The Foundation of Gospel Truth

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.”

(1 Timothy 3:16)

While unbelievers contest with the clear declaration of God in His inspired Word, yet, for those that He has taught by His Spirit, the Truth as it is in Christ is self-evident and incontrovertible: “...without controversy...”. Here we have 5 indisputable statements regarding Christ and His work accomplished for the salvation of sinners. The way these words are structured in Greek, they are as refrains of a hymn, that history records would have been sung by the early church as her confession of Faith.

1.) God was manifested in the flesh: For the accomplishing of the work of salvation, God Himself took on flesh. It was in the person of His Son that God came: “...in the fulness of the time made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons...” (Galatians 4:4-5)

2.) Justified in the Spirit: By the Holy Spirit He is declared to be what He always was and is: the Just One, in Whom the Father is well pleased, declared so at His baptism [Matthew 3:16] and in His death and resurrection: 1 Peter 3:18; Acts 2:32-33. In time, the Spirit reveals the work of righteousness in the hearts of those whom the Father justified when Christ finished the work at the cross, 1 Corinthians 6:11.

3.) Seen by angels: There were many instances when the LORD Jesus was seen by angels from His birth to His death, burial, resurrection and ascension back to Heaven [Mark 1:13; Luke 22:41-43] and especially at the resurrection Matthew 28:2-7.

4.) Preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world: Christ did not come to establish an earthly Jewish kingdom, but rather a spiritual kingdom made up of sinners from every tribe nation, and tongue, through the preaching of His Person and Work accomplished at the Cross whereby they have been given faith to believe, Romans 1:5. God’s way of creating faith in men’s hearts is not by pictures, music, passion plays, movies, or symbols, but by the hearing of the Word of God preached, 1 Corinthians 1:18-21.

5.) Received up in glory: This is the ultimate purpose for the LORD Jesus coming: that having finished the work of redemption, justification and sanctification of those given Him by the Father, He should return to the Father Who sent Him. His resurrection and ascension [Luke 24:51] are proof that He finished the work [Hebrews 1:3] and now ever lives to intercede for each one for whom He paid the debt, 1 John 2:1.