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. -1st Timothy 3:16
By far this is my favorite scriptural text that proves that Jesus is in fact the Lord God Almighty. In Paul's letter to Timothy he writes the above statement that not only professes, but declares Christ's diety. Right after Paul speaks of the church being the pillar and ground of truth in the previous verse he segues into speaking of the truth that is without controversy. The Greek word used for "without controversy" is the word homologéō. HELPS Word-studies states:
3670 homologéō (from 3674 /homoú, "together" and 3004 /légō, "speak to a conclusion") – properly, to voice the same conclusion, i.e. agree ("confess"); to profess (confess) because in full agreement; to align with (endorse).
Paul is speaking of something that is without controversy, a declaration that was agreed upon in unison. The earliest churches agreed on the following things as stated in 1st Timothy 3:16:
God was manifest in the flesh..
The word manifest here in 1st Timothy 3:16 means to make visible. God was made visible in the flesh in the personage of Christ Jesus. This matter is made as a declaration without controversy by God. A true Christian will profess that Jesus is the Lord God who was manifested in human flesh (John 1:14). Anyone who fails to profess that this is the case has the spirit of antichrist (1st John 4:3). The word anti means against or instead of, by this the word antichrist then can literally be rendered as "against Christ." It is greatly saddening to see a world of men who erect beautiful paintings or sculptures of who they see Christ as only to deny his deity. The devil's irony here is that in worshipping their counterfeit image of Christ they deceitfully have been placed within the devil's grip.
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. -1st 1st John 4:3
All scripture is inspired and therefore you must compare scripture with scripture to paint the complete picture. We know from several verses that Jesus is God (Titus 2:13; John 5:18; John 8:58; John 10:30; John 10:33; John 1:1; John 1:14; John 20:28; 2nd Peter 1:1; 1st John 5:7; Matthew 1:22-23; 1st Timothy 3:16; Philippians 2:5-6; Colossians 2:9-10; 1st John 5:20). John plainly states here that those who deny Christ is God in the flesh are none of his and are in fact "against Christ." Are you in denial of Christ's deity? Take heed of the apostle John's warning my friend. Paul then asserts that Christ was...
...justified in the Spirit..
Christ fulfilled the law and lived a perfect life. He was justified in spirit, and by his blood we are justified. God states that without blood there is no remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22). Our past, present, and future sins are remitted by receiving and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:13). Christ offered himself up for us, and all who are set apart by believing in him are perfected forever (Hebrews 10:14). A believers faith is counted as righteousness before God (Romans 4:5). A believer's sins in this life will not be held against him, will yours be? Jesus was...
...seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
The angels rejoiced in seeing king of kings born in Luke 2:14: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." God ordered Paul to preach to the Gentiles in Acts 22:21: "And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles." Christ has been believed on in the world for the last two millennia justifying millions of lost sinners by his amazing grace. Lastly, Christ was received up in glory (Luke 24:51) and all those who place their faith in Him will be glorified in like manner as stated in Colossians 2:13: "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."
Of course those in religious folds who deny the deity of Christ will squeeze their view into the text. The fact of the matter is, this verse explains fundamentally who the true Christ is. The true Christ was God in the flesh, the true Christ was justified in the spirit on our behalf, he is believed on in the world, he is preached daily to all nations, and he was received up in glory. The Bible says that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. I ask you dear reader by this standard are you perishing? Or do you have God's eternal promise resting in you?
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1st Corinthians 1:18
