Search
Scripture Reading: 1 Tim. 3:15-16; 2:2b, 10; 4:7-8; 6:3, 5-6, 11; 2 Tim. 3:5, 12; 2:16
Although the matter of godliness is mentioned repeatedly in the two Epistles to Timothy, few Christians know the true meaning of the word godliness. The traditional understanding is that godliness is piety, pious behavior or conduct, or a reverent attitude toward God. However, this definition is inadequate, especially when considered in the context of 1 Timothy 3:16, which says, “Great is the mystery of godliness.” Godliness may be defined as godlikeness, that is, to be like God, to be in the likeness of God. According to this definition, we need to have a living in the likeness of God, a behavior that bears the likeness of God. In other words, we need to behave in such a way that others can see the likeness of God in us. However, godliness is something deeper than having the likeness of God. Godliness is the manifestation of God in the flesh. This definition is based on verse 16. Godliness is the manifestation of God Himself, not merely something like God. It is not that our behavior and living should merely bear the likeness of God but that God Himself should be manifested in us.
When the Lord Jesus was living on earth, He was a typical man with flesh and blood. He was raised in Nazareth, a small town in the despised region of Galilee. He was a man without form or beauty. Isaiah 53:2-3 says, “He has no attracting form nor majesty that we should look upon Him, / Nor beautiful appearance that we should desire Him. / He was despised and forsaken of men, / A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” Although Jesus was such a man, God was manifested in Him. In Him — in His walk, in His living, and in His whole life — others could see the manifestation of God in the flesh. This is godliness. It is not that Christ’s daily walk merely bore the likeness of God; rather, God Himself was manifested in Christ in His living. He lived in the flesh, but something divine, excellent, and wonderful was manifested in His flesh. God Himself was manifested in Jesus. The manifestation of God was seen in a man’s daily walk. This is godliness.
In 1 Timothy 3:15-16 the manifestation of God in the flesh denotes not only Christ but also the church. Verse 16 begins with the conjunction and, which connects verse 15 to verse 16. Verse 15, which refers to the church, says, “If I delay, I write that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth.” Beginning with the word and, verse 16 indicates that the church is not only the house of God and the pillar and base of the truth but also the great mystery of godliness, which is the manifestation of God in the flesh.
We know that the manifestation of God in the flesh refers to both Christ and the church, because Christ is the Head, and the church is His Body. Since Christ as the Head is the manifestation of God in the flesh, the church as His Body is surely the same.
Furthermore, verse 16 lists preached among the nations before taken up in glory. However, Christ was taken up in glory in His ascension before He was preached among the nations. Therefore, taken up in glory here must refer not only to Christ’s ascension but also to the church’s rapture. This indicates that the Christ spoken of in this verse is the corporate Christ — the Head and the Body. Justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, and believed on in the world refer not to the church but exclusively to Christ. Nevertheless, the last item in verse 16 refers also to the church, which will one day be taken up in glory.
We may think that the ascension of Christ is one thing and that the rapture of the church is another, later thing. We may not realize that the ascension of Christ is connected to the rapture of the church. The ascension of Christ is the Head being taken up in glory, and the rapture of the church is the Body being taken up in glory. There is a corporate new man with Christ as the Head and the church as the Body. Today the Head is in the heavens, but the Body is on the earth. Christ the Head has entered into glory, but the church, His Body, has not yet entered into glory. One day the Body will be taken up in glory just as the Head has been taken up in glory.
The manifestation of God in the flesh is not only with Christ but also with the church. If we are meeting in the spirit, there will be the manifestation of God in the flesh. First Corinthians 14:24-25 indicates that if we have a normal, proper Christian meeting, when an unbeliever enters, he will say, “Indeed God is among you.” Our meetings are a mystery to others. Here we have no worldly amusement or entertainment, but we have the mystery of godliness, the manifestation of God in the flesh. To outsiders this is a mystery. The church is not only the house of the living God and the pillar and base of the truth but also the mystery of godliness, the manifestation of God in the flesh. It is something in the flesh, yet it is the manifestation of God. Thus, it is a mystery.
The manifestation of God in the flesh should not be limited to church meetings but should also be found in all the areas of our daily life, such as our family life, marriage life, school life, and professional life. First Timothy 2:2b says, “That we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity.” In all godliness means that there should be the manifestation of God in every aspect of our life.
Taking care of godliness in our daily living is a salvation. In Philippians 2:12 Paul says, “So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much rather in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” We may wonder why we need to work out our salvation when we have already been saved. The reason is that we all need to be saved daily from a life that does not manifest God. To lead a life in all godliness is to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
We need to consider whether we live a life in all godliness. The church is the house of the living God. The living God is within us. He desires to be manifested from within us in our family life, marriage life, church life, meeting life, daily life, school life, and professional life. If we will contact Him and fellowship with Him, He will be lived out through us. Such a living requires our obedience, as mentioned in Philippians 2:12. The living God within will live out a godly life, but He needs our cooperation. Our cooperation is our obedience.
Verse 13 says, “For it is God who operates in you both the willing and the working.” The living God is operating in us both to will and to work. We do not need to do anything; we only need to obey God’s inner operating. God lives in us, and He will work Himself out in our living. If we obey His working, we will spontaneously drop all ungodly things. We will experience something of life from within. This life is God Himself living in us. Eventually, we will live a daily life in all godliness.
We should manifest God, not the current of this age. Among us there should be the manifestation of God in the flesh in all the areas of our life. We need to contact the living God, fellowship with Him, and obey Him. He will not correct us from without but will transform us from within. He will transform every part of our being, and the issue will be the manifestation of God in our flesh.
First Timothy 2:10 says, “What befits women professing godly reverence, by good works.” It is good for the sisters to profess godliness. Then 4:7-8 says, “Exercise yourself unto godliness. For bodily exercise is profitable for a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the present life and of that which is to come.” We need to exercise ourselves unto the manifestation of God in our flesh in all things. Paul compares exercise unto godliness to bodily exercise. Physical exercise benefits our health, but it is profitable only for a little. It does not compare to the profit of exercise unto godliness. Exercise unto godliness is profitable for all things.
After George Müller was saved, he became a godly man. The first thing he did every morning was to read the Bible and pray, mingling his prayer with the reading of the Word. Müller’s practice to combine his prayer with his reading of the Word of God no doubt contributed to his long life. The word of God washes away our worries and anxieties and brings us joy. Practicing to receive the joy of God every day through reading and praying over the Word will help us to be healthy both spiritually and physically.
We need to exercise ourselves unto godliness. God created man with a will, and He still honors the will of man in his fallen condition. Repentance, believing, and being baptized all depend on the use of our will. We need to set our will to exercise ourselves unto godliness. We can pray, “Lord, I am weak, but You are within me. Lord, help me, strengthen me, stand with me, and empower me to exercise myself unto godliness in all things.” In cutting our hair, we can exercise ourselves unto godliness. In buying a pair of shoes, we can pray, “Lord, is this pair of shoes suitable for the manifestation of God?” We need to pray, “Lord, does hanging this picture in my living room manifest God?” If we pray in this way, the Lord will speak to us and lead us in living a godly life. This is to exercise ourselves unto godliness. We should pray and seek the Lord to live a life in all godliness and to exercise ourselves unto godliness in everything.
