Escaping Conviction
By: John Krug
We might look at our world today and marvel at the constant exhibition of sin and iniquity Why are so many people violating the basic principles of morality, righteousness and godliness? We can only conclude that the Scripture is correct when it states: "…There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God." (Romans 3:10,11)
It is of interest to note that with unrighteousness often comes an equal amount of stupidity. About nine years ago an article appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette which illustrates this point. "A prisoner in the new Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh attempted to evade his punishment by engineering an escape from his confinement. Jerome constructed a hundred-foot rope of bedsheets, broke through a supposedly shatter-proof cell window, began to climb to freedom down his makeshift ladder. It is not known whether his plan took into account the curiosity of drivers on the busy street and Liberty Bridge below. It certainly did not take into account the sharp edges of the glass, the worn nature of the bedsheet, nor the great distance to the pavement. The bottom of the knotted bedsheet was 86 feet short of the ground. But our hero did not reach the end of the rope. The window pane sliced through the weak cloth and dropped him to his untidy demise 150 feet below."
Our penal system is supposed to provide rehabilitation for the errant members of our society; but what we observe in our system are many who continue to slide into deeper sin and crime. Is there a solution to turn a person around and set them on the road to godliness?
In our last discussion of mysteries, part 7, we elaborated upon the mystery of lawlessness. What would seem natural is to determine if there is a mystery that leads a man from lawlessness to godliness. The good news is that the mystery has been opened for all to participate.
8. The mystery of the operation by which man is restored to godliness (1 Timothy 3:16, Romans 16:25,26)
Remembering that a Biblical mystery is a truth that was hidden in the past, but is now revealed, our first question is what was hidden in the past? This is answered by recognizing that restoring a person to godliness can only come when one places their faith in the completed sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Before the coming of Christ to complete His work on the cross, man's atonement for sin was temporary based on the animal sacrifices prescribed in the Old Testament Law. "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption." (Hebrews 9:11,12)
The next question is why was the truth hidden? It was hidden until such time as God brought the Messiah, Jesus Christ into the world to provide the permanent means whereby man could obtain godliness. The symbolic picture that was painted in the Old Testament sacrificial system was only a veiled view of the completed work of Christ. "But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons." (Galatians 4:4,5)
Our third question is why is the truth now revealed? It is revealed because the subject, Jesus Christ when incarnated upon earth gave Himself up as the perfect sacrifice that could provide the way for mankind to leave his sinful and godless state of hopelessness and be placed upon the path of godliness. "..how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God." (Hebrews 9:14)
This now brings us to the point of examining the verses mentioned earlier that are associated with this mystery. "And by common confession great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Beheld by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory." (1 Timothy 3:16) The apostle Paul relates this great mystery using a common confession that was probably a common hymn of the early church. In analyzing this hymn on a phrase by phrase basis we can see many aspects of Jesus Christ concerning His stay on earth in providing the way for man to obtain godliness.
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"He who was revealed in the flesh.." This is a statement attesting to the incarnation of Jesus when God became a Man. Note that it is not God coming into a man or man becoming God, but Jesus declared as the God-Man who came to earth and lived among us. "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
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"Was vindicated in the Spirit.." The Holy Spirit vindicated Jesus Christ by confirming that He was indeed the Son of God and empowered Him while He was the God-Man on earth. This was evidenced in a number of incidences including the following:
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The conception of Mary by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20)
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The Spirit descending like a dove at the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:16)
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The Spirit empowering Jesus for all His miracles, for example making the demons subject to Him. (Matthew 12:28)
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The most important confirmation would be the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (Romans 1:4; 1 Peter 3:18)
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"Beheld by angels.." The two significant incidents occurred at His resurrection (Matthew 28:2) and ascension (Acts 1:10)
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"Proclaimed among the nations.." This was an essential command of the great commission that Christ gave to His disciples before His ascension (Matthew 28:19,20) The book of Acts then shows the early church fulfilling that commission for their world. It is important to note that this commission has never been rescinded, Believers today are disciples of Jesus Christ in a world that is still in desperate need of the gospel.
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"Believed on in the world.." Throughout the world of the early church and in our world today one can find believers in Jesus Christ across all ethnic, cultural and racial boundaries. The belief or faith in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross for a person's sins provides salvation for that person who has been justified by faith. (Romans 3:24; 4:25; 5:1,2) The faith in the grace of God through the death of His Son restores one to the condition of godliness. This is not based on the works of man but is the work of God in the lives of believers. "But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness" (Romans 4:5)
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"Taken up in glory.." This is the reference to ascension of Jesus Christ to the Father to reside at His right hand. (Hebrews 1:3;12:2)
To further amplify the meaning of this mystery the concept is also presented in another passage. "Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all nations, leading to obedience of faith;" (Romans 16:25,26) The apostle Paul had a prime focus of spread the gospel of Jesus Christ; and those of all nations that responded in faith to that message would be obedient to the faith. This is another way of saying a person is restored to godliness.
The implication of this mystery is that mankind does not have to live in the dregs of unrighteousness and ungodliness. There is opportunity for reconciliation to a holy God; but that does not occur on human terms. God is the one who provides the way to reconciliation and godliness through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. "..but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we now received the reconciliation." (Romans 5:11)
Where are you when measuring the righteousness of your life with respect to a holy God? As humans who are hopelessly lost in our sin and iniquity, we can only be classed as ungodly. If that is your condition take the only road to godliness that is available by placing your faith in redemption that is available through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. "And now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:13)
All Scripture from The New American Standard Bible, The Lockman Foundation.
