This book, “Completing the Christian Race,” is the second part of my earlier volume titled “The Complete Christian Race.” In order to set the tone for proper understanding, it would be necessary to repeat the introduction of the first part. This will be covered in the following paragraphs in this section of the book.
First Timothy 3:16 says, “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.”
The Christian journey is a complete life cycle. It has series of stages we must pass through to get to the last stage which is that of perfection. Consider the stages of the text above:
- God was manifested in the flesh. That is, God was revealed in a human body, in form of Jesus Christ Who left His glory above and came down to the earth through the womb of a virgin girl.
- God was justified in the spirit. That is, He was vindicated by the spirit, having successfully carried out the divine assignment of sealing and delivering the work of redemption for as many as will key themselves into that redemptive work.
- He was seen of angels. That is, angels saw Him and were witnesses of His rising from the grave and ascension to heaven. Luke chapter 24:1-6 contains one of the records of the witnessing by the angels: “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee.” Acts chapter 1:9-11 records the angelic witnessing of Jesus’ ascension and the attestation of His return in due course: “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
- He preached unto the gentiles. He was announced to the nations.
- He was believed on in the world. He was believed in throughout the whole world.
- He was received up into glory. He was taken up into heaven in glory.
This was a series of stages that led to the faith you and I practise today. In like manner, the faith has series of stages we must pass through to get to the completeness of the Christian journey.
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