The Mystery of Godliness

Scripture: Without question, great is the mystery of godliness:

God was revealed in the flesh,
    justified in the Spirit,
seen by angels,
    preached to the Gentiles,
believed on in the world,
    taken up into glory.

1 Timothy 3:16

Observation: I have become interested in the pronouncement of "mysteries" in the writings of Paul. He names several, and here he names "godliness" - specifically, it appears, the mystery of Jesus being both of the flesh but also God. He attributes six traits to this mysterious fact of the godliness of Jesus, and four of them I get as traits of Messiah ... he was God but in the flesh, he was filled with the Holy Spirit, he was acknowledged by angels, and he was taken into heaven.

However, two traits don't seem "godly" per se: He preached to the Gentiles, and was then believed in by the world. In other words, it appears Paul is attributing "godliness" specifically to the trait of ... being Messiah but simultaneously moving beyond the selection of the Jews and instead reaching out to the salvation of all mankind.

As a mid-first century Hebrew, Paul is educating a fellow Hebrew on the true nature of God. God is NOT the God of the Jews, but he is the God of the world. Therefore, the mystery of the Messiah - and evidence of Messiah's godliness - would be that he would not be the savior of the Jews, but the savior of the world. This is the mystery that was overlooked in the scriptures.

Application: As an early 21st century Christian, I need to be educated. God is NOT the God of Christians, but he is the God of the world. Therefore, Jesus is not the savior of the Christians, but the savior of the world. This is a mystery that has been overlooked in the Bible.

I forget sometimes that God loves the jerk making my life problematic at work as much as he loves me. I forget that Jesus was sacrificed to save the person who cut me off in traffic just like he died to forgive my sins. And I forget that I was (and often still am) the problematic jerk cutting people off. The point is, everyone on earth - Christian, Hindu, Muslim, agnostic, democrat, republican, queer, murderer, male, female, African, Asian, American, Chinese, Indian, mystic, atheist, or whatever label defines a belief system - is beloved by the God of the universe, and saved by the power of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection if they only choose to believe.

This is the mystery of godliness ... that in God's great love, he would choose to make himself known to ALL of his own creation, in the hopes that by their simple faith all may live with him forever.

Prayer: Lord, thank you could never, ever be enough for the salvation that comes through Jesus. I know I cannot earn your love and blessing because you have already freely given it. May I only move step by step daily toward being more worthy of that love. Amen.