“Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).

Do we stop believing this just because it comes to us from a long time ago?

No! We keep on saying, “Praise the Lord! It’s true!”

We keep on singing the song of our Saviour.

God was manifested in the flesh ...

"I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God ... the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh ..." (1 Timothy 3:15-16).

We read, in 1 Timothy 3:16, of our deeply-held convictions concerning our Saviour, Jesus Christ: "God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory." Paul is not only speaking about beliefs that we hold with our minds - 'I believe this about Christ. I believe that about Him.' He's speaking about beliefs that change the way we live - "how you conduct yourselves in the house of God" (1 Timothy 3:15).  

When Paul speaks about "the mystery of godliness", he's speaking about "God was manifested in the flesh". He's also speaking about "how we conduct ourselves in the house of God." This is the practical mystery - How can sinners live a godly life? This takes us beyond recalling the events of Christ's life. This takes us beyond, "I believe this about Him. I believe that about Him." This takes us on to Paul's teaching concerning the Holy Spirit: "your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you ... you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit ... " (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). 

When Paul writes to us about "how we conduct ourselves in the house of God", we may recall his description of our life (it's more than our body, it's our body and our spirit) as "the temple of the Holy Spirit." Paul is not only concerned about how we behave when we set foot in the house of God. He's concerned about our whole life. He's saying to us, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).

What is the connection between "the mystery of godliness" - God was manifested in the flesh" - and "the mystery of godliness" - sinners saved by grace are led in the way of the Holy Spirit? - "You were bought at a price": If we really believe the things that happened to Christ and the reason that these things happened to Him ("for us and for our salvation"), how can we continue to live as if these things were not true?
How we conduct ourselves - in the house of God and in the whole of life: This is where the real strength of our faith will be seen. Strong faith expresses itself in godly living. A strong faith is always ready to ask the question, "How much is my life being changed by the Lord?"

Holy, Holy, Holy ...

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty” (Isaiah 6:3); “Your sins are forgiven” (Isaiah 6:7).

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I am the worst of them” (1 Timothy 1:15).

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Awesome holiness: It was my sin which sent Christ to the Cross.

Amazing love: Christ has taken my sin to the Cross. I receive His forgiveness.

Blessing Is In Jesus. Blessing Comes From Him.

“Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!” (Mark 11:9).

Blessing is in Jesus. Blessing comes to us through Him. There's no direct route to God's blessing without going by way of Jesus. He is "the Way, the Truth and the Life." We come to God the Father through Him (John 14:6). When we are deeply aware of our sin, we rejoice in this: There is one God and one Mediator between God and us, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for us all" (1 Timothy 2:5-6). 

Praying Through God's Word: 1 Timothy

1 Timothy 1:1-2:15

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance” (1 Timothy 1:15). Help us, Lord, to receive this Gospel truth – and to have this Gospel testimony: “I received mercy … the grace of our Lord overflowed for me” (1 Thessalonians 1:13-14). Help us to say, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith”; “God forbid that I should glory except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:16 & Galatians 6:14). Help us to be “eager to preach the Gospel” (Romans 1:15).

1 Timothy 3:1-4:16

What are we to believe? How are we to behave? Lord, these are very important questions. We’re not only to believe the right things. We’re to live the right way. Help us to be “nourished in the words of the faith” so that we “may know how one ought to behave in the household of God” (1 Timothy 4:6 & 3:15). Help us to “watch our life and doctrine closely” (1 Timothy 4:16). Be real to us, Lord, in every part of life: “Fill Thou our life, O Lord our God, in every part with praise – Not for the lip of praise alone nor even the praising heart, I ask, but for a life made up of praise in every part.”

1 Timothy 5:1-6:21

Lord, there have been disappointments in life. “Some have already strayed after Satan.” Many “have wandered away from the faith.” They have not found happiness. They “have pierced their hearts with many griefs” (1 Timothy 5:15 & 6:9-10). What are we to do? How can we be victorious in this spiritual battle? We must “give the enemy no opportunity to slander us.” We must take care how we live – so that “God’s Name … may not be slandered” (1 Timothy 5:14 & 6:1). Help us, Lord, to live a life of “godliness”, a life that is based on “the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ.”