"When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thess. 1:10-1210When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 11Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: 12That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:10‑12).)
"But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 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." (1 Tim. 3:15-1615But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16And 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. (1 Timothy 3:15‑16).)
How wonderful it is to look forward to a glorious day when the Name of the Lord will be glorified in heaven and in earth. In the passages which we read in the Old Testament, we could see that there is a day coming when God will be glorified in that nation of Israel. He picked them up in His grace, and His purposes toward them were purposes of blessing. But we know that they didn't respond to His claims. Yet He was faithful, and in Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, He tells them, "Prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Mal. 3:1010Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (Malachi 3:10).) Yet, He delighted to point them on to that time when He would be glorified in them, the day when they would not do any boasting in themselves, but all their boast would be in Him.
We know that is the future for the nation of Israel, but you and I, brethren, occupy a far more wonderful and glorious place. How wonderful that God has picked out of this world a people that would be displayed in a coming day as the bride of Christ! Could there be anything more glorious or more wonderful? The hymn writer has taken up the thought in those words: "What raised the wondrous thought: Or who did it suggest?
That we, the church,
to glory brought,
Should WITH the Son be blessed.
O God! the thought was Thine
(Thine only it could be)..."
Only God could have had such wonderful purposes toward us!
I feel that we need to be reminded of how much He has done for us so that our hearts might be stirred here and now-that there might be more response in us to live for Him. We need to take that backward look and see what the precious Savior did for us, in taking our place and bearing our judgment upon the cross of Calvary. Then, to look forward to the time we read of in Second Thessalonians, when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe.
But, when we come to First Timothy, chapter three, I believe the Spirit of God brings before us through the apostle that which ought to characterize the assembly here upon earth. Perhaps it should bring before us just what a responsibility is ours, and what a privilege is ours. It is not that we should be something in ourselves-far be the thought! But that the Lord might be glorified; that there might be that testimony rendered here in this world that would be to His glory and praise. Each one of us can take it to our hearts individually. Each one of us can desire that it might be with us as it was with the apostle Paul; when they looked at him it says, "They glorified God in me." They saw in him the manifestation of the life of Jesus.
This can also be so collectively, and I believe that what is brought before us in this third chapter of First Timothy is the collective side of things. The apostle Paul writing to Timothy, a young man, brings before him that which ought to characterize the house of God, which is the church of the living God. We know that divisions had not taken place among the people of God then, and so the apostle sets before us God's plan that there should be the house of God here on earth. We sometimes see a new housing development, and there is a model home set up in the development so that people can go in and see what was the mind of the builder for that development. Everything is set up in that model home so that people could discover what was in the mind of the developer. Isn't it lovely that God has done just that here in this world? He has set up that which He intended to display to the world, not man' wisdom (we hear a great deal of that today), but the wisdom of God. That is the wisdom which really counts. The wisdom of this world, in moral and spiritual things, is foolishness with God. But you and I, brethren, will find happiness, peace and joy in walking in the path of God' wisdom. We read several times in Scripture, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Another verse, speaking of wisdom, says, "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace (Prov. 3:1717Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. (Proverbs 3:17)).
Here the apostle says to Timothy, "That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God." We know that the church is looked at in two different ways in Scripture: It is spoken of as the body of Christ; and, as such, every believer is a member. It says, "By one spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews of Gentiles, whether we be bond or free" (1 Cor. 12:1313For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)). There is the one body, and Christ is the Head in glory. But there is also the house aspect. In the house aspect we learn that we are all living stones, "builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit" (1 Peter 2:55Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5), Eph. 2:2222In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22)). As such, we find the thought of the house is always the thought of responsibility. We often speak in that way: we say, "Such things would not be becoming to a house like that. That is a Christian house that stands for godliness, and it wouldn't be becoming that such things would take place there." Or, in a positive way, we might say, "I would expect, if I went into that home, to find an order of godliness." God uses the house in that way in His Word. So, when it brings in the thought of the house, it brings before us the thought of behavior-and, behavior, as we have read in the Scriptures, to the glory of God.
We need to have an object before our hearts to form our behavior. We may do things ourselves for a reputation, but that is all in vain. We read of the blessed Savior here in this world that, He "made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant." Whose reputation did He seek? 0, He sought the glory of God, His Father. The heaven could break asunder over that blessed One, and say, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." So the motivation for our behavior is not that we should be well thought of, but rather that the Lord should be glorified-that there might be that which responds to His desire, and to His heart. Just as that model home in the new development is to the honor of the man who is the developer. God has put us in this world for His praise, just as Israel was in the past, "This people have I formed for Myself; they shall show forth My praise."
