The Mystery Of Godliness

by William Savigar | Category: General | Oct 1933

The Word was made flesh " (John 1. 14). These five words declare in the briefest of terms the greatest of truths. They tell that the Divine Word, who is God, Eternal, Almighty, became man ; that is what is involved in the word " flesh

in this statement ; a part of the human personality is taken for the whole man, though properly speaking man is comprised of spirit, soul, and body. For similar use of the term " flesh see Luke 3. 6, etc. Upon the Incarnation, as upon an immovable foundation, rests practically every truth of the Holy Scriptures relating to the redemption of mankind from time consequences of man's fall in Adam. If this foundation were (destroyed then the whole structure of redemption would be destroyed with it. From time to time the Adversary has sought its destruction, but these attempts have failed because underneath is the impregnable rock of the Scriptures.

It is not our purpose in this article to put forth our puny hand to attempt to hold imp this truth; to do so would be more rash than taking hold of the Ark of the Loan when the oxen stumbled (1 Samuel 6. 6, 7)---we fear Jehovah; neither would we profanely look into the ark of the LORD as did others (1 Samuel 6. 19) but rather would we draw near with holy awe to contemplate this great mystery; like Moses, when he saw the bush that burned with fire and was not consumed. Conscious also of our inability, we would crave the aid of Him who performed an infinitely important part in the manifestation of this great mystery, the Blessed Holy Spirit Himself.

In I Timothy 3. 16, the subject is presented as follows

"Amind without controversy great is the mystery of godliness He who was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, received up in glory. "

The Person here said to be manifested in the flesh is God, time eternal Son, the Word, the Creator of all things (John 1. 1, 2). He who said. "Before Abraham was, I Am," was "justified in the spirit" against all gainsayers. This justification is twofold-past and present in the past by His miracles in life, and 1w His resurrection from among the dead ; and in the present by the uncountable numbers on earth amid in heaven who ascribe to Him glory and honour due to God.

Let us seek to trace briefly this stupendous stoop as shown to us in the Holy Scriptures, beginning with Philippians 2. 5-8.

Have this mind in you, which was also iii Christ Jesus who, being in the forum of God, counted it not a prize -to be on an equality with God, but emptied Himself, taking upon Him the form of a servant, being made in (becoming in. R.V. marg.) the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even auto death, yea, the death of the cross." From which we learn

1.That whatsoever can rightly be conceived as belonging to God belonged to Christ, because He was God, and on equality with God. This was proper to His Being ; it was neither acquired nor bestowed.

2.The Lord counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God, but in His eternal love He laid aside His glory and came to earth. He could neither lay aside His Godhead nor the attributes of Deity ; that were impossible. but-

3.He took the form of a servant (Doulas---slave). This term marks the reality and strenuous character of the work He came to accomplish. The word "form," used to describe His servant position, is the same as is used to describe His Godhead state (compare verses 6, and 7). He became the Father's Servant, rendering absolute obedience morally, spiritually, and physically to His Father's will ; and so willingly was that obedience rendered (yea, even unto death) that it was His meat to do the will of Him that sent Him and to finish His work.

4.Becoming in the likeness of man. Likeness here signifies conformity with man's mature, but without sin, of course. This term intimates -the form of existence in which the mighty work of His servitude was to be accomplished. As a man He lived, living as all men ought to live, by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Man's true relation to God is that of a responsible being.

5.Further, being found in human guise, He abased Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. His was the shame of the death of a malefactor, though there was no fault found in Him, and the pain of the judgement of God against sin, though He was Himself the sinless One.

In considering the means by which God's will was accomplished, we may also refer to the following passages, and in these we shall again find reference to both the Divine and human in the Person of Christ.

Let us take firstly, Hebrews 2. 14-17. " Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood (R.V.M.--blood and flesh) He also Himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death He might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil ... For verily not of angels doth He take hold, but He taketh hold of the seed of Abraham. Wherefore it behoved Him in all things to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in -things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people."

