GREAT IS OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

"Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh." —I Timothy 3:1 [KJV]

The truths of the gospel are undoubtedly great mysteries to carnal reason. We have naturally no ideas of their existence; but being plainly revealed by the Spirit of truth, they cease to be hid from our knowledge. They are no longer secret mysteries, as to their matter, but plain and open truths to faith. True, the MANNER of their existence is incomprehensible to reason. So they will ever remain mysteries to us. Therefore the sons of natural pride and human ignorance reject and disbelieve them: but the children of wisdom and humility esteem the whole mystery of godliness, every bible-truth, as precious objects of their faith. Blessed be God, our comfort and salvation consists in believing, not in explaining. The Christian, like the prophet, being born of the Spirit, is a "man of strife and contention with the whole earth."—Jeremiah 15:10. All in nature and carnal reason are in arms against the truths he believes. Because he earnestly contends for them, he will ever find controversy and perverse disputings from men of corrupt minds, destitute of the truth. His zeal here is always commendable, only let it be in LOVE.

What the Lord hath taught in His word, we receive as the food of our souls. This is our simple answer to the god of this world, and to the wise disputer of this age. We cannot comprehend how God dwelt in flesh, but we are fully assured He did. We have the fullest proof of it in His word; and His word is truth. And it is the very life of our souls, and the joy of our hearts, to believe our God. WHY God dwelt in flesh, and the glorious ends He hath accomplished hereby, we know. Of this also, we are perfectly assured; we believe it from the same infallible testimony. To the faith of this, we have the inward witness of the Spirit also. God, known in the flesh, beheld in human form, viewed in our nature, is the very essence of our faith; we now partake its blessings and experience its comforts. Hence springs the assured pardon of all our sins, the acceptance of our persons, the sanctification of our souls, and sure and certain hope of eternal life and glory. All this is by free promise, according to the purpose and decree of the everlasting covenant of grace, to the glory of the ever-blessed Trinity, and to the comfort and salvation of lost sinners. Thus saints are called into "one body, by one Spirit; have one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one atonement, one righteousness, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in them all."—Eph. 4:4, 5, 6.

SENSE feels I am a sinner here: REASON this truth could ne'er explore; That God in flesh should cleanse my soul By shedding his own purple gore.

By FAITH I view LOVE'S mystery, GOD liv'd and dy'd in human flesh, My hope, my heav'n, my joy is this; No stronger proofs of love I wish.

William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

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