Are we really concerned about this? Do we consider this in every aspect of our lives? The epistle to Timothy takes up every aspect of life. If you read it carefully you will see that there is hardly an aspect of life that is not mentioned. It brings before us how we should act with our relatives, how husbands and wives should act, and it even brings before us bodily exercise and everything that has to do with the handling of our material affairs. All this is brought before us because the world is looking on and watching, and they should see people here in this world who are seeking to walk in the wisdom of God-a people who, in the midst of a world filled with all that appeals to the natural heart, have found a secret in life, who have found direction for their pathway, and that in the Word of God. "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." So it says, "the house of God, which is the church of the living God"-the assembly, the "called-out ones." God has called you and me out from a world that is under judgment. He has purposed us for glory. But He has left us here in this world to show forth His praise (1 Peter 2:99But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9)).
But first of all, we read, "The church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." This is a greatest responsibility for God's assembly here upon earth. That is, I believe that the assembly is responsible before God to be the support of the truth. We know that the Church does not teach; the Church is taught. That is, everything that you and I know is not because a certain group teaches this or that, but because the Word of God teaches it. We are responsible to hold that deposit of truth that has been committed to us. Do we really value the truth of God? I believe that in this passage what is more particularly brought before us is what the Scripture calls, "Paul's doctrine." The Church of God is responsible to maintain the truth of God's Word from Genesis to Revelation. Sad to say, we find today a questioning of the Word of God. People will say, "This book contains the Word of God." But let us say it properly-it is the Word of God! If I say it contains the word of God, then I make myself the judge; I say, "it contains the Word of God, but I am able to pick out of it that which actually is the Word of God." That gives people the right to set aside certain verses that they don't like. But, brethren, it is the Word of God! It is the whole revealed mind of God. "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 may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim. 3:16,1716All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16‑17)).
I believe that many of us can say that in all our decisions of life we have found that the wisdom of God is given for us in the both the Old and New Testament for our pathway here. A dear servant of God once said that he didn't think he had met one single matter in his life for which he did not find somewhere in the Word of God the wisdom that he needed for that decision. I believe all is here, in God's blessed book-even those stories in the Old Testament. Read the Old Testament, because you will find the stories there are given to help us in the situations we meet in life. If we are well acquainted with those stories, we will find where someone else was in a similar position to the one we are facing, and how he or she acted-whether wisely or unwisely. And we will see the result, good or otherwise, in the governmental ways of God, by acting or not acting according to the wisdom of God's Word. So, I want to encourage each one of us, old or young: read your Bible right through. You will find all that you need for life and godliness-"That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
There were special revelations that were given to the apostle Paul-what the Scripture calls "Paul's doctrine." I believe there is a tendency to depart from those things in Christendom today. There is a spirit of compromise on every hand; giving up a little here and a little there. Perhaps, in order to get influence or numbers. But, let us remember that the Church is the pillar and ground of the truth, responsible to hold the whole truth of God that has been given to us. As Paul said to Timothy: "0 Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust" (1 Tim. 6:2020O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: (1 Timothy 6:20)). I remember a story that a brother told about a man who was given a special responsibility by the Government in Bolivia. As he was crossing a stream while seeking to carry out his responsibility, he was drowned. But the papers he had were so tightly grasped in his hand that, when they found his body, there were those papers which he was to deliver. The papers were safe, even though his body was lifeless. 0 brethren, may we lay hold of those things-and may they lay hold of us! A brother once asked another, "Have you laid hold of the truth." The reply was, "I hope the truth has laid hold of me." We need both: we need to lay hold of the truth in our own souls, and also that it should lay hold of us, and affect us.
In verse 15, then, we have the church as the custodian, if I can use that expression, or the responsible body to hold the precious truth of God and to minister it. Because, it tells us that the ascended Christ has given gifts, as we read in Ephesians four, "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." The gifts that God has given are to tell out these precious truths, and the church is responsible to hold the truth that has been given to us. The apostles and prophets laid the foundation; the evangelist goes out with the good news, telling of salvation; and then those who are brought into the assembly find there are some to care for them-the pastors and teachers, setting the truth before them. There is a lovely example of this in Acts 11: there we find that the evangelist went out and preached the Word. Then Barnabas, who was a pastor, encouraged them that, "with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord." Then Saul comes down, and they assembled themselves with the church for a whole year, and taught much people. So we have the evangelist, the pastor and the teacher. How beautiful to see the order that God has established-everything that we need for our pathway.
