Object of our Faith?

[Eleanor]

And to make it even better, I am your hypocrite on staff now! It's like having your own congressman in your back pocket. If I could only remember what the quid was pro quo.... hmmm

Yep, we can do this!

Keep on truckin'!

 

[prism]

But he's my "hypocrite," that makes it different.

Sorry, I didn’t know you knew Jose Pacheco.

 

[Eleanor]

Sorry, I didn’t know you knew Jose Pacheco.

Is that all you don't know?

 

[prism]

Is that all you don't know?

Yup, that's all.

 

[brightfame52]

Faith to believe on Christ isnt natural, in fact its one of Mysteries of Godliness 1 Tim 3:16

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.

Believed here is in the passive voice, meaning it was of Gods Power and Grace people /Gentiles were being caused to believe the report of the Gospel.

 

[Eleanor]

Faith to believe on Christ isnt natural, in fact its one of Mysteries of Godliness 1 Tim 3:16

Mystery (singular) of godliness = the mystery (singular) of 1 Tim 3:16 would be the incarnation (Christ).

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.

Believed here is in the passive voice, meaning it was of Gods Power and Grace people /Gentiles were being caused to believe the report of the Gospel.

 

[makesends]

Yup, that's all.

Did you know the answer to life, the universe and everything is 42?

 

[makesends]

Did you know the answer to life, the universe and everything is 42?

I can't remember the question.

 

[brightfame52]

Mystery (singular) of godliness = the mystery (singular) of 1 Tim 3:16 would be the incarnation (Christ).

All of it constitutes the Mystery of Godliness.

 

[Eleanor]

All of it constitutes the Mystery of Godliness.

However, 1 Tim 3:16 refers to the incarnation, while there are other mysteries also presented in the NT.

 

[brightfame52]

However, 1 Tim 3:16 refers to the incarnation, while there are other mysteries also presented in the NT.

Refers to all of it, to include the incarnation

 

[Eleanor]

Refers to all of it, to include the incarnation

The word "mystery" is singular and, in light of other stated specific mysteries, 1 Tim 3:16 refers to the incarnation.

 

[prism]

Did you know the answer to life, the universe and everything is 42?

I didn't even know what 42 is, let alone the answer to life and the universe

 

[brightfame52]

The word "mystery" is singular and, in light of other stated specific mysteries, 1 Tim 3:16 refers to the incarnation.

Refers to all of it, to include the incarnation

 

[makesends]

The word "mystery" is singular and, in light of other stated specific mysteries, 1 Tim 3:16 refers to the incarnation.

I can't help but think that "Godliness" and "Christlikeness" are not the simple thing we think of and/or equate with obedience and faithfulness of the believer. Actually, I don't think "obedience" and "faithfulness" are, either. In 1 Tim 3:16 it is said it comes from the mystery —not from will-power nor understanding. I don't know how else to put it except to call it 'becoming one with God', or 'IN CHRIST', in which, almost as with our regeneration—it remains the work of God in us, for God's own sake and to his glory. To put it my words, Godliness would be 'doing so because it is so' in us.

The Son of Man was Godly —obedient and faithful, one with God— even though he was already God. Yep, I'd say that is THE mystery, under which all other mysteries are included.

 

[makesends]

I didn't even know what 42 is, let alone the answer to life and the universe

google search, "42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything"

It is a funny reference to Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in which a supercomputer spends eons figuring out "the answer to life, the universe and everything" but doesn't know the question.

 

[brightfame52]

The word "mystery" is singular and, in light of other stated specific mysteries, 1 Tim 3:16 refers to the incarnation.

Please take a look

Matthew Poole's Commentary
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: the various use of the particle kai in the Greek, which we translate and, maketh it doubtful what is the force of it here, whether it relates to the truth mentioned in the latter part of the former verse, or shows another reason why Timothy should have a care how he behaved himself in the house of God. If to the former, it is exegetical, and opens what he meant by truth, viz.,

the mystery of godliness, by which he means the gospel, which is the doctrine of godliness, being that which teacheth how aright to worship God, and walk before him; this he first calls, then proves to be, a mystery, a great mystery. The word is derived from the heathens, who had mysteries of their superstition and idolatrous religion. A mystery signifies a thing sacred and secret. The heathens also had their greater and lesser gods, and their greater and lesser mysteries. Paul calls the gospel, the doctrine of godliness, a great mystery, and says it is confessedly so, or such without controversy; then he proveth it by telling us what it is, and giving us the sum of it. It teacheth us that he who was truly God: God over all, blessed for ever, ( as the apostle saith), was manifested in the flesh; John 1:14: The Word was made flesh. How an infinite nature could be personally united to a finite nature, so as to make one person, is a mystery, and a great mystery. And this God thus manifested in the flesh was

justified in the Spirit; either by his Divine nature, (which is here as some think called the Spirit), by virtue of which he in the flesh wrought many miraculous operations, and when he was buried he rose again from the dead, by which he was justified, that is, undoubtedly proved to be the Son of God. Or, by the Holy Spirit of God, (the Third Person in the holy Trinity), by whom he was conceived in the womb of the virgin, Luke 1:35.

Seen of angels, who declared his conception, Luke 1:32,33; sang and glorified God when he was born, Luke 2:10,11; ministered to him when he was tempted, Matthew 4:11: who comforted him in his passion, declared his resurrection, Matthew 28:1-20, and attended his ascension, Acts 1:10.

Preached unto the Gentiles: Christ’s being preached to the Gentiles was also a mystery, so great, that Peter would not believe it to be the will of God, till he was confirmed in it by a vision, Acts 10:1-48. This some think is spoken with some reference to the Gentile superstition, who also, (as was said before), had their greater and lesser mysteries, and to the former would admit no strangers.

Believed on in the world: that Christ should, upon the ministry of a few fishermen, and the report the world had received of what Christ did in Judea, be received and embraced by the world as their Saviour, was as great a mystery as any other, especially considering that the doctrine of Christ was as incomprehensible by human reason, as ungrateful to the propensions and inclinations of human nature.

Received up into glory: the resurrection of Christ is not mentioned, because necessarily supposed to his ascension, which he mentioneth as the last thing whereby Christ was declared to be

God manifested in the flesh.

 

[makesends]

Please take a look

I hope you intended that to agree with what @Eleanor said. It does.

 

[brightfame52]

I hope you intended that to agree with what @Eleanor said. It does.

I dont see how. The writer agrees with me or I with him that believing on Christ is a Mystery

 

[Eleanor]

Please take a look

whereby Christ was declared to be

God manifested in the flesh.

Yes, the incarnation/enfleshment (post #92).