Believed and Glorified, Part 1

Acts 1:6-11
Broadcast Featured Image

Today’s broadcast dives into a vital topic: understanding what it truly means to believe in Jesus. A conversation that is both enriching and enlightening awaits as we explore the biblical essence of faith, which is not about the strength of your faith but the strength of your Saviour. Pastor Colin reminds us that belief is not just a personal sentiment but involves trusting Jesus for our salvation and godliness. Journey with us through 1 Timothy chapter 3 as we explore the wondrous mystery of godliness revealed in Jesus Christ and discover what it means to believe and be glorified in Him.

100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:09,900Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.200:00:09,900 –> 00:00:14,940So not only is everlasting life yours by believing,300:00:14,940 –> 00:00:20,799but to be saved from the final judgment of Almighty God,400:00:20,799 –> 00:00:23,500that also is yours by believing.500:00:23,500 –> 00:00:28,280So, to know what is meant by believing is, therefore, of supreme importance.600:00:28,559 –> 00:00:31,959Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Peake.700:00:31,959 –> 00:00:33,660I’m glad you could be with us today.800:00:33,660 –> 00:00:37,340Colin what a crucial thing that is for us to understand900:00:37,340 –> 00:00:39,500when we talk about believing in Jesus.1000:00:39,500 –> 00:00:41,939We need to know really what that is.1100:00:41,939 –> 00:00:43,240Yes, that’s exactly right.1200:00:43,240 –> 00:00:45,540I mean, everyone believes in something1300:00:45,540 –> 00:00:51,439and the question is who or what are you believing in?1400:00:51,439 –> 00:00:55,439We live in a culture, of course, that really encourages us always to believe in ourselves,1500:00:55,520 –> 00:00:57,020you know, you can be anything you want to be,1600:00:57,020 –> 00:00:58,919you can do anything that you want to do,1700:00:58,919 –> 00:01:00,919believe in yourself.1800:01:00,919 –> 00:01:04,059Well, the Bible does not say believe in yourself and you will be saved.1900:01:04,059 –> 00:01:08,419It says, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,2000:01:08,419 –> 00:01:10,400and you shall be saved.2100:01:10,400 –> 00:01:12,760And, you know, there may be someone listening and saying,2200:01:12,760 –> 00:01:14,639well, you know my faith is very weak.2300:01:14,639 –> 00:01:17,139Well, here’s the good news for you today.2400:01:17,139 –> 00:01:20,400We’re not saved by having faith in our own faith.2500:01:20,400 –> 00:01:23,940You don’t trust your own faith, you trust the Lord Jesus Christ.2600:01:24,180 –> 00:01:27,980Get your eyes off looking at how weak your own faith is2700:01:27,980 –> 00:01:30,980and just start looking at how strong he is.2800:01:30,980 –> 00:01:32,820He’s the one who saves you.2900:01:32,820 –> 00:01:37,559And faith is simply coming to him and trusting him to save you.3000:01:37,559 –> 00:01:42,959So, at the heart of believing is to give up trusting yourself3100:01:42,959 –> 00:01:48,639and to trust Jesus and what God has done in and through the Lord Jesus3200:01:48,639 –> 00:01:52,300and to look to him to bring you safely home.3300:01:52,360 –> 00:01:56,379That’s the heart of biblical faith we’re going to get at in the Bible together today.3400:01:56,379 –> 00:01:58,099Well it’s great to hear you say that Colin,3500:01:58,099 –> 00:02:03,040because I think sometimes we may question if our faith is strong enough3600:02:03,040 –> 00:02:06,400and if my faith today feels weak, what then?3700:02:06,400 –> 00:02:08,600But you’re saying that’s not important.3800:02:08,600 –> 00:02:11,220Well you think about someone standing on the ice,3900:02:11,220 –> 00:02:15,479what makes you safe is not how confident you are when you’re standing,4000:02:15,479 –> 00:02:18,479but how strong is the ice that you are standing on.4100:02:18,479 –> 00:02:21,179You could be very confident on thin ice and go down.4200:02:21,199 –> 00:02:26,559But you could be very shaky on thick ice and you will stand firm.4300:02:26,559 –> 00:02:29,520You’re not saved by the strength of your faith,4400:02:30,020 –> 00:02:32,339you’re saved by the strength of your Saviour.4500:02:32,339 –> 00:02:33,979What a great truth that is.4600:02:33,979 –> 00:02:37,740And today’s message in 1Timothy chapter 3 addresses that.4700:02:37,740 –> 00:02:41,940It’s called Believed and Glorified so join us if you can.4800:02:41,940 –> 00:02:43,100Here’s Colin.4900:02:43,100 –> 00:02:46,820Well good morning everyone and Merry Christmas to you all.5000:02:46,820 –> 00:02:50,740Would you open your Bible please at 1Timothy chapter 