THE MOST MARVELOUS MYSTERY

I Timothy 3:16

A Study By

Dr. O. Wilburn Swaim

docswaim@hotmail.com

www.angelfire.com/nc/exhortationplace

 

 

Introduction:

Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, all conjure up images of cloak and

DAGGER, or, who DUN’ IT or, the BUTLER did it. But not so in the

Scriptures.

A Bible Mystery is defined in the following passages: Romans 16:25, 26; Colossians

1:2, 6. It is:

Something God was ETERNALLY planning to do,

but didn’t TELL anybody. It is a truth that in the OLD Testament is

concealed, but in the New Testament REVEALED.

I Timothy 2:16 tells us of such a mystery:

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.

 

But first, let’s consider what moved God to devise this great plan.

The Study:

Genesis 3, the TEMPTATION and Fall of man.

Satan introduced his Great LIE. It is in three parts:

    1. God’s WORD is not true (Heathenism)
    2. SIN is not so bad (Hedonism)
    3. Man can, through his own efforts, attain to Godhood (HUMANISM)

The author of the Lie: John 8:44. It is SATAN.

The Lie is organized into a religious SYSTEM (Gen 11:1-9), and scattered

throughout the EARTH. Note Paul’s commentary on it in Romans 1:18ff. Note

Verse Twenty-five.

In II Thessalonians 2:3-9, the LIE is consummated. It is personified (def.: per·son·i·fy (p…r-s¼n"…-fº") tr.v. per·son·i·fied, per·son·i·fy·ing, per·son·i·fies. 1. To think of or represent (an inanimate object or abstraction) as having personality or the qualities, thoughts, or movements of a living being. 2. To represent (an object or abstraction) by a human figure. 3. To represent (an abstract quality or idea). 4. To be the embodiment or perfect example of. --per·son"i·fi"er n.

It becomes Incarnate (Def.: in·car·nate (¹n-kär"n¹t) adj. 1.a. Invested with bodily nature and form. b. Embodied in human form; personified. 2. Incarnadine. --in·car·nate tr.v. in·car·nat·ed, in·car·nat·ing, in·car·nates (-n³t"). 1.a. To give bodily, especially human, form to. b. To personify. 2. To realize in action or fact; actualize. --in·car"na"tor n.

Satan, the author and propagator of iniquity, embodies it in a man, the Antichrist.

That which the Devil began in the Garden of Eden, and organized into a religious system

at Babel: Has been working (II Thess 2:7; I Jhn 2:18) down through these years, in the

Tribulation Period becomes a person, the Antichrist. Iniquity will be fully manifested--be

revealed as to what it really is. The LIE will be fully known.

As Iniquity worked behind the scenes, not totally understood, but will be

revealed, so with godliness.

Godliness was sought by many people, in the Old Testament, but none ever

attained to it.

Godliness was manifested in the Old Testament in people, but they all fell short.

Godliness was manifested in the Old Testament in the LAW, and

while perfect in itself, it was unable to bring lost sinners to godliness.

Finally: Gal.4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Note Mt. 5:17.

How is godliness at last realized? Answer: "God was manifest in the flesh" (I TIMOTHY 3:16)

Now that both "mysteries" are revealed, what shall be the end of it all? Note in

Rev. 21:8 "and all liars," is literally, "all the liars." John says all who have followed

Satan in his great lie, shall at the last partake with him of the Lake of Fire.

Conclusion:

Christ is NOT just the Son of God, He is God the Son!