BELIEVED ON IN THE WORLD
1 Timothy 3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: 0 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.
There were some in Jesus’ day, just as there have always been, and still are now, whose belief was not accepted by the Lord! Consider these verses:
This fifth phrase to reveal the great mystery of God’s revelation of Himself to humankind may not seem to be of such a great matter to us who have seen the gospel come all the way around the globe to us on these distant shores. But if we consider it from this apostle’s point of view it will appear in a far different light. Let us then consider his mindset as he reveals it to the believers in Rome.
Romans 15:17 I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, 19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation: 21 But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.
Very few in our day realize the meaning of the Apostle Paul’s words as he states in 2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. For what he means is that there was no sensed authority or power in himself. He was entirely dependent upon the working of the Holy Spirit to honor his efforts. And, of himself, he felt a weakness and an inability to accomplish any workings of redemption. But then, when the Holy Spirit enabled him, he was strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might! Therefore when he was weak in himself, he was strong in the holy Spirit!
1 Corinthians 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Yet in the above listed passage in Romans we see that he pressed on into regions beyond any established gospel work. 2 Corinthians 10:16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.
For when he crossed over into Asia, the first work of the Holy Spirit was seen in his sitting down to speak to a group of women washing clothes by a river. What an unlikely setting, not very accommodating to our modern concept of a religious service! One of the women was Lydia, whose home was opened to him, as her heart was opened by the Lord, for the gathering together of any believers. Acts 16:12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. 13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. 14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. 15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
And it was to her house that he later resorted in order to find comfort from his imprisonment. Acts 16:40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
Therefore we see that the Apostle Paul had nothing but his faith in the “mystery of godliness,” which manifested itself as he walked entirely by that faith, without the structure of religion which we assume upon in our day.
John 2:23 ¶ Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed (same Greek word ‘commit’ in verse 24), in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. 24 But Jesus did not commit (same Greek word ‘believed’ in verse 23), himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.
John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
In John chapter three we are shown an unacceptable belief. Whereas in John chapter four we have revealed to us a Christ-honored faith and belief. Consider the preface to Nicodemus’ encounter with the Lord in those last three verses of John chapter two. It is stated that the ‘belief’ of those who thought to come to Christ on the basis of miracles did not have the Lord to ‘commit’ to them. And the very first words out of the mouth of Nicodemus reveal that his was of this unacceptable belief.
Yet in chapter four the Lord challenges the nobleman whose son was at the point of death. For in verses 48 through 50 we read of the issue not being of an unacceptable belief, but that of a true Christ-honoring faith! John 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
In these two encounters with both Nicodemus and the nobleman, whose son was at the point of death, it is made clear that seeking to whom the Lord Jesus is, and not in merely what he does, is the true belief of faith. For in order to please God with an acceptable belief, one must first believe in His Person. Then one must believe in His actual response to that faith. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 1John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
Therefore the true spiritual walk by faith involves a personal acceptance and awareness of God’s rewarding those who seek him! Did you ask? Did you seek? Did you knock? And then did you not only expect God to personally respond, but did you acknowledge and give thanks to that response in you present daily life?
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
For the same reality that we experience in the needs of our children, or the needs that we had as children in asking of our parent, should be even more experienced as a reality in our praying to the Lord. And the supplying of that need brought on thankfulness. And so it should as we walk in a God-consciousness! For unthankfulness is the first step on the road of apostasy!
Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
And whereas the lack of that thankfulness begins one on the road of apostasy, the presence of that thankfulness brings in the fulness of spiritual joy to the believer! John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
For it enters one’s heart into the glorifying of the Lord God! Psalm 50:23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me:
God being “believed on in the world” is a part of the great mystery of godliness!
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