So, first we have brought before us the responsibility of the assembly to hold the truth that has been committed to us, and to walk in the enjoyment of it. But, in verse 16, it says, "Great is the mystery of godliness." I am sure that you have noticed that it does not say, Great is the mystery of God; but of godliness. That is, we are not only to hold the truth, but our lives ought to be so Christ-like that it should be manifested to those we meet from day to day. Just as the precious Savior was in this world-the One in whom God was manifested; the One who did everything to please His Father, so much so that He could say, "He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father." Now, the Lord has put in us that same life. It says, "Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body" (2 Cor. 4:1010Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. (2 Corinthians 4:10)). People ought to see in this earthen vessel, not that old nature that I was born with (a horrible, miserable thing, because it says in Rom. 7, "In me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing."), but the new nature, the life of Jesus. How often, even though we are Christians, people do not see the life of Jesus in us; they see us acting just as natural men, having natural desires. But we have a pattern, the Lord Jesus. We have His life, and we have a new power by the Spirit of God.
So we read here, "Great is the mystery (or, secret) of godliness." What is the secret of godliness in the Christian's life? We might try to attract attention to ourselves by the things we do. But the secret of godliness is that people should see in us the life of Jesus. Perhaps we have an example of it in 2 Kings, chapter 2, where Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what shall I do unto thee before I be taken from thee." The answer was, "Let a double portion of thy spirit-be upon me." Then Elijah said, "If thou see me when I am taken from thee, then it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so." That is, if he didn't see Elijah go up, then he would not be his representative when he was gone. So, we need to have our eyes on the Lord Jesus up there, so that we can be His representatives down here in this world. It tells us that when Elijah went up, his mantle fell. Then, what did Elisha do? He took his own clothes, rent them, set them aside, and put on the mantle of the man who had gone up. I believe that this is the thought here. That the life of Jesus might be seen in us-that is the secret of godliness.
It isn't trying to make something of ourselves-that is what the world would tell us. They say, "Make something of yourself." A brother went out to preach one time and an unsaved man said to him, "Why would you identify yourself with such a little group? Why not get with a big group and make something important of yourself." The world knows nothing else but self-exaltation, even in the things of God. A dear brother used to say, "Christendom has become a vast arena where men strive for honors for themselves." 0 brethren, may we be in the secret of the Lord, that God might be glorified in us individually and collectively, and that the life of Jesus would be seen in us.
Here we have the secret of godliness: First of all, the Lord Jesus-"God was manifested in the flesh." What an example! Peter said that, He left us an example, that, "we should follow His steps" (1 Peter 2:2121For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: (1 Peter 2:21)). Think of that pathway of the Lord Jesus-going through every kind of situation that we can go through, and always acting for the glory of God His Father. Always saying the right thing: We read in John's Gospel that He didn't even speak a word by Himself. You and I often say, "What shall I say?" The Lord didn't even say a word from Himself; He didn't ever do a thing without having a command from His Father. Brethren, that is the secret for us. Are we speaking our own words, or are we looking up to the Lord? Just as Nehemiah did when he found himself in a tight spot: He asked the Lord, and the Lord helped him to say the right thing in that difficult situation (Neh. 2:4,54Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it. (Nehemiah 2:4‑5)).
Let us look briefly at the points which are brought out here in connection with the Lord Jesus.
First, "Justified in the Spirit." Too often we are looking for the approval of man. Paul said, "Not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth" (2 Cor. 10:1818For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. (2 Corinthians 10:18)). Is that what you and I are seeking in everything? Sometimes people may laugh at us; they may say that we are foolish in the things that we do. But, whose approval are we seeking? It is natural, right and proper to want to be accepted. But, who do we want to be accepted by? Do we want to be accepted by the world, or do we want to be accepted by the Lord Jesus? In His pathway here He was, "justified in the Spirit." As far as the world was concerned, it says that He was, "despised and rejected of men. A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." But what did the Father think of that One? At His baptism, the Spirit of God came upon Him in the form of a dove (the sign of peace), and rested upon that blessed One; and the Father's voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." That was at the beginning of His path of service. Then, at the end of His pathway, we find again the Spirit of God coming upon Him-at the Mount of Transfiguration. He was justified in the Spirit. I do not believe we will have peace in our souls, and in our pathway, if we seek always to be well thought of by men. But, how good just to have the secret of the Lord, to know that we are doing what we do to please Him in obedience to His Word. Then, just leaving everything with Him, what peace that gives to the soul. This is the secret of godliness. Are we really seeking that? Or, do we say, "Nobody seems to like what I do?" Remember, if you are doing it in obedience to the Word and to please the Lord, you can just leave it-"justified in the Spirit."
