It's What We Believe

110 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. This portion of Scripture is likely a creed of the early church. It's what they believed about Jesus and therefore it is what we should be believing about Jesus as well. First of all, they and we believe or assert that Jesus was God, manifested in the flesh. This belief is first of all foretold in the Scriptures. The prophet Isaiah put it this way: Isa 7:14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. (Immanuel means “God with us.” This manifestation became a reality in our world through the virgin birth of Jesus to Mary as told to Joseph in Mt 1:20-23, 'But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." 22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." In addition we have the testimony of the Apostles including Thomas who upon seeing the risen Jesus said in Joh 20:28, “My Lord and my God!" Further Jesus asserted this truth often in His time on this earth when He said things like this to the Pharisees in Joh 8:58, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." in Joh 10:30 He said, "I and My Father are one." We believe Jesus is God manifested in the flesh because of the testimony of the prophets and eyewitness accounts of the Apostles as written in His Word.! It is a fundamental belief of the Christian faith, let us never forget it!