JUSTIFIED IN THE SPIRIT
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: 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.
At the exact same moment that Christ was “manifest in the flesh,” he was also “justified in the Spirit.” And it is important that we see that Christ Jesus was “justified IN the Spirit,” and not just justified BY the Spirit! For the Holy Spirit is one with Him and the Father. 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
And having said that, we more clearly understand that this is indeed a great mystery! For we cannot fully comprehend the relationship of the three Persons of the Godhead and their oneness together! Consider these words of the prayer of the Lord to the Father: John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
It is recorded in John 10:30 that the Lord Jesus said, “I and my Father are one.” And it is also recorded in John 12:48 that he also said, “my Father is greater that I.” And both, though seeming to contradict each other, are true. For in His Eternal Sonship, he and the Father are one. Yet in his submissive identity as the Son of man, the Father is seen as greater. It was in his submissive character as the Son of man in which he was praying to the Father in that John 17 passage.
For the Lord Jesus was submissive to the Father and Spirit in his office, but was their equal in his Person. Consider these verses: John 3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Romans 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
And what do we understand of that word, “justified”? It is the same Greek word used in Romans eight for the salvation of the sinner by God’s grace. Romans 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Yet it cannot carry that same meaning regarding Christ, for he was without sin. Therefore we come to understand that it implies a ‘vindication.’ That is, the Holy Spirit put God’s ‘stamp of approval’ upon the man Christ Jesus! For when He stated, “I am the Bread,” all the loaves were multiplied and the hungry were fed. And when He proclaimed, “I am the light of the world,” even those born blind received their sight. Therefore we see that the Holy Spirit vindicated His claim in being the very Son of God! John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Now let us make use of our wonderful privilege made available to us in observing his first public reading of the scriptures. Which passage would he read? And what comments would he then make? For the Person of the Word, (John 1:1-3, 14), would read the written record book which spoke of himself. John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Here is that recorded account: Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
That passage which he read is Isaiah 61:1,2. He purposely found the place where it was written! And it is the place proclaiming that the Holy Spirit was “upon” him, and had “anointed” him to preach, heal and deliver those under the bondage of Satan. And what was his only comment? What was his only message? It was a nine worded sermon, stating, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. It was the message that the Holy Spirit would “justify” him, now that he was “manifest in the flesh.” Now that the Invisible, Eternal God was present in human form, the Holy Spirit would vindicate his ministry, bringing God to bear upon the world’s scene!
Philip asked to see the Father and the Lord Jesus said, “You are looking at Him!” John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
And as we continue to investigate this portion of the “mystery of godliness,” we can find that this was pictured for us from the very outset of the scriptures. For the Holy Spirit both revealed Him in His eternal and in his physical manifestation! Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
In these verses we can also see that from the beginning the Spirit moved before it is recorded that, “God said.” As the Eternal Son of God, he had always existed! Proverbs 8:23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: 30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
Yet before we read “God said” in that Genesis 1:3 verse, we read in the previous verse, “the Spirit of God moved.” And immediately after the moving of the Spirit, the Word speaks and light is brought forth. But who is that light? For the sun, moon and stars are not created until the fourth day! See Genesis 1:14-19.
We find out just who the Light was in the Lord’s words concerning himself. John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Therefore we come to understand that this was the Holy Spirit ‘introducing’ the Eternal Son of God to creation.
And then we can readily see that it was the Holy Spirit who overshadowed the virgin Mary to initiate the coming of the Son of God in becoming “manifest in the flesh.” For just as the Hoy Spirit brought the Son of God to bear upon Creation, so here He does the same concerning the Incarnation! Luke 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
And without the Holy Spirit sustaining the Humanity of the Lamb of God, there could have been no redemption! For we commonly fail to see the involvement of the Holy Spirit at the crucifixion. Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
And in the finality of all existence, we read that both the Trinity, and the redeemed and glorified church shall come into oneness in order that God may be “all in all.” 1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
John 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
For as God was “manifest in the flesh,” by the physical body of Jesus of Bethlehem, so shall he be manifest in His spiritual body, made up of all the ransomed church of God throughout eternity! Psalm 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
We shall not be God! But we shall be like him! gb
