The Mystery of Godliness (1 Timothy 3:16)

               Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

               He was manifested in the flesh,
               vindicated by the Spirit,
               seen by angels,
               proclaimed among the nations,
               believed on in the world,
               taken up in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)

Better at Relationships than Teaching

A long time ago, a pastor said to me, “I’d rather be a good pastor than a good preacher.” He had recently received criticism about his preaching, which always hurts, no matter how accurate. He was great with people, deeply empathetic, and as warm as a Christmas Eve fireplace. But he couldn’t communicate biblical truth very well, and it was beginning to show in his church.

Many App Region pastors feel like this. They consider themselves better at the relational parts of ministry than the teaching parts. And they are good at relating with their people. They stay in touch and they show up. Most App Region church members have no doubt that their pastors love them.

But 1 Timothy reminds us that one of our primary responsibilities is to ensure that our members grow in sound doctrine. If they don’t, they will likely shipwreck their faith and swim toward deception. Cordial relationships alone cannot protect people from this danger. They need the truth.  

The Mystery of Godliness

After calling the church “a pillar and buttress of the truth,” Paul writes, “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness” (1 Timothy 3:16). Godliness means ‘piety and devotion to God’. Jerry Bridges says godliness is an “attitude toward God that results in actions pleasing to him.” This attitude is characterized by the fear of God, love for God, and desire for God. It’s “devotion in action.”

By calling godliness a mystery, Paul reminds us that it’s something we cannot figure out on our own. God has revealed something that enables us to become godly. It’s not a program or ritual. It’s Jesus. Whether you pastor in Clifton Forge, Clendenin, or Lenoir, this is the only source powerful enough to make the ungodly godly.

The Mystery or Godliness

Some of us tend to preach the godliness without the mystery. We preach tips and tricks for better Christian living without anchoring them in solid truths about Jesus. We assume such truths are too spiritual to be useful to our people who need direction for their daily lives. They want “5 Steps to a Better Marriage” and “3 Steps to Financial Peace,” rather than “Jesus was Manifested in the Flesh.” Their ears itch for a quick fix.

Others of us tend to preach the mystery without the godliness. We preach the gospel in every sermon and continually point our people to the truths of Christ, but without helping them understand the practical implications for their daily lives. We leave them thinking, “I’m already saved! Now what??”

Think of it like planting grass. I never have time to properly aerate, fertilize, and water. I just throw out a bunch of seeds and hope for the best (and achieve the worst). This is how many of us preach. We broadcast the truth without working it into the soil and nurturing its growth. 

If our people just need to hear the gospel repeated every week, they don’t need a pastor. All they need is a recording. But God intends for pastors to continually help their people grow in their understanding of gospel truths, increase their acceptance of them, align their worldview with them, and conform their lives to them.

Relevant but shallow preaching malnourishes the church. Deep but seemingly irrelevant preaching frustrates them. The former is like giving a baby candy for every meal; the latter like giving him a steak. He needs more nutrients than the candy can give, but he also needs to be able to ingest and digest it.

The Difference it Makes

Imagine a woman who has lived a hard life full of sin and folly. As she ages, her shame and regret get heavier. Her family is a mess of fractured relationships and trouble. Teaching her the truth that Jesus was manifested in the flesh could make the difference between thinking that God is cold, calloused, and indifferent toward her and knowing that God loves her—and has proved it in a shocking act of outreach toward her. It could make the difference between aggravating her family relationships with bitter, self-defensive words and healing relationships by showing the same kind of compassion Jesus showed in the incarnation. 

Imagine a man who grew up with a hypocritical father whose church persona did not match his home persona. Teaching him the truth that Jesus was vindicated by the Spirit could make the difference between skepticism and saving faith, bitterness and forgiveness, damnation and salvation.

Imagine a retired couple devoting their lives to golf and travel. Teaching them the truth that Jesus is being proclaimed among the nations could make the difference between wasting their last healthy decades in leisure and spending them valiantly in evangelism. It could make the difference between depression and purpose, aimlessness and action.

Imagine a Christian teenager who feels alone in high school. Teaching him the truth that Jesus is believed on in the world could make the difference between despair and the sense that he is part of something bigger than himself, between timidity and boldness, between giving in to worldly pressures and standing firm in his faith.

Imagine a man who watches the news for hours every day. Teaching him the truth that Jesus has been taken up in glory could make the difference between living in fear and living in faith. It could make the difference between paralysis and passion, between fretting with his coworkers about current events and sharing the gospel with them.

Gospel truth forms the dividing line between those who know that God loves them and those who try to earn his love by being good enough. Between those secure in their relationship with God and those living as though they’re all on their own in this world. Between those in awe of Jesus’ glory and those worshiping lesser glories. Between those who sense that their life is part of a bigger story and those who believe they are the main character.

Keep Growing in Doctrinal Depth

We have access to more doctrinal instruction than ever before in human history. Let’s dedicate ourselves to being good stewards of that gift. Keep studying the Bible and learning from gifted teachers. Subscribe to a new podcast. Buy a new book. Enroll in a course. Never stop growing. Build all the doctrinal muscle you can so you can continually get better at communicating biblical truth and your church can grow in godliness.

May you never stop growing in theological depth. May you continue improving your preaching, teaching, and discipleship. May your church grow in sound doctrine—and thereby grow in godliness.