The Mystery of Godliness: The Transformative Power of the Incarnation

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I was raised in a Christian home and subculture, in a thoughtful tradition that took Bible study seriously, yet somehow I missed the point and misplaced my focus. My experience echoes that of  author and professor Glenn Kreider, as he shares in his book God with Us. He was raised in a Christian home, and his “understanding of Christianity was more as a religion of morality than the amazing story of a God who became human, while remaining fully divine, in order to redeem his creation” (113). Indeed, I too perceived Christianity more like a religion of morality. While I knew the gospel – salvation by grace through faith in Christ – I failed really to grasp or contemplate the miracle of the incarnation of God the Son. Kreider summarizes the effect of this misplaced focus: “As a result, my worship was deficient, and my view of ministry truncated. Coming to understand how the doctrine of the incarnation impacts all of life and ministry is transforming me” (114). 

Doctrine as transformative?  Some will doubt this connection. The skepticism is understandable, as doctrine can unfortunately be presented in a dull or irrelevant way. Knowledge can also remain confined to our minds, failing to impact our hearts. But it need not be so. 

The Mysteries of the Incarnation

The apostle Paul, writing his first letter to Timothy, anchors the “mystery of godliness” in the doctrine of the incarnation (3:16). The New Testament mentions a series of “mysteries,” and each one is worth considering. That word is used not to indicate something baffling or obscure, but to refer to a truth previously hidden in the Old Testament that is revealed and made widely known through Jesus Christ. 

First Timothy chapter 3 refers to one of these mysteries, worded the “mystery of the faith” in verse 9 and the “mystery of godliness” in verse 16. Some versions render the phrase in verse 16 as the “mystery of our religion,” but the word “religion” is used in the sense of the outworking of our beliefs, as in godly attitudes and conduct. I appreciate the clarity of the NIV in its translation of verse 16: “Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great.” The verse then continues with a lyrical six-line description of Christ that is thought to be from an early Christian hymn:  

He appeared in the flesh,

was vindicated by the Spirit,

was seen by angels,

was preached among the nations,

was believed on in the world,

 was taken up in glory.

The mystery of godliness is not about our godliness; rather, it is the mystery that makes our godliness possible. The mystery is the appearance of Christ! While it is true that prophecies in the Old Testament pointed to a coming Messiah, details were hidden, and the Jews certainly were not expecting a Messiah who claimed equality with God. The Messiah was expected to be God’s instrument, not God incarnate.

The Incarnation as Transformative 

The incarnation is the foundation of the Christian life. This mystery was proclaimed “great” by Paul, and the angels must have been astonished to see this plan of God unfold as Jesus, God the Son, descended from glory and appeared in human flesh to live among his creatures. I’ve always thought that Charles Wesley’s hymn “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” should be sung year-round and not just in December. The second stanza so wonderfully describes the incarnation:

Christ, by highest heaven adored,

Christ, the everlasting Lord,

late in time behold him come,

offspring of the Virgin's womb:

veiled in flesh the Godhead see;

hail th'incarnate Deity,

pleased with us in flesh to dwell,

Jesus, our Immanuel.

Christ came down from heaven for us and for our salvation, as stated in the Nicene Creed. The work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross is the theme of heaven's praises. We get a glimpse of the throne room of heaven in Revelation chapters 4 and 5. Jesus is at the center of the throne surrounded by thousands upon thousands of angels who loudly say: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise” (5:12). The heart of the gospel leads the angels to never-ending worship. How about each of us?

If theological knowledge of the incarnation does not lead us to worship, transforming our entire life perspective, something is wrong. The amazing can become ordinary when we grow too familiar with it. The edges of a truth can be worn smooth, numbing our perception of it. It no longer jolts us. Let us pray for a renewed sense of awe and contemplate anew that God became one of us. If we are genuinely humbled by the mystery of godliness, it should make our proclamation of the gospel easier. Truth will flow from us more naturally, enabling others to come to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Beware of False Teaching

A theme of 1 Timothy is the importance of right belief or truth in the local church. The epistle opens and closes with warnings about false teachers and their teachings. Strong language warns that distorted biblical teaching threatens the advance of God’s work and leads to sinful attitudes and conduct in the church. Timothy is urged to defend the truth and guide the church in turning away from falsehoods. At the heart of all this is the gospel, and throughout the epistle are rich and dynamic descriptions of God himself and the work of Christ for us. We should be able to evaluate all teaching in light of the core truth about Jesus.

