1 Timothy 3:16
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
God appearing in human form was hidden language which only those who believe could capture. Here are some key things to note from our text:
- It was God who was manifested or who came in the flesh. A body was prepared for Him (Heb 10:5).
- It was God therefore who walked the streets of Nazareth, Judea, Galilee, Capernaum etc.
- It was God who was justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached unto the gentiles, believed on in the world and received up in glory.
- Therefore, Jesus is God made manifest.
He is one God who functions in different offices or dimensions of manifestation. The manifestations of God are in dispensations which are time bound. This is when the eternal and everlasting God comes into time to fulfil a function or an assignment. A time is coming when we shall see Him for who He is (1 John 3:2).
God spoke certain things about Himself knowing the limitations of our understanding. For example, words like “son of God, sent by the Father” etc throw many people off balance. There is an office that can God entered in order to fulfil a function, like Father and Holy Spirit. These are not names, Father is not His name, Holy Spirit is not His name. The name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is Jesus Christ. Mathew 28:19. All of God answers to the name Jesus, Phil 2:9-11.
Unlocking the Mystery of Jesus: A Journey of Revelation Knowledge
When teaching about knowing Jesus, it might seem elementary, even preschool, yet many, including those who claim to be born again, find themselves in need of a deeper understanding in this subject. The knowledge of God is accessed through revelation—a form of understanding that goes beyond mere information. Information can produce a great bible professor who is not saved. It only shows us what is available but leaves us to decide and actualize it whereas revelation drives you to action and also commits God.
The Sons of Sceva, as the narrative goes, learned a harsh lesson in Acts 9:11-20. Their lack of knowledge & understanding about Jesus, authority in The Spirit and the rules of engagement led to painful consequences, showcasing the critical distinction between information and revelation. What demons knew and understood gave them legal right to inflict pain on the sons of Sceva.
Who is Jesus? Unveiling the Great Mystery of Godliness
The identity of Christ is portrayed as a great mystery, one that can only be unlocked through revelation. In a world that elevates wealth, scientific knowledge and technology, the pursuit of God’s knowledge often takes a back seat. The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 1:20-21, highlights that worldly wisdom fails to unveil the mysteries of God.
Even the Apostles, who walked closely with Jesus, were initially perplexed by His identity and mission. The Gospels recount moments of wonder, such as when the disciples marvelled at Jesus’ control over the elements in Mathew 8:27. Yet, the experiential knowledge gained from walking with Him did not necessarily translate into a deep understanding of His divinity.
The importance of revelation knowledge is underscored by the example of the Apostle Paul. Though he did not physically walk with Jesus, his epistles expound on the person of Christ more profoundly than the Gospels. Peter acknowledges the challenge of understanding Paul’s writings, recognizing that they came from revelation, not mere experience. 2 Pet 3:15-16. Great is the mystery of Godliness.
Foolishness to the World, Wisdom to Believers
The paradoxical nature of faith is emphasized, challenging worldly standards. Many people celebrate Christmas and Easter etc but fail to grasp the profound significance of who Jesus is, why He came, and what His accomplishments mean for humanity. The knowledge of God is foolishness to those who are wise in this world and the strength of God is regarded as weakness according to the world’s standards and measurements. Look at this:
- The things of the Spirit are foolishness to the worldly people. 1 Cor 2:14
- The message of the cross is foolishness to those that are perishing… 1 Cor 1:18-19 yet through the foolishness of that message preached those who believe are saved. 1 Cor 1:21
- Christ is stumbling block to Jews (The religions of the world) and foolishness to Greeks (wise philosophers of the world) 1 Cor 1:23-24
- But the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men and the weakness of God is stronger than the strength of men. 1 Cor 1:25
- The apostles were fools, weak & dishonored for Christ’s sake. 1 Cor 4:10
It was Paul the Apostle who said “I take pleasure and boast in persecutions and distresses, for when i am weak (according to the flesh or world’s perspective) then i am strong in the Lord”: 2 Cor 12:9-10 because the strength of God is perfected in what the world calls weakness.
The Incarnation
One time Jesus asked His disciples what men say and also who they thought He was and only Peter caught the revelation. Mathew 16:16
They did not know as at that time, what happened at the incarnation or whether it was an incarnation or not. Isaiah’s prophetic declaration centuries before Jesus’ birth revealed a level of understanding that surpassed the contemporaneous comprehension of those who lived during Jesus’ earthly ministry. Isaiah 9:6.” And His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
The is clearly shows us that you can only know Jesus by revelation and without this it is not possible (Gal 1:15-16). Isaiah new Him, Moses and the prophets wrote about Him (John 1:44-45, John 5:46, Luke 24:27), Abraham saw His day (John 8:56), David called Him Lord in the Spirit, (Mathew 22:43-45, Psalm 22:1-31). All these men knew Jesus by revelation and believed in Him in the Spirit realm, because revelation exists in a timeless realm.
