Messages

Scripture: 1 Tim 3:16

¹⁶ Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great:

He appeared in the flesh,
    was vindicated by the Spirit,^[a]
was seen by angels,
    was preached among the nations,
was believed on in the world,
    was taken up in glory.

Balance is the key to life.

Any truth taken to the extreme by ignoring other aspects related to the context and subject is unbalanced and harmful. Acts 20:27, Paul taught the whole counsel of God. 1 Tim 4:16; Paul exhorted Timothy.

¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

The responsibility to maintain doctrinal purity rests with pastoral leadership. The moral purity should be guarded by each individual.

Whenever we focus on a truth to the exclusion of other aspects of truth, we end up in error. Joseph Mattera, identifies 12 error doctrines in the present Church.

1. Hyper Grace:

Eph 2:8, 9 ……..James

2. Hyper Holiness:

Externals……. Mat 23; hypocrites

3. Hyper Calvinist:

God’s sovereignty…….Human responsibility

George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, C H Spurgeon were different

4. Hyper Armanianism:

Human responsibility……..God’s sovereignty

5. Hyper Love:

Love of God……..Righteousness and Justice

6. Hyper Faith:

7. Hyper Prosperity

8. Hyper High Church……..emotional experiences

9. Hyper kingdom

10. Hyper dispensation

11. Hyper charismatic

12. Hyper rational

It is our sacred responsibility to examine every doctrine. 1 John 4:1; 1 Thess 5:21;

Mystery in this context means things once unknown but now known to God’s people. Paul, learnt the key to true godliness.

A. MYSTERY OF GODLINESS IS NOT SELF INDULGENCE. 1 Cor 15:32-34; Pro 21:17

You’re addicted to thrills? What an empty life!
    The pursuit of pleasure is never satisfied.

A self indulgent religion is a Christ denying religion.

B. THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS IS NOT IN KEEPING RULES.  Col 2:21-23 1 Tim 4:1-5

Rule keeping will lead you to legalism. You will start measuring yourself and others with your rule stick. It will result in 3 things.

• Asceticism……False humility and harsh treatment of body with self imposed rules of worship.
• Elitism………an appearance of wisdom and know it all attitude. And considers others as know nothings. You will end up as a recluse who cannot truly associate with other Christians.
• Judgementalism……holier than others attitude.

Remember, true spirituality will enable you to stoop down like Jesus. He was full of truth and grace. And he could associate with all sorts of people.

He loved the sinner without approving their sin. Following external laws will make you a spiritual Pharisee or hypocrite. Mat 23

But the inside outside transformation is all together a different thing. The law is there to remind us that it is impossible to follow the religious laws by our own self will.

C. THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS IS NOT MANIFESTED THROUGH THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 1 Cor 12-14

D. THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS IS NOT IN HAVING SUPERNATURAL AND UNUSUAL EXPERIENCES.  2 Cor 12

For Paul to live is to know Christ and become like Him in every way possible.

E. THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS IS JESUS CHRIST: GOD MANIFESTED IN FLESH

1 Tim 3:16

Christ was tempted in every way.  Heb 4:15

He endured great opposition from sinners. Heb 12:3

He resisted sin to the point of shedding his own blood. Heb 12:4

He pleased his dad the way dad wanted to the last detail. John 17:4

Jesus was humiliated, exalted and glorified.

The mystery of godliness lies in the fact of imitating Jesus like dearly loved children.

It remains in overcoming sin and struggles by loving Christ and him alone.

And by not becoming weary and cold in our love for him in our earthly pilgrim journey.