Letters From Grandpa #524

• LETTERS FROM GRANDPA
• 524

Dearest grandchild,

Today’s letter will be about 1 Timothy 3:16. This verse involves the miracle of the incarnation. Paul wrote about this amazing miracle with these words: “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.” (1 Timothy 3:16 kjv) Truly, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him, but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10) When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden God promised that someday the “Seed” of the woman would deliver a mortal blow to the serpent and crush his head (Genesis 3:15). Everyone knew that some day a little baby would be born that would destroy the devil. It never entered into the heart of man, however, that the little baby would be God Himself. No one ever dreamed that the God Who created the universe would wind up on a cross!

Our infinite God is too great for finite man to completely comprehend! No finite man can totally grasp the greatness of our infinite God (Psalms 145:3). The heavens declare His glory (Psalms 19:1). He is so vast that the heaven of heavens cannot contain him (1 Kings 8:27). He alone is immortal (1 Timothy 6:16). He never changes (Malachi 3:6). He created everything by his Word (Psalms 33:6). Nothing in all of creation is hidden from His sight (Hebrews 4:13). He declares the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are yet to come (Isaiah 46:9-10). He is everywhere (Psalms 130:7-10). His wisdom is unsearchable (Romans 11:33). Nothing is too great for Him to do (Jeremiah 32:17). He does things that are impossible for man to do (Luke 18:27). He is perfect, just, faithful, righteous, and upright (Deuteronomy 32:4). He is love (1 John 4:7-8). He is also gracious and merciful (Psalms 145:8). All of these amazing attributes are also true of Jesus for Jesus is God! “For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.’ (Colossians 2:9) This fact is so amazing that every first day of the week the early Christians broke bread and drank wine to celebrate the incredible reality that God in a broken body died on the cross to redeem mankind! (Acts 20:7)

The Bible begins by announcing: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) It is significant that the Hebrew word for God in this verse is “elohim” which is plural. The plural nature of God is obvious even to the English reader. Remember when “God” created man “Elohim” said: “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26) When the Scriptures state that “God is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4) the Hebrew word translated as “one” is “echad.” This word is used in Genesis 2:24 to explain how a man and wife become “one” when they are married.

So Jesus is God manifest in the flesh! His name is “Immanuel” which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). In Jesus dwells the fulness of the Godhead in a body and we are complete in Him (Colossians 2:9). In fact, Jesus created everything and without him was not anything made that was made (John 1:3). Notice that the Scriptures describe both God and Jesus in the same way. Both are the great “I Am” (Ex. 3:14. John 8:58). Both are Lord of Lords (Deut. 10:17. Rev. 17:14). Both fill the heavens and the earth (Jer. 23:24, Eph. 1:20-23). Both do not change (Mal. 3:6. Heb. 13:8). Both are Creators (Gen. 1:1, Col. 1:16). Both are Judges (Rev. 20:12, 2 Cor. 5:10). Both are to be worshiped (Matt. 4:10. Rev. 5:12-14). Etc. Truly: “without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh.”

Marian Philips Platig wrote in the August 1965 issue of Christian Herald: “Surely no man can offer a woman a greater compliment than to ask her to become the companion of his life. And this is

the compliment that God in Christ bestows upon each of His creatures. Out of all the beings he created, or might ever create, He has chosen us. Out of all the magnificent angels He might have kept company with, He has chosen to settle down to the give-and-take of marriage with this creature called man, this Lilliputian who actually thinks that because he can build a computer, orbit his tiny planet, and write a symphony, that he can thumb his nose at Almighty God. This man, who, in his female counterpart, wastes time instead of using it, while less than 15 miles away children lie in squalid beds with no good night kiss except the possibility of a rat bite. This man, who will shut his ears to the screams of Jewish children and do nothing until his own nation’s installations are attacked. We are lazy, dull, insignificant, self seeking, and trivial. Why should the Creator of the unimaginable vastness of the universe, the Originator of the incredible complexity of a molecule the Source of all that is perfect and beautiful – why should He look upon this vain creature and offer His name, His honor, and His support for ever? I do not know why. This is the mystery of the Christian Faith.”

Paul put it like this: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)

“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:16-18).

I love you, and Jesus loves you too,

Grandpa Boyce