lower than the angels being made sin for us. You know, they had to marvel
at that. Here is the incarnate, the only
begotten Son of God, made lower than the angels in humanity. God. He never stopped being God,
but He became a man. The angels were sent to Joseph
and Mary. Remember the message they were
sent to deliver? Call His name Jesus, the Savior. He shall save His people from
their sin. At His birth they sang, Glory
to God! The highest peace on earth, good
will toward His people. They waited on Him after the
temptation when He was tempted forty days in the wilderness.
Tempted and tested in all points like as we are yet without sin.
The angels came and ministered unto Him. Strengthened, how about
in the garden when His sweat became great drops of blood They
came and ministered to him, it says in Luke 22, 43. At his tomb,
at his grave, the angel descended and rolled away the stone at
his tomb. It says in John chapter 20 that
two angels sat in his tomb, one at the head and one at his foot,
after he was risen from the dead. They declared in the cemetery,
why do you seek the living among the dead. He's not here. He's
risen from the dead. And they said, the angels declared
to the apostles in Acts chapter 1, this same Jesus whom you... They stood and watched Him, the
body of the Lord Jesus. The resurrected body of the God-man
mediator. They stood that day and watched
Him ascend to glory. And the messenger said, that
same Jesus whom you see go away will come again. in like manner. That same one now. But God's
man Mediator is sitting right now on the throne of glory in
the body of flesh. Glorified flesh. Resurrected
flesh. And one day he's going to get
up and he's coming back for his people. For his church. What
does his presence there mean to me now? Huh? Huh? I say it's good news for me.
He's my forerunner. He entered in to the holy place
for me. Represents me. And we're seated
in the heavenlies in Christ. This gospel of God's grace may
be folly to some, but to the elect angels and the elect people,
it's the power and wisdom of God unto salvation. It is now. Number four. Point number four is this. Look
back at the text. God was manifested in the flesh.
Got that? Justified, vindicated and proven
by God the Holy Spirit, this is the only Savior of sinners. Seeing of angels, the angels
on them as God. Victorious over sin, death, hell
and the grave. Now look at this, number four,
preached. Preached. Christ has been preached. He's being preached unto, what
does that say there? That's you. That's you. Sinners. You know, this gospel's
for sinners. Did you know that? Not for good
folks. Christ died for the ungodly.
If I could ever find somebody who's ungodly, I've got good
news for them. The problem is too many folks
think too much of themselves. They don't think they need a
Savior. They don't think they need a righteousness. They don't
think they need sin put away. Preach them to sinners. Look
right across the page in 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 15. Look what
it says there. 1 Timothy 1 verse 15. This is
a faithful saying. You see it? This is a faithful
saying. Worthy of all acceptation that
Christ Jesus came into the world to save. He came to save, not
to try to save, not to attempt to save. He came to save His
people. He came to save sinners. Paul
said, I'm the chief offender. Are you a sinner? I mean, died
in a wool, dead dog, rotten center. Come on now. If you're not, you're
in trouble. Because Christ died for the ungodly. I'm ungodly. I mean, in my birth. Born in sin, shaping iniquity
in my nature. I don't have any righteousness
of my own. Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from
this body of death? Will I thank God through Jesus
Christ our Lord? That's my hope. You see, this
message of salvation is preached to sinners. That's the point
I'm trying to make here. Preached to the Gentiles. Preaching to
the Gentiles. Paul described the Gentiles in
Ephesians 2 verse 12 as without God, without hope, and without
Christ. Yet he sent the Savior to me. Christ in the gospel to
me through a faithful gospel preacher. Please, God, by the
foolishest of preaching to save them that believe the gospel
must be preached. Let us be about preaching the
gospel. That's why we are establishing
this preaching center in Kingsport, Tennessee, to preach the gospel,
not to get together and play games. We're gathering here together
to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that honors and
glorifies Him. That's what we're about. That's
why we're interested. That's why we come here each
week. To preach the gospel and to worship Him. It pleased God
to call out His people through the preaching of the gospel.
Not by dreams and visions. By the clear, plain, preaching
declaration of thus saith the Lord. Turn over here to 2 Timothy
4. Look at this here. 2 Timothy 4. Verse 1. 2 Timothy 4. When I
charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall
judge the living and the dead at the appearing of His kingdom,
preach the Word. Preach the Word. Don't entertain
folks. We're not interested in entertaining
people. Worship. Worship. Preaching. Preach the
Word. Be instant, in season, out of
season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with
all longsuffering and doctrine. Teaching the Word line by line. For the time will come when they
will not endure sound doctrine. The time is here. This religious
world doesn't want anything to do with sound doctrine. But after their own selves shall
they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. And they
shall turn their ears, they shall turn away their ears from the
truth and be turned unto fables." God help us to keep preaching
Christ and Him crucified. How else are we to be made aware
of redemption and pardon and justifying righteousness in Christ
but by the preaching of the gospel? How else does faith come but
by the preaching of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ? Aren't
you glad that God sent you someone to tell you the truth that didn't
sugarcoat it, didn't gloss over it, but said the truth from the
Word of God? I'm glad He sent me a preacher
one day named Mahan. Pastor Henry Mahan told me the
truth. Salvation's in Christ. Salvation's
in a substitute to Lord Jesus Christ. He always says this,
salvation's in a person. Not in a denomination. Not in
your profession. Not in the baptismal pool. Salvation
is in a person. The Lord Jesus Christ. He hath
the Son. Hath life. Hath life. Now, that leads us to this. And
notice how this proceeds. Preached unto the Gentiles. This
message was made to be preached. Declared. Declared. Declared
Christ and Him crucified. And then the fruit of that is
believed. Believed on. Believed on in the
world. Now, how can you believe on something
that you've never heard? That you don't know? You see,
faith, truth-saving faith, not blind and ignorant. Truth-saving
faith based upon the word of truth. Truth-saving faith has
one object, the Lord Jesus Christ. Looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith. Truth-saving faith acknowledges
and loves and believes the truth. Believed on in the world. You
know, believing God is a fruit of life? I want you to look at
this Scripture. 1 John 5, verse 1. A lot of people
think, well, you walk the aisle, come forward, shake the preacher's
hand, pray through, and then you'll be born again. That's
not salvation. That's you walking an aisle making
a decision. But that's not salvation. Look
what it says here in 1 John 5 verse 1. Whosoever believeth that Jesus
is the Christ, he is born of God. He is born of God. In other
words, what I'm saying is this. You don't believe to be born. You don't believe to be born.