35100:02:50,880 –> 00:02:52,539and verse 16.5200:02:53,039 –> 00:02:55,580We are looking for the fourth and last time5300:02:55,580 –> 00:02:59,520at this marvelous description of the Lord Jesus Christ5400:02:59,520 –> 00:03:02,460who was born on that first Christmas morning.5500:03:03,080 –> 00:03:07,5001Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16, we read these words.5600:03:07,500 –> 00:03:12,119Great indeed we confess is the mystery of godliness.5700:03:12,660 –> 00:03:15,320He was manifested in the flesh,5800:03:15,839 –> 00:03:20,399vindicated by the Spirit seen by angels,5900:03:20,399 –> 00:03:22,639proclaimed among the nations,6000:03:22,639 –> 00:03:27,820believed all in the world, taken up in glory.6100:03:28,740 –> 00:03:32,259Now this verse very obviously is about godliness.6200:03:32,860 –> 00:03:37,440God made you for himself and to be godly very simply6300:03:37,440 –> 00:03:42,279as we saw means to be God’s man or to be God’s woman.6400:03:42,279 –> 00:03:44,679Godliness in other words is the life6500:03:44,679 –> 00:03:48,080for which God made you and the life to which God calls you.6600:03:48,899 –> 00:03:50,619And here we’re told in this verse6700:03:50,619 –> 00:03:54,679that how we become godly is a mystery.6800:03:54,679 –> 00:03:57,880And we saw that in the Bible, that word mystery means6900:03:57,880 –> 00:04:00,460a secret that God has revealed7000:04:00,460 –> 00:04:04,419though it’s full wonder is still to be made known.7100:04:04,419 –> 00:04:07,559And what God has revealed is that godliness,7200:04:07,559 –> 00:04:08,600the life for which you were made,7300:04:08,600 –> 00:04:09,660the life to which you are called,7400:04:09,660 –> 00:04:13,559is possible through Jesus Christ.7500:04:13,559 –> 00:04:16,720Great is the mystery of godliness!7600:04:17,700 –> 00:04:20,920He was manifested in the flesh7700:04:20,920 –> 00:04:23,160and vindicated by the spirit.7800:04:23,160 –> 00:04:25,880And so we have these six marvelous statements7900:04:25,880 –> 00:04:27,459about the Lord Jesus Christ.8000:04:27,459 –> 00:04:29,920He is the mystery of godliness.8100:04:29,920 –> 00:04:32,200He is the secret that God has revealed,8200:04:32,200 –> 00:04:34,480though it’s full wonder is still to be made known8300:04:34,480 –> 00:04:36,140of how you can come to live8400:04:36,140 –> 00:04:37,820the life for which God made you,8500:04:37,820 –> 00:04:40,700the life to which God calls you.8600:04:40,700 –> 00:04:44,179We’re told here that he was seen by angels.8700:04:44,179 –> 00:04:47,420We saw last time that angels are messengers.8800:04:47,420 –> 00:04:50,839They announced the meaning of the baby in the manger8900:04:50,839 –> 00:04:54,820and they announced the meaning of the empty tomb.9000:04:54,820 –> 00:04:57,459In other words, they announced the incarnation9100:04:57,459 –> 00:05:00,320and they announced the resurrection.9200:05:00,320 –> 00:05:05,299The one who was born in the manger is Christ the Lord.9300:05:05,299 –> 00:05:09,500The one who lay in the tomb is risen from the dead9400:05:09,500 –> 00:05:12,320and is alive forevermore.9500:05:13,320 –> 00:05:16,279Therefore, we saw that Christian faith9600:05:16,279 –> 00:05:21,279is not a matter of personal opinion or interpretation.9700:05:22,079 –> 00:05:27,079Christian faith is not based on personal feelings9800:05:27,299 –> 00:05:30,880or impulses or even experiences.9900:05:30,880 –> 00:05:33,279Christian faith at its heart10000:05:33,279 –> 00:05:37,839is believing what God has revealed regarding Jesus10100:05:37,839 –> 00:05:41,519which is that he was manifested in the flesh10200:05:41,519 –> 00:05:45,640and that he was vindicated by the spirit.10300:05:45,640 –> 00:05:47,880And this good news revealed by God10400:05:47,880 –> 00:05:51,920concerning Jesus seen by angels and denounced by them10500:05:51,920 –> 00:05:54,940was proclaimed among the nations by the apostles10600:05:54,940 –> 00:05:58,040and of course this is still our calling today.10700:05:58,040 –> 00:06:01,640You can say to any person, at any time,10800:06:01,640 –> 00:06:04,119any culture, any place,10900:06:04,119 –> 00:06:05,100you can say,11000:06:05,100 –> 00:06:07,839there is a life for which God made you,11100:06:08,720 –> 00:06:11,420there is a life to which God calls you,11200:06:11,920 –> 00:06:14,839and that life which is a life of godliness11300:06:14,839 –> 00:06:18,239to be God’s man God’s woman is made possible for you11400:06:18,239 –> 00:06:20,640in and through Jesus Christ.11500:06:20,640 –> 00:06:25,019Great is the mystery of godliness.11600:06:25,019 –> 00:06:27,320Now today, we’re going to look at11700:06:27,320 –> 00:06:30,140how this