Introduction
Great Is The Mystery of Godliness is the second essay in our Ascension Series for 2025. In it, we explore the early Church’s first confession, which ends in Christ’s Ascension to the right hand of the Father. He was taken up into glory. Our Memory and Meditation Verses for Celebrating the Ascension this week are 1 Timothy 3:16. The series aims to improve and guide our Christian meditation together on Christ’s Ascension.
1 Timothy 3:16
“Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:
He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.”
Types of Confession
Every Lord’s Day in our liturgy, before the Lord’s Table we make three confessions. First, we confess our private sins after a period of examination. Second, we make a public confession of sin. Third, we confess the mystery of godliness–our Faith, with a capital “F.” Here we are using it solely as a noun to represent the core truths we believe collectively. The Faith. The things that cannot be denied. Our passage today is an early expression of what Christians confessed together publicly.
The Incarnation
“Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh,”
Jesus is God, manifested Himself in the flesh. What does this mean? It means Jesus was fully human and fully Divine. After the Apostle’s time, many people in the early years of Christianity misunderstood the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some people said that, because He was Divine he could not be flesh and blood. Therefore they taught that He was a spiritual manifestation. He only appeared human. The name of this heresy is Docetism. Jesus is fully God and fully Man. When we say Jesus is God “Incarnate,” we mean that God took on flesh.
Vindicated by the Spirit
Why should you believe us? He was vindicated by the Holy Spirit. He healed the sick, made the lame to walk, the blind to see–He even raised the dead. Do you question Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah. Listen to where He points the Hebrews in His day:
“Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— 36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father (John 10:34-38).”
Seen by Angels
Jesus was vindicated by the Spirit. He was also seen by angels. They ministered to Him in the wilderness.
“The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him (Mark 1:12-13).”
Proclaimed and Believed
He was proclaimed among the beginning nations in Acts 2 and beyond. Others, many others have now believed on Him in the world and experienced the outpoured Holy Spirit for themselves. Therefore they know, just as we know, that Jesus is not dead, but taken up into glory. From there He is coming again. And every eye will see Him. World without end. Amen.
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Learn more about Solomon’s Porch Christian Church on our Home Page & What We Believe
Additionally, if you enjoyed you may also enjoy some of our other series’.
Christ, His Church, & Marriage (February 2025)
Forsaken For Us (March-April 2025)
Putting on Immortality (April-June 2025)
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