Sometimes the pastoral epistles are thought of as dealing with church problems from an administrative rather than theological viewpoint. But theology, even a high Christology, is evident. The words “doctrine” and “godliness” appear multiple times in 1 Timothy, and there is a distinct overlap or connection between them. Being doctrinally correct about the full humanity and deity of Jesus is not simply a theoretical issue but affects our day-to-day life. The sinless life of Christ is our example for godliness as we live in this world. It is no surprise that Paul urges Timothy to “watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them” (4:16). Remember that the mystery from which true godliness springs is great, and the incarnation is the foundation for church life. Jesus is why the church exists! A local church filled with sinful conduct, unqualified leadership, and lack of commitment to truth undermines its mission and dishonors Jesus. 

Getting It Right About Jesus 

The single line “He appeared in the flesh” has depth and nuance of meaning that can easily be overlooked if we don’t thoughtfully pause to consider it. It points not only to the humanity of Christ but to the deity of Christ as well. Note that Christ’s existence prior to the incarnation is assumed. To appear in the flesh implies someone who was previously existent and who was higher or greater than a human in the flesh. This echoes the first chapter of John. The opening verses tell us that Jesus was present at the creation of the world, and John 1:14 states, “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” 

The simple statement “He appeared in the flesh” also points to the profound truth that our Lord Jesus Christ is the unique God-Man, fully God and fully human. As the Chalcedonian Definition begins: “We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man.” This truth is essential for our salvation. Jesus could not be the unique mediator between God and humanity, as stated in 1 Timothy 2:5, if he were not fully God and fully human. 

First Timothy 3:16 begins with the phrase “beyond all question” and is also translated “by common confession” or “without controversy.” In other words, there is no neutral ground with Christology. These truths are taught in the Scripture and were placed in creedal form at the ecumenical church councils. If we get it wrong about Jesus Christ, we lose Christianity. We must hold fast to truth and live our lives in light of the great mystery of godliness. 

Teaching the Truth in the Local Church

Do the folks in your church grasp these great truths? I fear that too many church folks have not been challenged to understand and contemplate these things. We cannot hold fast to truth when we have only a muddled knowledge of the truth. We will fail to recognize faulty teaching when we don’t grasp the truth by which to evaluate it. I am a lay preacher and Bible teacher, and I try to get people thinking. For example, I have asked groups, warning them it is a trick question: when did Jesus come into existence? I’ve yet to have anyone know how to answer this question or think it through. The most common response is that Jesus came into existence at his birth. But if Jesus did not exist before his birth, he was not God. The Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – is eternal. The point was not to trick people with such a question but to stimulate thinking and help develop critical thinking skills. 

A robust belief in the incarnation can help resolve some doubts and apologetic difficulties. I’ve observed Christians develop doubts about things like the virgin birth, certain miracles performed by Christ, or the resurrection. Inadequate belief in the incarnation contributes to these doubts. If we truly grasp the incarnation, these difficulties should dissolve. Since Jesus is God, it only follows that his birth would be unique, that he would be a miracle worker, and that he would conquer death through resurrection.The incarnation makes sense of everything else. I’ve heard it called the “skeleton key” that opens the other doors. 

Some will remain concerned that this is all too academic, lacking practicality for everyday life. Church leaders can be focused on being relevant, and church folks can gravitate toward books or classes on marriage, parenting, and various “how-to” topics. There is a place for such, but sadly even a class on a book of the Bible can give little time to the doctrine of the book, moving quickly to the so-called practical. A thoughtful theology class, such as one on Christology, can be a hard sell! Yet remember that the mystery from which true godliness springs is great, and there is much in Christology that can help us to live our daily lives. Jesus knows what it is like to be human! The God of the universe humbled himself and became an unborn child in the womb of a young woman in the Middle East. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. Can there be anything more practical and relevant than knowing Christ and seeing all of life through the lens of his life, death, resurrection, and future return in glory?

Laura Martin is a lay servant in the United Methodist Church in Greenville, SC. To download free curriculum on Christology, visit her blog: https://lightenough.wordpress.com/