life for which God made you11800:06:30,140 –> 00:06:31,480and to which God calls you,11900:06:31,480 –> 00:06:34,320how this life can be yours.12000:06:34,320 –> 00:06:35,839And it’s in the last lines12100:06:35,839 –> 00:06:38,799of this marvelous statement about Jesus12200:06:38,839 –> 00:06:42,279that he was believed on in the world12300:06:42,279 –> 00:06:45,940and taken up into glory.12400:06:45,940 –> 00:06:50,119I want today that we should see clearly12500:06:50,119 –> 00:06:55,119what believing means and where believing leads.12600:06:57,119 –> 00:06:58,299Now let’s start here.12700:06:58,299 –> 00:07:00,380What believing means?12800:07:00,380 –> 00:07:05,380He was believed on in the world.12900:07:05,660 –> 00:07:10,660Now the Bible says a very great deal about believing.13000:07:11,700 –> 00:07:16,559For God so loved the world that he gave13100:07:17,779 –> 00:07:22,779his one and only son, that whoever believes13200:07:23,320 –> 00:07:28,320in him should not perish but have everlasting life.13300:07:28,359 –> 00:07:30,839But have everlasting life.13400:07:31,839 –> 00:07:36,839So everlasting life can be yours by believing13500:07:39,260 –> 00:07:42,660by believing, in the Bible we also read13600:07:42,660 –> 00:07:47,660these marvelous words, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ13700:07:48,019 –> 00:07:50,100and you will be saved.13800:07:51,059 –> 00:07:56,059So not only is everlasting life yours by believing13900:07:56,059 –> 00:08:01,059but to be saved from the final judgment of almighty God14000:08:01,640 –> 00:08:04,000that also is yours by believing.14100:08:04,000 –> 00:08:06,239So to know what is meant by believing14200:08:06,239 –> 00:08:08,959is therefore of supreme importance14300:08:08,959 –> 00:08:12,299and that is what is before us today.14400:08:12,299 –> 00:08:15,220I want to suggest to you from these verses14500:08:15,220 –> 00:08:17,940that believing in the Lord Jesus Christ14600:08:17,940 –> 00:08:21,160involves three steps and I hope that each14700:08:21,160 –> 00:08:23,540and every one of us in this service today14800:08:23,540 –> 00:08:28,540will take these steps and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.14900:08:30,540 –> 00:08:35,359Number one, believing means that you confess15000:08:35,359 –> 00:08:38,179what God has revealed about Jesus.15100:08:38,179 –> 00:08:41,000That’s the first step if you like in believing15200:08:41,000 –> 00:08:46,000that you confess what God has revealed about Jesus.15300:08:46,080 –> 00:08:51,080Great indeed we confess is the mystery of godliness.15400:08:51,159 –> 00:08:55,239He was manifested in the flesh and vindicated by the spirit.15500:08:55,239 –> 00:08:58,539These words are a confession of faith15600:08:58,539 –> 00:09:00,320that is what it is to believe.15700:09:00,320 –> 00:09:04,840It is to confess what God has revealed concerning Jesus.15800:09:04,840 –> 00:09:07,760We confess the mystery that is we confess15900:09:07,760 –> 00:09:09,580the secret that God has revealed16000:09:09,580 –> 00:09:12,039though it’s full wonder is still to be made known16100:09:12,039 –> 00:09:14,239and what does God revealed regarding Jesus?16200:09:14,239 –> 00:09:16,320He was manifested in the flesh.16300:09:16,320 –> 00:09:19,440He was vindicated by the spirit,16400:09:19,460 –> 00:09:23,539so very simply to believe in Jesus16500:09:23,539 –> 00:09:28,539means that you confess what God has revealed about Him.16600:09:29,159 –> 00:09:34,159Yes, I believe that God became man in Jesus Christ.16700:09:37,020 –> 00:09:42,020That the baby who lay in the manger, is God with us.16800:09:43,239 –> 00:09:46,119That he is indeed Lord of all16900:09:46,119 –> 00:09:51,119and therefore by definition must be Lord of me.17000:09:52,260 –> 00:09:57,000Yes, I believe that he lived that perfect life17100:09:57,000 –> 00:09:58,700that no one else has ever lived17200:09:58,700 –> 00:10:02,059and that he laid that perfect life down17300:10:02,059 –> 00:10:06,159as a sacrifice for my sins.17400:10:06,159 –> 00:10:08,580I believe that he rose from the dead17500:10:08,580 –> 00:10:10,679and he ascended into heaven17600:10:10,679 –> 00:10:13,799and I believe that one day he will come again17700:10:13,799 –> 00:10:16,039in power and in glory.17800:10:17,039 –> 00:10:19,359Now the Bible says very clearly,17900:10:19,359 –> 00:10:23,760if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord18000:10:23,760 –> 00:10:28,000and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead18100:10:28,000 –> 00:10:29,359you will be saved.18200:10:29,359 –> 00:10:30,440Notice the connection.18300:10:30,440 –> 00:10:33,239You confess with your mouth, you