1st Timothy 3:16  “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” KJV St. Paul explained that the hidden understanding of godliness was undisputable. What he referred to as godliness is the description of what we believe is the complete knowledge of the story of Jesus in the plan of God.

The context is contained in the following verses in chapter 4, which delineate the many things to watch for: seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; lies in hypocrisy; profane and old wives’ fables. This entire letter from Paul to Timothy contains instructions to help this young minister care for his flock.

There was plenty of religious junk out there that could easily confuse new Christians. St. Paul says in Colossians 2:8 in the Amplified translation, “See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men’s ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah).”Amplified Classic. Plain nonsense. I like that. No mystery there.

The original eye witnesses of Jesus’ life and ministry had to have the revelation of Him directly from the Spirit of God in order to understand what happened to Him and what they were to do about it. The gospels report many times that they didn’t understand Him at all and “were afraid to ask Him.”(Mark 9:32 KJV) Later on, in St. Peter’s second letter he says, “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.  For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (II Peter 1:16-21 KJV)

In his first letter, St. John says this: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (I John 1:1-5 KJV)

Thank You so much, Father, that You preserved these accounts for us from the original eye witnesses so we could have confidence in our faith in You. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit Who keeps us in truth. Amen.