The mystery of godliness is great. 1 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
Why does Paul say, “The mystery of godliness is great?” Why not say something like: “The mystery of Christ is great?” The whole statement that we have been looking at is all about Christ. But he says, “Great is the mystery of godliness.” Why?
Because godliness (or a God-centered life) is the central theme of the next chapter (chapter 4):
- Train yourself to be godly (4:7)
- Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come (4:8)
- Set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity (4:12)
In the first verse (4:7), Paul gives us a command, in the second verse (4:8) Paul encourages us to pursue godliness by showing us why it is so valuable, and in the last verse (4:12) Paul helps us to understand the landscape of godliness, or what a godly life looks like.
Where is your greatest need today when it comes to godliness: 1) Acknowledging that this is important to God and that he commands you to pursue this? 2) Finding the motivation? Seeing its value? 3) Understanding what a godly life looks like?