believe in your heart.18400:10:33,239 –> 00:10:36,260Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.18500:10:36,260 –> 00:10:38,679Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.18600:10:38,679 –> 00:10:39,559You will be saved.18700:10:39,559 –> 00:10:41,719Do you notice the connection between confessing18800:10:41,719 –> 00:10:44,099and believing because in the first instance18900:10:44,960 –> 00:10:47,979believing is a matter of confessing19000:10:47,979 –> 00:10:51,479what God has revealed about Jesus.19100:10:51,479 –> 00:10:53,520So I want to ask you very simply this morning,19200:10:53,520 –> 00:10:56,780are you ready to take the first step in believing?19300:10:57,739 –> 00:11:01,640I confess what God has revealed about Jesus,19400:11:01,640 –> 00:11:03,679that he was manifested in the flesh,19500:11:03,679 –> 00:11:06,219vindicated by the spirit,19600:11:06,219 –> 00:11:09,679that Jesus is the sovereign Lord and the savior19700:11:09,679 –> 00:11:11,299who was born into the world,19800:11:11,320 –> 00:11:15,380died on the cross, and rose again from the dead.19900:11:15,380 –> 00:11:17,760Believing means that you confess20000:11:17,760 –> 00:11:21,619what God has revealed about Jesus.20100:11:22,559 –> 00:11:24,099And we’ll continue to look at20200:11:24,099 –> 00:11:26,880what believing means in just a moment.20300:11:26,880 –> 00:11:28,419You’re listening to Open the Bible20400:11:28,419 –> 00:11:29,799with Pastor Colin Smith20500:11:29,799 –> 00:11:33,099and a message called Believed and Glorified.20600:11:33,099 –> 00:11:35,820It’s part of our series, Simply Called Jesus,20700:11:35,820 –> 00:11:37,940and if you’ve missed any of the series to date20800:11:37,940 –> 00:11:39,900or if you want to go back and listen again,20900:11:39,900 –> 00:11:42,679you can always do that by coming online to our website21000:11:42,679 –> 00:11:45,140openthebible.org.uk.21100:11:45,140 –> 00:11:46,979There you’ll find all the messages21200:11:46,979 –> 00:11:49,059which have already gone out on air.21300:11:49,059 –> 00:11:52,739And you can also find Pastor Colin’s messages as podcasts,21400:11:52,739 –> 00:11:55,960and those are on every main podcast site,21500:11:55,960 –> 00:11:57,799and you can find them by simply searching21600:11:57,799 –> 00:12:00,380for Open the Bible UK.21700:12:00,380 –> 00:12:03,219Back to the message now, here’s Colin.21800:12:03,219 –> 00:12:08,140Believing means that you stop trusting21900:12:08,299 –> 00:12:12,619in your own attempts to be godly.22000:12:12,619 –> 00:12:17,619Now remember, godliness is the life for which God made you,22100:12:17,960 –> 00:12:20,400and it is the life to which God calls you.22200:12:21,599 –> 00:12:25,299But what does this godly life look like?22300:12:26,080 –> 00:12:30,159Well, God lays it out in the 10 commandments,22400:12:30,159 –> 00:12:31,599and here’s the first of them.22500:12:32,619 –> 00:12:37,619You shall have no other gods before God.22600:12:38,280 –> 00:12:40,179May, now you see,22700:12:40,179 –> 00:12:42,979that’s the essence of godliness, isn’t it?22800:12:42,979 –> 00:12:47,979To be godly is to be God’s man, it is to be God’s woman,22900:12:48,640 –> 00:12:51,599God made you for himself,23000:12:51,599 –> 00:12:56,020to be godly means that you are wholly devoted to him.23100:12:56,960 –> 00:13:00,460Or as Jesus put it, that you love the lord your God23200:13:00,460 –> 00:13:05,359with all your heart, with all your soul,23300:13:05,359 –> 00:13:10,359with all your mind and with all your strength.23400:13:12,340 –> 00:13:16,780Now here’s how you get to believing in Jesus.23500:13:18,179 –> 00:13:22,460You take an honest look at your own life23600:13:22,460 –> 00:13:26,179in the light of the life for which God made you23700:13:26,179 –> 00:13:27,960and the life to which he calls you.23800:13:28,940 –> 00:13:31,979Love the lord your God with all your heart,23900:13:31,979 –> 00:13:34,880with all your soul, with all your mind24000:13:34,880 –> 00:13:37,219and with all your strength.24100:13:38,520 –> 00:13:41,280And when you take an honest look at your own life24200:13:41,280 –> 00:13:43,559in the light of the life to which God calls you,24300:13:43,559 –> 00:13:45,440you will come to this conclusion.24400:13:46,659 –> 00:13:49,739I am nowhere close to being godly.24500:13:51,559 –> 00:13:54,780I have even don’t the first thing that God calls me to do.24600:13:56,320 –> 00:14:00,419My life is stretched out between competing loves.24700:14:01,260 –> 00:14:04,940I love myself too much.24800:14:05,979 –> 00:14:09,200I love this world too much.24900:14:09,200 –> 00:14:12,400I love this life too much.25000:14:14,099 –> 00:14:17,780And