1 Timothy 3:14-16 The Truths of Our Faith
14 I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, 15 so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.
16 Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith:
Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations.
He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory.
At first, this statement of faith might seem a bit out of place. Paul has just been outlining requirements for church leadership and suddenly inserts these statements. But we must examine the context. Paul is writing to Timothy from Rome, where he is a prisoner. Even though Paul hopes to be released and to come to Timothy at Ephesus, there are no guarantees that will happen, especially given the fact that Nero is ruling Rome and is notoriously fickle.
In these few verses, Paul outlines the most basic tenets of the Christian faith. At the same time, Paul is mindful of all the heresies swirling throughout Ephesus. Rather than indulge in long philosophical arguments, Paul goes for the basics.
Why are these verses so important for us? Most of us don’t need long drawn-out explanations; we need short pithy statements that we can easily remember.
“Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. Jesus was born as a human baby and grew up in Nazareth, eventually being baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, at which time God sent His Holy Spirit in the form of a dove to confirm Jesus’ position as God’s beloved Son.
“He was seen by angels and announced to the nations.” After Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness being tempted by the devil, angels came and ministered to Jesus. During Jesus’ three years of ministry, people from diverse nations and all walks of life came to hear him. While Jesus was being crucified, Pilate posted a notice on his cross in several different languages identifying him as the King of the Jews. The international crowds thronging Jerusalem for the Passover witnessed that crucifixion. Subsequently, various disciples including Paul traveled extensively, preaching about Jesus to much of the known world.
“He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory.” God anointed those preaching about Jesus so that people who heard their testimonies believed. When Jesus ascended into heaven, his ascension was witnessed by many people, and the word undoubtedly spread.
Sometimes, short passages pack a lot of weight, and these few verses do exactly that. The question for all of us is simple: What do we believe? Do we believe all these things about Jesus are true? And if we believe they are true, what are we going to do with them? Will we keep these truths to ourselves, or will we tell as many other people as possible?
If we truly believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that nobody can come to the Heavenly Father except through him, then we should be trying to share these truths widely.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to share the good news of Jesus Christ to all those around us, trusting that You will work in their hearts. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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