THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS

THE PURSUIT, Part 2

 THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS

PASTOR RONNIE

1 Timothy 6:3-11 (ESV)

MESSAGE GOAL:
The goal of this message on The Mystery of Godliness is to compare the Law of the Old Testament or covenant with the grace brought to us by Jesus Christ in the New Testament or covenant, and to contrast how people attained godliness under the Old with how we can attain godliness today under the New.

1. JESUS CHRIST IS THE EMBODIMENT OF

When Jesus appeared, grace appeared.

• John 1:17: “The Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”
• It’s not that grace didn’t exist in the Old Testament, but when Jesus came, He revealed God’s grace to all men (Titus 2:11).

Since the grace of God has appeared to us, we are no longer under law.

• According to Romans 6:14, law could never save anyone.
• What we needed was a sinless Savior, who came in the person of Christ.

2. THE UNIQUENESS OF JESUS CHRIST IS THE OF GOD.

True godliness is no longer found in a written code like the Mosaic Law.

• Godliness is forever linked to the person of Jesus Christ.
• The mystery of godliness is Christ indwelling you.

Since godliness is linked to Jesus Christ, our assignment is to become more like Him.

• This is possible because God’s command to us is to be holy because He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).
• The job of the Holy Spirit is to make the indwelling Christ expand within us so that we are becoming more godly.

3. GOD MADE A NEW WITH US IN JESUS CHRIST.

As we saw above, this New Covenant of grace makes the Old Covenant of law obsolete.

• The mystery of the New Covenant is that we are rightly related to God by grace (Hebrews 8:6,10).
• This is in stark contrast to the strict performance standards of the Mosaic Law.

The Old Covenant said, “Do, do.” The New Covenant says, “Done!” in Jesus Christ.

• Jesus is alone in His uniqueness.
• Therefore, He alone is qualified to be our Savior.

• When Jesus appeared, God appeared (Titus 2:11). 

• We are not to frustrate grace by going back to law (Romans 6:14; Galatians 2:21).
• Jesus paid it all (John 19:30)!
• Our calling is to grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18).