when you become convinced25100:14:17,780 –> 00:14:19,859that you are not godly,25200:14:21,140 –> 00:14:23,979you will say, well, this is no use,25300:14:24,859 –> 00:14:27,659I cannot continue to put confidence25400:14:27,700 –> 00:14:31,460in my own feeble attempts to live a godly life25500:14:31,460 –> 00:14:33,900because these attempts at their best25600:14:33,900 –> 00:14:37,780fall pitifully short of the life for which God made me25700:14:37,780 –> 00:14:39,719and the life to which God calls me.25800:14:41,619 –> 00:14:44,280That’s how you will come to believe in Jesus.25900:14:44,280 –> 00:14:46,039You won’t put your trust in Jesus26000:14:46,039 –> 00:14:48,460until you’ve given up trusting in yourself.26100:14:50,719 –> 00:14:52,400Now all over the world, friends,26200:14:52,400 –> 00:14:54,780people are pursuing different paths26300:14:54,780 –> 00:14:57,619in an attempt to be godly.26400:14:57,619 –> 00:15:01,260Each of the world’s religions offers a different path.26500:15:01,260 –> 00:15:03,900They all tell you what you must do.26600:15:05,080 –> 00:15:06,900There are rights to be observed.26700:15:06,900 –> 00:15:08,739There are pilgrimages to be made.26800:15:08,739 –> 00:15:10,640There are sacrifices to be offered.26900:15:10,640 –> 00:15:13,099There are evils to be opposed.27000:15:13,979 –> 00:15:18,520The Gospel says something completely different.27100:15:18,520 –> 00:15:20,359What God says to us in Scripture27200:15:20,359 –> 00:15:22,619is you’re not godly.27300:15:23,619 –> 00:15:28,659And what’s more, you don’t have it in you to become godly27400:15:30,179 –> 00:15:33,059and that of course goes against the grain27500:15:33,059 –> 00:15:35,859of all that we are taught in our culture.27600:15:35,859 –> 00:15:37,700Our culture is always saying to us,27700:15:37,700 –> 00:15:39,700now you’re a good person27800:15:39,700 –> 00:15:43,900and you can do whatever you set your mind to do27900:15:43,900 –> 00:15:46,099and we like that message so we believe it28000:15:46,099 –> 00:15:49,140and we say yes, no, I have integrity.28100:15:49,140 –> 00:15:50,940I tell the truth.28200:15:50,940 –> 00:15:52,419I’m a good person.28300:15:53,619 –> 00:15:57,320And you know, the more ethical you are28400:15:58,820 –> 00:16:01,580the harder it is to believe that you are not godly28500:16:04,460 –> 00:16:09,460but if you confess that Jesus really is God with us,28600:16:09,580 –> 00:16:12,059manifested in the flesh and vindicated by the Spirit,28700:16:12,059 –> 00:16:14,760at some point you are going to say to yourself28800:16:14,760 –> 00:16:17,780if you confess that Jesus is who he says he is.28900:16:17,780 –> 00:16:19,400And Jesus says,29000:16:19,400 –> 00:16:22,619if I confess Jesus,29100:16:22,619 –> 00:16:27,000I can no longer hold on to a view of myself29200:16:27,000 –> 00:16:28,500that is a direct contradiction29300:16:28,500 –> 00:16:30,340to why he came into the world.29400:16:32,179 –> 00:16:34,479You shall call his name Jesus29500:16:34,479 –> 00:16:38,119for he shall save his people from their sins.29600:16:40,640 –> 00:16:42,000So here’s my question.29700:16:43,140 –> 00:16:47,059If you confess what God has revealed about Jesus,29800:16:47,059 –> 00:16:48,219that’s the first step.29900:16:49,460 –> 00:16:53,539Are you ready today to take the second step,30000:16:53,539 –> 00:16:56,179which is to stop trusting30100:16:56,179 –> 00:16:59,000your own attempts to be godly?30200:17:00,020 –> 00:17:02,200And I will tell you when you stop trusting30300:17:02,200 –> 00:17:03,119what’s not working30400:17:03,119 –> 00:17:05,180you will know the most enormous relief.30500:17:06,459 –> 00:17:08,739Believing means first that you confess30600:17:08,739 –> 00:17:10,280what God has revealed about Jesus.30700:17:10,280 –> 00:17:12,859Second, that you stop trusting30800:17:12,859 –> 00:17:15,140your own attempts to be godly.30900:17:15,199 –> 00:17:17,579And we say, where do you go from there?31000:17:17,579 –> 00:17:20,300What are you going to put in the place31100:17:20,300 –> 00:17:21,500of trusting in yourself?31200:17:21,500 –> 00:17:22,859That’s the third step31300:17:22,859 –> 00:17:24,819in what it means to believe.31400:17:24,819 –> 00:17:28,160Believing means that you trust Jesus31500:17:28,160 –> 00:17:30,020for godliness.31600:17:30,020 –> 00:17:31,760And isn’t that the whole point of this verse?31700:17:31,760 –> 00:17:34,180Great indeed we confess31800:17:34,180 –> 00:17:36,180is the mystery of godliness,31900:17:36,180 –> 00:17:37,579the secret that God has revealed32000:17:37,579 –> 00:17:38,819of how you can become32100:17:38,819 –> 00:17:40,439the person God calls you to