You believe because you have been begotten of God. You have
been born of God, not of the will of flesh, not of the will
of man, but born of God. Not of him that witheth or of
him that runneth, but it's God that shows mercy. You see, the
gospel has been preached, and by God's power and grace, we
believe the gospel. How do we believe it? How much
power does it take to believe the gospel? Let me show you scripture
here. Turn to Ephesians, the book of
Ephesians. How much power does it take to believe the gospel?
Ephesians chapter 1. And here it tells us exactly
what kind of power it takes to believe the gospel. It's the
dynamite of God. Look what it says here in Ephesians
chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1. This is
Paul praying, verse 17, that God, Ephesians 1 verse 17, The
God of our Lord Jesus, the Father of glory, may give unto you the
spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, that
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may
know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of
the glory of his inheritance in the saints. And what is exceeding
greatness of this power to usward who believe. According now, look
what it says there, according. to the working of His mighty
power. Yes, we hear the gospel. By God's
providence, He brings it our way and He crosses our path.
And by His mighty power, we are caused to believe the gospel
because we've been born of God. Now look at what kind of power
he's talking about here. Read the next two verses. "...which
He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and
set Him at His own right hand in heavenly places, far above
all principality and power." That's resurrection power, isn't
it? How much power did it take to raise the dead body of the
Lord Jesus Christ? The power of God. How much power
does it take to resurrect a dead sinner and spiritually regenerate
him and make him a new creature in Christ? Same power. The power
of God. You see what he's saying there?
This gospel has been preached unto the Gentiles. Oh, what a
privilege to hear the gospel. Oh, my friend, but what a glorious
privilege it is to believe God, to believe His gospel. Faith
is a gift of God. It's not the fruit of the flesh. The fruit of the flesh is unbelief.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
meekness, temperance, faith. Galatians 5.22. Faith is a gift
of God. OK, my last point is this. Back to the text. 1 Timothy 3.16.
Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. I'm trying to drive this home.
I want this to stick with you this week. And I want you to
take this verse and just meditate on it all week. God was manifest
in the flesh, justified, vindicated, proven by God the Holy Spirit,
seen of angels. The angels owned Him, crowned
Him as Lord. Bowed to Him as Lord. Worshipped
Him as Lord. Preached, preached, preached
unto the Gentiles, sinners. Believed on in this world. And
then look at the last point. The Lord Jesus Christ received
up to glory. Up to glory. What does this mean? When He by Himself purged our
sin, He sat down at the right hand of God. It means victory
over sin. He was delivered for our offenses
and raised again to justify us. He was delivered for our offenses
and raised again because He justified us at the cross, at Calvary,
justified by His blood. He finished His priestly work,
received up to glory. When He by Himself purged our
sin, He sat down. Christ suffered the just for
the unjust that He might bring us. unto God. His work was accepted
of God. Accepted of God. You see, the
atonement, now I'm going to shock you here. The atonement of the
Lord Jesus Christ is not up for your exception or rejection. You see, the atonement of the
Lord Jesus Christ wasn't offered up to you, was it? Huh? It was offered to blood
on the altar before the Lord. This is the Lord's atonement. It's not up for my exception
or rejection. This is God's atonement for sin. And He said, it's enough! He
raised Him from the dead. Is it enough? God says it is.
He received Him back to glory. Our great High Priest entered
not in the holy places made with hand, but in heaven itself. to
appear in the presence of God for us. John said, when you sin,
we have an advocate with the Father. Jesus Christ the righteous. Right now, He advocates for us.
That's why Hebrews 7.25 says, He's able to save to the uttermost
all that come to God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make
intercession for us. You see, it says there, He's
received up to glory. Finished His work. His work was
accepted. He's taken possession of glory
for us. Hebrews 6 says the forerunner
has entered into heaven and He occupies for us on the throne
of God. Our salvation is certain and
sure in the Lord Jesus Christ because He's already there. And
it says in Ephesians 2, 6 and 8, turn over there because you
might not believe this if I just quote it. I want you to read
it. 2, Ephesians 2, look what it says
here. Verse 4, Ephesians 2, 4, But
God, who is rich in mercy, Ephesians 2, 4, for his great love wherewith
he loved us, even when we were dead in sin, hath quickened us
together with Christ by grace, or he said, and hath raised us
up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding
riches of his grace, in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."
Now, get a hold of what he's saying there. "...quickened together
with Christ by grace, and has raised us up together, and made
us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ right now." My forerunner
has entered in. You see, he's a representative
man. and He represents me as my surety, and my salvation is
certain and sure as He is on the throne of God. More happy,
but not more secure, are the glorified saints in heaven."
Have you got that text? Okay. I pray the Lord will bless
His Word to your heart.