"Seen of angels." This is also remarkable, because we read in 1 Cor. 4:99For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. (1 Corinthians 4:9), "We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men." Why do the sisters wear a covering? The Scripture says, "Because of the angels." And, we read in Eph. 3:1010To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, (Ephesians 3:10), "That now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the mainfold wisdom of God." The angels looked down and saw their Creator in a lower form than themselves; because, "He was made a little lower than the angels." They saw One, a man here, who was living only to the glory of God. They had seen all the ruin that came in by Adam's sin, and now there was One here who was seeking to honor His Father. The angels are looking down. Brethren, we are spectacles to the world, to angels and to men. So, this is the secret of godliness: Are we acting in such a way as to present a display that is to the glory of God? The precious Savior did. The Spirit could rest on Him in peace.
"Preached unto the Gentiles." When the Lord Jesus was rejected by His people Israel, we read that He reached out in blessing to a poor Syrophenian woman (a Gentile). What is the lesson to us? I suppose that we have all felt depressed and rejected at times; perhaps something that has been said or done has been hurtful. Do we give up? Do we throw up our hands and say, "Well, I tried; but it is no use." The Lord Jesus, when He was rejected by the nation, was "the branch that went over the wall," and reached out unto the Gentiles. Let's not give up. The Lord Jesus didn't-He went on in that pathway of love, and at the end He was, "cut off, and had nothing." But what has been the result? The result is all manifested in resurrection-the blessing has reached out to a wider area. If you dam up a stream when there is plenty of water, the water just rises higher then flows out over a wider area. So, how do you and I react when someone, perhaps, criticizes or says something hurtful? How do we react? With the precious Savior, it just made His grace go out over a wider area. He had come to glorify His Father, and nothing could stop the flow of love that went out of His blessed heart.
"Believed on in the world." You and I may not see the result. At the end of the pathway of the Lord Jesus His disciples forsook Him-the Nation cried, "Away with him." Where were the apparent results? When Paul spoke to Timothy, he said that the only way you can labor on and continue in the path, is to look beyond this life, and look to resurrection (1 Tim. 6:14-1614That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:14‑16)). Brethren, that is what we need to do. That is why Paul so often said, "that day." He left the results to another day. Let us be content just to go on. We have a pattern-our precious Savior walked this path. And, Paul said to Timothy, "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things." You and I will never have understanding for our pathway unless we have the thought before us that there is One who has gone before, and that what really counts is to have His approval.
"Received up into (or, "in") glory." How lovely to see in Luke 24:50,5150And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:50‑51), the precious Savior with those disciples: "He lifted up His hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven." What a glorious ending! His very last act was the blessing of the very disciples who had forsaken and fled from Him. May there be more of this spirit of Christ with us!
I believe that in these last two verses we have brought before us the responsibility that we have here in this world. We are like the model house, if we can put it in that way: The world is looking on; the angels are looking on-what do they see? Do they see that we are holding, standing for, maintaining, and speaking the truth in love? And, as they watch our lives, do they see that manifestation of the life of Jesus-Christ-like-in us? We surely have to humble ourselves that it is not always so. But, brethren, the Lord is still the same. We so often think of that lovely verse in Psa. 23, "He restoreth my soul." If these meetings cause us to get back into His presence with renewed desires to live to please Him, and for Him, and if these two verses in some measure might have their fulfillment in us individually and collectively, how it will glorify that blessed One who did everything for us. He went to Calvary out of love for us! Whenever we get discouraged. looking around at the weakness and failure, just think of that verse in 2 Thessalonians, chapter one, "He shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe." That will encourage us to go on, because that day is coming! What joy will then be ours. And, how it will rejoice His heart! I believe that the Lord's joy will exceed ours in that day. We shall see His face, and shall be satisfied. And, "He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied."
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