be.32200:17:40,439 –> 00:17:42,060And the answer is it in Jesus.32300:17:42,060 –> 00:17:44,420He was manifested in the flesh32400:17:44,859 –> 00:17:49,260and vindicated by the spirit.32500:17:49,260 –> 00:17:50,819When you believe,32600:17:51,760 –> 00:17:54,280Jesus becomes yours32700:17:55,239 –> 00:17:56,979and you become His.32800:17:59,020 –> 00:18:04,020Faith unites you to Jesus Christ32900:18:04,020 –> 00:18:08,500so that when He is yours33000:18:08,500 –> 00:18:10,819all that is in Him33100:18:10,819 –> 00:18:14,359becomes yours as well.33200:18:15,380 –> 00:18:17,060Now we’re looking at the question,33300:18:17,060 –> 00:18:18,660how can you be godly?33400:18:19,540 –> 00:18:21,459The answer is Jesus Christ33500:18:21,459 –> 00:18:25,140and Jesus Christ alone is godly in Himself.33600:18:26,900 –> 00:18:28,339We become godly33700:18:29,780 –> 00:18:30,439in Him33800:18:31,300 –> 00:18:32,020through Him33900:18:32,660 –> 00:18:35,380and by virtue of union with Him.34000:18:36,260 –> 00:18:38,339You would not and could not34100:18:38,339 –> 00:18:40,739be godly without Jesus34200:18:40,739 –> 00:18:43,060but when you become one with Him34300:18:43,140 –> 00:18:44,660what is true of HIm34400:18:44,660 –> 00:18:47,619becomes true of you as well.34500:18:49,140 –> 00:18:50,260So here’s my question,34600:18:51,540 –> 00:18:54,660if you confess what God has revealed about Jesus34700:18:55,699 –> 00:18:57,380and if in the light of that34800:18:57,380 –> 00:18:59,300you have stopped trusting34900:18:59,300 –> 00:19:02,339in your own attempts to be godly35000:19:02,339 –> 00:19:03,619are you ready then35100:19:03,619 –> 00:19:07,380to take the third step of believing today35200:19:07,380 –> 00:19:09,699which is to trust Jesus35300:19:09,699 –> 00:19:10,900for what you do not have35400:19:10,900 –> 00:19:13,300and to find in him the godliness35500:19:13,300 –> 00:19:15,060that is in him alone?35600:19:16,180 –> 00:19:19,219Actually this analogy of marriage35700:19:19,219 –> 00:19:21,619that the bible uses many, many times35800:19:21,619 –> 00:19:24,020to help us understand union35900:19:24,020 –> 00:19:25,780with the Lord Jesus Christ36000:19:25,780 –> 00:19:27,619it is such a helpful picture.36100:19:28,260 –> 00:19:30,739Every marriage involves consent.36200:19:32,099 –> 00:19:33,300Will you take this man36300:19:33,300 –> 00:19:35,380to be your lawful wedded husband?36400:19:35,380 –> 00:19:35,939I will.36500:19:35,939 –> 00:19:37,060Will you take this woman36600:19:37,060 –> 00:19:39,060to be your lawful wedding wife?36700:19:39,060 –> 00:19:39,699I will.36800:19:40,420 –> 00:19:41,540Involves consent.36900:19:42,979 –> 00:19:44,819Let me put it to you this way37000:19:44,819 –> 00:19:46,660that by coming into the world37100:19:48,180 –> 00:19:49,619living that perfect life37200:19:49,619 –> 00:19:52,099and then by going to that cross37300:19:52,099 –> 00:19:54,500where he laid down his life for us37400:19:55,140 –> 00:19:57,140Jesus was consenting37500:19:58,500 –> 00:20:00,500to be your saviour37600:20:00,500 –> 00:20:02,099and to be your Lord37700:20:02,099 –> 00:20:04,260and to be made one with you.37800:20:06,020 –> 00:20:07,459And when you believe37900:20:07,459 –> 00:20:08,979you are consenting38000:20:08,979 –> 00:20:11,060to be made one with him38100:20:11,060 –> 00:20:12,260to be in him38200:20:12,260 –> 00:20:15,060so that, that which is true of him alone38300:20:15,060 –> 00:20:17,380becomes true of you in him38400:20:17,380 –> 00:20:20,979by virtue of your union with him.38500:20:22,420 –> 00:20:24,900Here’s what believing means.38600:20:25,780 –> 00:20:27,219It means that you confess38700:20:27,939 –> 00:20:30,180what God has revealed about Jesus38800:20:30,900 –> 00:20:32,420it means that in the light of that38900:20:32,420 –> 00:20:33,540you stop trusting39000:20:33,540 –> 00:20:35,380your own attempts to be godly39100:20:35,380 –> 00:20:37,060and in the light of that39200:20:37,140 –> 00:20:38,739you start trusting39300:20:38,739 –> 00:20:41,459Jesus for godliness.39400:20:42,420 –> 00:20:43,380You’ve been listening to39500:20:43,380 –> 00:20:44,180Open the Bible39600:20:44,180 –> 00:20:45,619with pastor Colin Smith39700:20:45,619 –> 00:20:46,660and a message called39800:20:46,660 –> 00:20:48,500Believed and Glorified39900:20:48,500 –> 00:20:49,459and we’ve been looking at40000:20:49,459 –> 00:20:51,300what believing means today40100:20:51,300 –> 00:20:52,979and next time we’ll look at40200:20:52,979 –> 00:20:54,260where believing leads40300:20:54,260 –> 00:20:55,540so I do hope you’ll be able40400:20:55,540 –> 00:20:56,579to join us for that.40500:20:57,619 –> 00:20:59,780Our series is called