Today’s thought “Great the mystery of godliness” (November 21)

Great the mystery of godliness

¹⁶And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness;

^[a]He who was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the spirit,
Seen of angels,
Preached among the ^[b]nations,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory. {1 Timothy 3:16 American Standard Version (ASV)

It can rightfully be called an unmistakable mystery that is difficult for many to unravel. After so many million years there are still lots of people who still do not grasp the mysteries of this world nor know the One Being behind it. Today the majority of the population still does not want to recognize the Most High Supreme Being. Lots of people do think they worship the right god, though they do not (want) to see they have preferred to worship a man made god.

For many it is difficult to grasp that The Divine Creator God would be something or someone which can not be seen by man. They do not want to see what is written in the Bible.

“ And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for man shall not see me and live.” (Ex 33:20 ASV)

“ No man hath seen God at any time; {1 } the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. {1) Many very ancient authorities read God only begotten } (Joh 1:18 ASV)

Because many people prefer to believe people’s words rather than those of the Bible, their minds have become completely entangled in the false doctrines of many so-called theologians or religious teachers and clergymen.

Though mankind must know that the Most High Sovereign Maker of all things has revealed Himself and wants everybody to know Him. People should not only come to believe in This Sovereign God, but should also come to believe in the sent one from that God. For God gave the world a solution against the curse of death. He provided the possibility to find liberation from that curse and to find salvation by the offer of one son of man who managed all the time to do the Will of God.

Already millennia ago that promise of God, made in the Garden of Eden, became a reality. God’s Word (His speaking) coming to life or in the flesh, by the birth of His only begotten beloved son, born in Bethlehem some two millennia ago.

“ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him; and without him {1 } was not anything made that hath been made. {1) Or was not anything made. That which hath been made was life in him; and the life etc } (Joh 1:1-3 ASV)

“ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not.” (Joh 1:10 ASV)

“ And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found {1 } favor with God. {1) Or grace } And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob {1 } for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. {1) Gr unto the ages } And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also {1 } the holy thing which is begotten {2 } shall be called the Son of God. {1) Or that which is to be born shall be called holy, the Son of God 2) Some ancient authorities insert of thee } (Lu 1:30-35 ASV)

“ Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form, as a dove, upon him, and a voice came out of heaven, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. And Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,” (Lu 3:21-23 ASV)

When he started to teach, the son of man chose himself some disciples who after his death continued his task here on earth, showing people how they could return to God, by going in the footsteps of the one who gave himself as a ransom for all.

“ For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony to be borne in its own times;” (1Ti 2:5-6 ASV)

Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered dumb — preaching, of all things! — disciples of the disciples continuously throughout history telling about the saviour Christ. Though not many wanted to come to know the real Christ, them preferring to see a god-man but at the same time not wanting to believe an ordinary man of flesh and blood could do what God wanted from mankind. Fo many it was, or is impossible that a simple humble man, could bring those who trust God and His son into the way of salvation. Today still many do not want to accept that it is by that given son of God that people can come to the Most High God. Lots of Christians still want to believe it was God Himself Who came down to earth, instead the son of the heavenly Father, by whom people have access to God.

“ For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the {1 } preaching to save them that believe. {1) Gr thing preached } (1Co 1:21 ASV)

{Jesus said} “ I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture.” (Joh 10:9 ASV)

“ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but {1 } by me. {1) Or through } (Joh 14:6 ASV)

“ through whom also we have had our access {1 } by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and {2 } we {3 } rejoice in hope of the glory of God. {1) Some ancient authorities omit by faith 2) Or let us rejoice 3) Gr glory; Ro 5:11; Heb 3:6 } (Ro 5:2 ASV)

“ for through him we both have our access in one Spirit unto the Father.” (Eph 2:18 ASV)

“ by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;” (Heb 10:20 ASV)

It is true that we may say that God’s wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of His purposes. He could have killed the first Adam and his partner straight ahead in the Garden of Eden. But He gave mankind time to proof that they could reign the earth and would know better than or as good as God. For many years God was willing to guide mankind and He even made Him a Chosen People. That Chosen People of God had also more than once difficulties to understand the mystery of the Most High. Perhaps, because of their rebellion, the world had to know that it was not simply lying openly to find it lying around on the surface. For us today it’s also not the latest message, but more like the oldest — what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. The experts of our day haven’t a clue about what this eternal Plan is. If people had any idea of the mysteries of God, not so many would have been against that long promised prophet who came to tell how people could restore their relationship with God. They wouldn’t have killed the master of the God-designed life on a piece of wood.

“ but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the {1 } worlds unto our glory: {1) Or age } which none of the rulers of this {1 } world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: {1) Or age } (1Co 2:7-8 ASV)

The leaders or the chiefs of that Aion (age or system of things) knew or gave the impression not to know God’s Plan. Though it fits the Plan of God that many of this age or system of things may be blinded by their own fabrications. Physicists study both the nature of matter and the forces which govern it, but many have difficulties to see Who is behind it all. For others, it becomes apparent that there must be a Higher Force with an act of spreading outward from Its Central Source. With emanation or the origination of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost the apostles received more insight in that mystery they were confronted with those three years they were with Christ. From then onwards started a new period, in which gentiles now too, could receive an opportunity to belong to the chosen ones of God. The way got opened for the goym or non-Jews to convert and to become believers in the Only One True God, like the Jews. Though many convert from their pagan faith or were born in a Christian family, they took on the name “Christian” but did not took an or kept to the teachings of Christ, nor believed or believe in the same God of Christ Jesus, the God of Abraham Who is One singular unseen Being. Lots of those people calling themselves Christian do not want to dig further or look for the Truth. They are not much interested in experiencing God, and don not want to believe in what a man can do to come closer to God. Though Jesus Christ prepared the way and as mediator between God and man is willing to help us to uncover many mysteries of God, not many people want to see and accept the man for what he really is and has done.

This Christian life is a great mystery, far exceeding our understanding, but some things are clear enough in case we want to open our eyes and ears and read and listen to what is really written in the Book of books, the Bible. The promised one given to the world by the Most High Elohim appeared in a human body so that people could see and hear him and come to know about this authorized one from God. It should not be a mystery any more that this son of man was proved right by the invisible Spirit, was seen by angels and could come to sit at the right hand of God. He was proclaimed among all kinds of peoples, believed in all over the world, taken up into heavenly glory to stand next to the Divine Creator Jehovah God. Those who received the Good News and came to believe in Jesus him being the Christ or Messiah, should follow up the task he gave man to go out into the world to preach the Kingdom message. We all should make him known and show the world the mystery of God how He brings His Plan to fulfilment and gave glory to His only begotten beloved son.

“16 Indeed, the sacred secret of this godly devotion is admittedly great: ‘He was made manifest in flesh,+ was declared righteous in spirit,+ appeared to angels,+ was preached about among nations,+ was believed upon in the world,+ was received up in glory.” (1Ti 3:16 NWT)

Preceding

Bible, God’s Word to edify (ERV)

Daily Spiritual Food To prepare ourselves for the Kingdom of God

When you believe Jesus is God: who do you think is the mediator? #1 Son of man

When you believe Jesus is God: who do you think is the mediator? #2 Firstborn from the dead our advocate

The doctrine of emanation

Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #2 Calling upon the Name of God

Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #5 Prayer #1 Listening Sovereign Maker

Those who love Jesus

Fullness of summer and abundance of harvest found in the satisfying plenitude of life in Christ

Speaking to the Heart

Today’s thought “The eyes of man are never satisfied” (April 17)