As in the previous passage in Philippians the humanity of Christ is emphasised, so here again it is described with perhaps even greater detail. Not of angels did He lay hold, who though mighty are distinct from men, but of the seed of Abraham; He partook of blood arid flesh, which stands for human nature.

Turn now to Luke 1. 35. "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee, wherefore also that which is to be born shall be called holy, the Son of God." The power that accomplished this great miracle was the power of the Highest, by the Holy Spirit, and the human agent chosen for the purpose was the virgin, Mary of Nazareth. Leaving this passage as beyond human attempt to explain how these things could be, yet reverently accepting the abs3lute truth and historical correctness, we pass on to what was accomplished thereby according to God's purpose

"Wherefore when -He cometh into the world, He saith sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body didst Thou prepare for Me "(Hebrews 10. 5, 6).

A body was prepared by Jehovah for the Word, the Son; a body in which God's will would be done and man's sin be atoned for. But who can understand these things? Yet they are part of the Faith, indeed, an infinitely important part of the Faith which was once -for all delivered unto the saints (Jude 3).

In the Scriptures the following truths are self-evident. He who became flesh was God, and of course, possessing all the attributes of the living and true God. That to do God's will, to bring to nought the devil, to save men from the penalty and power of sin by rendering satisfaction to God for the same, He stooped from the throne of His glory to lay hold of time seed of Abraham and to accomplish salvation by the sacrifice of Himself. Thus He was born of a woman; and in absolute self-abnegation He trusted Himself to His Father's keeping during all the stages of His life. We pause in wonder and worship, as we think of the Christ an infant of days on His mother's breast! Truly He became what He loved to call Himself-" The Son of Man." He uses this title no less than 80 or so times in the Gospels, as though He loved to dwell upon the thought that He had stepped down from the glory to save mankind. He was a real man, "Himself man" (1 Timothy 2. 5). And in resurrection He still had hands and feet, and flesh and bones (Luke 24. 39). In His perfect humanity, He had a soul, a perfect human soul, that could be sad and troubled (Matthew 26. 38; John 12. 27), and was thus able to sympathise with the sorrowing souls of his people. His obedience to His Father, and His subjection to Joseph and Mary also supposes a human soul. (Compare Luke 2. 51 John 4. 34 ; 5. 30 ; 6. 38 ; Luke 22. 42.)

Mary is called His mother (Matthew 1. 18, 2. 11), and in Luke 1. 43, the mother of the Lord. She was a virgin, as foretold by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 7. 14) ; He was Abraham's Seed (Galatians 3. 16), and David's Son (Matthew 1. 1), being "born of the seed of David according to the flesh" (Romans 1. 3). The testimony of the Scriptures is clear as to the perfect human nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. As a Man He hungered (Matthew 4. 2), thirsted (John 19. 28), and was wearied (John 4. 6). See the precious effect of all this in His present priestly work for ourselves (Hebrews 4. 15 ; and 2. 18). These things were hound up with the nature He assumed, and they were incidental to that which began with

the moment of the Incarnation (Hebrews 10 5).

Though so humanly perfect and perfectly human, He had no sickness, no deformity, for He was sinless. This must be borne in mind in interpreting Isaiah 53. 2. Christ was by virtue of His Incarnation, a perfect man. In His perfect humanity His soul was free in all things; no sin soiled His holy soul, that were impossible ; neither sinfulness of will nor of habit, were in the Blessed One who is both Divine and human. He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2. 8), and for the joy set before Him He despised the shame (Hebrews 12. 2). Had He not died for us He could not have satisfied God on our behalf.

The effect of all this to those who believe in Him, is found in John 1. 16, and other scriptures, which show that the divine fulness of grace flows from the Head to the members. May we ever think of Him as the God-Man; and the God-Man is one Person. What belongs to Divinity and what belongs to perfect humanity are united in one Person, even our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Thus let us think of Him and speak of Him.

Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

William Savigar | Oct 1933
General