Jesus40600:20:59,780 –> 00:21:00,660and if you’ve missed40700:21:00,660 –> 00:21:01,780any of the series40800:21:01,780 –> 00:21:02,819or if you want to go back40900:21:02,819 –> 00:21:03,699and listen again41000:21:03,699 –> 00:21:04,660you can do that41100:21:04,660 –> 00:21:05,699in a number of ways41200:21:05,699 –> 00:21:06,660you can come online41300:21:06,660 –> 00:21:07,979to our website41400:21:07,979 –> 00:21:09,579openthebible.org.uk41500:21:10,300 –> 00:21:11,099and there you’ll find41600:21:11,099 –> 00:21:11,819all the messages41700:21:11,819 –> 00:21:12,500which have already41800:21:12,500 –> 00:21:13,500gone out41900:21:13,500 –> 00:21:15,099then you can also find42000:21:15,099 –> 00:21:16,459Pastor Colin’s Teaching42100:21:16,459 –> 00:21:17,339as a podcast42200:21:17,339 –> 00:21:18,540and those podcasts42300:21:18,540 –> 00:21:19,099are available42400:21:19,099 –> 00:21:21,180on all the main podcast sites42500:21:21,180 –> 00:21:23,180search for Open the Bible UK42600:21:23,180 –> 00:21:24,540or indeed follow the link42700:21:24,540 –> 00:21:25,579from our website42800:21:26,219 –> 00:21:27,099On our website42900:21:27,099 –> 00:21:28,219and also available43000:21:28,219 –> 00:21:29,339as a podcast43100:21:29,339 –> 00:21:30,780is our daily reflection43200:21:30,780 –> 00:21:31,739and that’s called43300:21:31,739 –> 00:21:33,420Open the Bible Daily43400:21:33,420 –> 00:21:34,219you’ll find that43500:21:34,219 –> 00:21:35,119on our website43600:21:35,119 –> 00:21:36,459and as a podcast43700:21:36,579 –> 00:21:37,640and there’s a fresh one43800:21:37,640 –> 00:21:38,380every day43900:21:38,380 –> 00:21:39,079It’s based on44000:21:39,079 –> 00:21:40,400Pastor Colin’s Teaching44100:21:40,400 –> 00:21:41,560and read in the UK44200:21:41,560 –> 00:21:42,420by Su McCleach44300:21:42,420 –> 00:21:43,959each episode lasts44400:21:43,959 –> 00:21:45,959about two to three minutes44500:21:46,400 –> 00:21:47,319Also on our website44600:21:47,319 –> 00:21:48,020you can find44700:21:48,020 –> 00:21:49,540many of Pastor Colin Smith’s44800:21:49,540 –> 00:21:50,339sermons44900:21:50,339 –> 00:21:52,199organised in four ways45000:21:52,400 –> 00:21:53,719by series45100:21:53,719 –> 00:21:54,839Colin preaches45200:21:54,839 –> 00:21:55,619a whole series45300:21:55,619 –> 00:21:56,920on a particular subject45400:21:57,160 –> 00:21:58,199by topic45500:21:58,640 –> 00:21:59,260with reference45600:21:59,260 –> 00:22:00,640to individual scripture45700:22:00,640 –> 00:22:02,000and by date45800:22:02,400 –> 00:22:03,079This means that45900:22:03,079 –> 00:22:04,199it’s really easy46000:22:04,199 –> 00:22:05,199to home in on46100:22:05,199 –> 00:22:06,160any of the subjects46200:22:06,239 –> 00:22:06,760topics46300:22:06,760 –> 00:22:08,199or scriptural references46400:22:08,199 –> 00:22:09,719that you may be looking for46500:22:09,719 –> 00:22:10,280Go to46600:22:10,280 –> 00:22:12,599www.openthebible.org.uk46700:22:12,920 –> 00:22:14,380and Click on the menu item46800:22:14,380 –> 00:22:15,680Sermons46900:22:15,680 –> 00:22:16,719You’ll also find47000:22:16,719 –> 00:22:18,219an online bible study course47100:22:18,219 –> 00:22:18,819entitled47200:22:18,819 –> 00:22:20,020The Drive47300:22:20,020 –> 00:22:22,219This is a 30 session journey47400:22:22,219 –> 00:22:23,739through the entire bible47500:22:23,739 –> 00:22:24,680and it will take you47600:22:24,680 –> 00:22:25,859deep into valleys47700:22:25,859 –> 00:22:27,199of the old testament47800:22:27,199 –> 00:22:29,300the peaks of the glory of Jesus47900:22:29,300 –> 00:22:30,560and the ups and downs48000:22:30,560 –> 00:22:31,760of the christian life48100:22:31,760 –> 00:22:32,939Again that’s48200:22:32,939 –> 00:22:33,780The Drive48300:22:33,780 –> 00:22:34,739and you can find it48400:22:34,739 –> 00:22:35,699under the menu item48500:22:35,819 –> 00:22:36,660resources48600:22:36,660 –> 00:22:38,339on the Open The Bible website48700:22:38,339 –> 00:22:38,859that’s48800:22:38,859 –> 00:22:41,900www.openthebible.org.uk48900:22:42,900 –> 00:22:43,800Open the Bible is49000:22:43,800 –> 00:22:44,739supported entirely49100:22:44,739 –> 00:22:45,560by our listeners49200:22:45,560 –> 00:22:47,060that’s people just like you49300:22:47,060 –> 00:22:48,180and if that’s something49400:22:48,180 –> 00:22:49,300you’re considering doing49500:22:49,300 –> 00:22:50,099in the future49600:22:50,099 –> 00:22:51,280why not set up49700:22:51,280 –> 00:22:52,459a new direct debit49800:22:52,459 –> 00:22:53,380this month49900:22:53,579 –> 00:22:54,319in the amount of50000:22:54,319 –> 00:22:55,939£5 per month or more50100:22:55,939 –> 00:22:57,380or a one-off gift50200:22:57,380 –> 