"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)). The mystery of godliness, I believe, brings in the practical part for us. Here is the source, the origin, of the mystery of godliness. God manifest in the flesh is what starts it out.
When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son born of a woman—God manifest in the flesh. The mystery of godliness has come down to give us a demonstration of what it is, and it is the Lord Jesus Himself. He is that mystery of godliness in person here on earth. He came down to show us, so we have it in the life of the Lord Jesus. He perfectly demonstrated to us what the mystery of godliness is. That is the beauty of reading the gospels where we see Him demonstrating it for us. It is given to us here for an example for us to imitate in the church of the living God.
Christ is no longer here to demonstrate this, but His body, the church, is viewed as the house of God. It is in the house where this mystery of godliness is demonstrated and ought to be seen. That is what the church is to be on this earth. We are the only Bible that a lot of people read. We, God's people, are the house of God here, the place where the order and government of God Himself are demonstrated, so we ought to function in that way. It is not the counsels of God coming out as it is in Ephesians, showing us what He purposes and has done and will do, but it is a practical thing that is shown out-this mystery of godliness.
It started out with God manifest in the flesh, and so the Spirit of God could justify the Lord Jesus in all His actions. It is of God; there were no flaws, nothing was there to contradict. Everyone who came to the Lord to find fault or to accuse was turned away in total exposure of the reality of what their purposes really were, for the light of God exposes.
The Lord Jesus was seen of angels. The angels for the first time saw their Creator when He was born and placed in Bethlehem's manger. There you get them praising God in that humble scene—God come down here on the earth. I can't help thinking that if it were possible, the angels would be envious of humans, because God became a human being like us. He was seen of angels, not made in the likeness of angels. They behold in us, the church, the manifold wisdom of God, because God has expressed all this to us.
Compare this to a marriage. We are not the audience; we are the participants with God, while the angels are there observing. John 3:28-2928Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. (John 3:28‑29) says, "Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before Him. He that bath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled." John the Baptist was not in the intelligence of the relationship with Christ that we are. He knew his relationship with Christ as the friend of the Bridegroom, and that was as close as it had been revealed to him. Some in heaven will enjoy being friends of the Bridegroom, but He that has the bride is the Bridegroom. How beautiful!
In 1 Timothy 3 we read: "Preached unto the Gentiles." So the bride is purposely chosen out of the Gentiles, which was a new thing at that time, for only the Jews up to that time had been receiving blessing in such a favorable way.
“Believed on in the world." There is no limitation to the extension of the outpouring of God's grace today and no exclusion; it is to all.
“Received up into glory." The mystery of godliness doesn't end here on earth; the Lord Jesus was received up into glory. If those leaders of the Jews had known that that would be the result, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But they did crucify Him, and He is up there waiting to receive His bride.
That is the mystery of godliness, and that is what the Lord Jesus wants to see demonstrated in our lives. If it involves being different, let us be different and like Christ. D. B.