It was not obvious that the Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ. Isaiah said he grew as a tender plant, without splendour and if we had the opportunity to look at Him physically, there was no beauty that we should desire Him. Despised and rejected by men… (Isaiah 53:2-3). There was nothing physically desirable about Jesus. The Samaritan woman, expecting the Messiah to come, was unaware that the long-awaited figure stood before her (John 54:25). It puzzles my mind how many people shook hands with Jesus, ate with Him but they never knew Him or glorified Him as God.
He declares to His disciples that now they knew where He was going and the way He was taking, then Thomas raised an objection. (John 14:4-6) to question the same things Jesus just said they now know. Jesus goes on to make another declaration that “from now on they knew and had seen the Father” then Phillip came on board with another request: John 14:8-11 “Lord show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us”, in other words they were not satisfied with the revelation of the Father through Christ Jesus which spells unbelief. My question to you today is “Are you satisfied with Jesus, or you are seeking for God beyond the manifestation of the Father through Christ.
THE VEIL
Philippians 2:5-8 describes God’s humility in taking on human form, an act that blinded many of His divine nature. The controversy surrounding His divinity led to His engineered crucifixion.
There is no one humbler than God in the heavens, in both this world and the one to come. To think that God the creator of the heavens and the earth and all that is within it would put on flesh, that’s humility. He humbled Himself unto death but not an ordinary death but the shameful death of a criminal. He was numbered with the transgressors Isaiah 53:12.
Jesus was too human to be God for them. They saw him eating, drinking, cry, tired, hungry, grieving, sleeping, praying and also witnessed His death.
His fleshly body was a veil. Heb 10:19-20. His humanity veiled his divinity even though there was plenty evidence of his divinity which again appears as foolishness to those who are perishing. John used to rest comfortably on his chest but when he saw him in his glory Rev 1:17 he fell flat like a dead man & had to be revived.
In the days of His flesh, He learned obedience by the things he suffered, (Heb 5:7-9) The greatest things that Jesus suffered were not physical or emotional – robbers also suffered physically and emotional. There is a kind of suffering which no cannot be captured in words or portrayed because its spiritual.
God’s Poverty
The scriptures tell us that though God was rich, he became poor. For a Holy and Righteous God to become a human and also become sin. He put on flesh which is susceptible to all kinds of things for 33 years was enough suffering. He became poor for our sakes 2 Cor 8:9. His poverty was not financial, its a consideration of what he had to forgo in order to become a human who can die. It was David who told us that even for God to look and behold things in heaven and on earth, he has to humble himself (Psalm 113:6).
For a God who owns and created everything to be nursed by the one He created, the God who is omnipresent to walk on foot from place to place to the point of exhaustion, the God who is all powerful to be dragged by man of flesh and beaten, saints this was his poverty.
The Appointment
Hebrews 9:27-28 explains the necessity of God taking on flesh, for we were appointed once not twice to die but thank God for Jesus Christ He showed up and kept the appointment on your behalf, to fulfil the penalty for sin, tasting death for everyone and rendering a second appointment unnecessary. He overcame and credited his victory to our account, that is eternal life.
There is no second appointment, Hallelujah! for Jesus died once and for all. Rom 6:10-11
Was God Successful in becoming human?
Philippians 2:5-11 illustrates God’s successful embodiment of humanity. The gospels showcase His relations, hunger, thirst, fatigue, pain and temptation, yet without sin, He was invited to weddings, ate, drank, visited people etc. This successful human experience serves as a model for believers to overcome the limitations of the flesh. (Gal 5:16-18, Rom 13:14)
God was successful in becoming human so we can successfully be like Him.
God doesn’t want you to be like Jesus the man of Nazareth, baby in a manger, carpenter’s son, son of David, no!. Christ is not from Nazareth but from above. The Jesus of Nazareth came to assume our state of sin in order to upgrade us to where we belong by God’s ordination.
- He became sin so we may become the righteousness of God.
- He was rejected and now we are accepted in the beloved.
- He was condemned so we could be justified.
- He died our death and gave us His life.
- He came down so that we can ascend up in the heavenly places.
- His stripes and wounds were healing to us.
- Though he was rich He came poor, so that through his poverty we can be rich. Read scriptures to gain context of the poverty and riches, (2 Cor 8:9, Eph 1:17-18, Eph 2:7, Eph 3:8, Eph 3:16, Col 1:27)
How can we become rich as a result of His poverty? This means what he lost in order to become human is what we gained so we may become like Him in glory.
As He is (not as he was) so are we in this world. Right now, He is sitted at the right hand of the Father, crowned with glory and honor and we are sitted together with Him in the heavenly places, far above principalities and powers. This is the Jesus we must look at, the risen, glorified and enthroned Lord. he is no longer on the cross or in the grave.
We look unto this Jesus, the author and finisher of faith Heb 12:2. As we behold and gaze upon this image, we are transformed into His likeness 2 Corinthians 3:18. This is what we must become. We must look at the correct image because many are looking at Him the cross, and many are still visiting His grave and where He was baptized. But He is not there, for He is risen. His is alive and not found among the dead Luke 24:5-6. Walking like Him is more important than walking where He walked.