00:22:58,640of £50 or more50300:22:58,640 –> 00:22:59,900In return50400:22:59,900 –> 00:23:01,140we’d love to say thank you50500:23:01,140 –> 00:23:01,979by sending you50600:23:01,979 –> 00:23:02,880three copies50700:23:02,900 –> 00:23:04,199of the Gospel of John50800:23:04,339 –> 00:23:05,099That’s obviously50900:23:05,099 –> 00:23:06,239so you can give copies51000:23:06,239 –> 00:23:07,280away to your friends51100:23:07,280 –> 00:23:07,880and family51200:23:07,880 –> 00:23:09,300and maybe even sit down51300:23:09,300 –> 00:23:10,719and read it with them51400:23:10,800 –> 00:23:11,380But Colin51500:23:11,380 –> 00:23:13,140Why John’s Gospel?51600:23:13,459 –> 00:23:13,859Well, you know51700:23:13,859 –> 00:23:14,819surveys tell us that51800:23:14,819 –> 00:23:16,979two out of three people51900:23:16,979 –> 00:23:18,699are interested in The Bible52000:23:18,699 –> 00:23:20,199I find that a wonderfully52100:23:20,199 –> 00:23:22,060encouraging statistic52200:23:22,300 –> 00:23:24,020Two out of every three people52300:23:24,020 –> 00:23:24,680that I know52400:23:24,680 –> 00:23:25,599and you know52500:23:25,599 –> 00:23:26,599express that they have52600:23:26,599 –> 00:23:27,760some interest52700:23:27,760 –> 00:23:29,219some curiosity52800:23:29,420 –> 00:23:30,140in knowing52900:23:30,140 –> 00:23:31,660more about The Bible53000:23:31,979 –> 00:23:32,359Well53100:23:32,359 –> 00:23:33,800what if you were the person53200:23:33,800 –> 00:23:34,780to introduce53300:23:34,880 –> 00:23:36,280a friend of yours53400:23:36,280 –> 00:23:37,660to the Word of God?53500:23:37,939 –> 00:23:39,079Here’s an opportunity53600:23:39,079 –> 00:23:40,920for you to invite a friend53700:23:40,920 –> 00:23:42,520to read through John’s Gospel53800:23:42,520 –> 00:23:43,800and more than that53900:23:43,800 –> 00:23:45,680to read through it with you54000:23:45,680 –> 00:23:46,979Let me encourage you54100:23:47,319 –> 00:23:48,199why not give54200:23:48,199 –> 00:23:49,599a copy of John’s Gospel54300:23:49,599 –> 00:23:49,979to someone you know54400:23:49,979 –> 00:23:50,920to someone you know54500:23:50,920 –> 00:23:51,719who needs to know54600:23:51,719 –> 00:23:52,619The God of the Bible54700:23:52,619 –> 00:23:53,439And then offer54800:23:53,439 –> 00:23:54,800just to read it through with them54900:23:54,800 –> 00:23:55,260You know55000:23:55,260 –> 00:23:56,359read a chapter at a time55100:23:56,359 –> 00:23:57,239Talk about it55200:23:57,239 –> 00:23:58,380either in person55300:23:58,380 –> 00:23:59,119or over the phone55400:23:59,119 –> 00:24:00,319or even by text55500:24:00,319 –> 00:24:01,040or whatever55600:24:01,040 –> 00:24:02,579But get a conversation55700:24:02,579 –> 00:24:04,260going around the Word of God55800:24:04,479 –> 00:24:06,000If you get the living seed55900:24:06,000 –> 00:24:07,040of the Word of God56000:24:07,040 –> 00:24:09,060dropped into a person’s life56100:24:09,060 –> 00:24:10,239you can look with hope56200:24:10,239 –> 00:24:11,800and expectation56300:24:11,800 –> 00:24:12,839at what God may do56400:24:12,839 –> 00:24:13,640as a result56500:24:13,819 –> 00:24:15,119Well we want to help you56600:24:15,119 –> 00:24:15,520to get that56700:24:15,520 –> 00:24:16,579living seed of the56800:24:16,579 –> 00:24:17,400Word of God56900:24:17,400 –> 00:24:18,439into your life57000:24:18,439 –> 00:24:19,359and into the lives57100:24:19,359 –> 00:24:19,859of those57200:24:19,859 –> 00:24:20,760you give a copy57300:24:20,760 –> 00:24:22,359of John’s Gospel to57400:24:22,540 –> 00:24:23,5603 copies of57500:24:23,560 –> 00:24:24,619John’s Gospel57600:24:24,619 –> 00:24:25,660is our gift to you57700:24:25,660 –> 00:24:27,199if you’re able to set-up57800:24:27,199 –> 00:24:28,339a new direct debit57900:24:28,339 –> 00:24:30,099of 5 pounds per month58000:24:30,099 –> 00:24:30,939or more58100:24:30,979 –> 00:24:31,819or a one off gift

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Colin Smith

Trustee / Founder and Teaching Pastor

Colin Smith is the Senior Pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He has authored a number of books, including Heaven, How I Got Here and Heaven, So Near – So Far. Colin is the Founder and Teaching Pastor for Open the Bible. Follow him on X formerly Twitter.

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What is the secret to living a godly life? The answer does not lie in some technique, program, or discipline, but in a person. Pastor Colin leads us through 1 Timothy 3:16, which scholars suggest may have been an early Christian creed or hymn. In it, you will discover 6 marvelous statements about Jesus. These

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