A BRAND NEW BODY!

"Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh... received up into glory" (I Tim 3:16).

This is amazing. "God was manifest in the flesh." God's divine nature was manifest while dwelling in this human body. This is the first sign of the mystery of godliness and this was very true about Jesus. He "was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (Jn 1:14). While we are in the flesh (in this physical body) we should manifest God's glory. What is glory? 'Full(ness) of grace and truth.'

Some give the excuse, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." When sin entered man the body indeed became weak, although the spirit is willing. In water baptism, this weak (disobedient) body is removed (buried). Now we are the body of Christ, the Church. WE CAN DO GOD'S WILL IN THIS BODY BY THE GRACE OF GOD, BECAUSE HE HAS REMOVED OUR OLD (WEAK AND DISOBEDIENT) BODY AND HAS GIVEN US A NEW BODY. HALLELUJAH!

The final aspect of the mystery of godliness is, "received up into glory." First, 'manifest in the flesh' and finally, 'received up into glory.' Indeed, if God is manifested in our body now, in the end, our body shall be changed and we shall be received up into glory.

Dear reader, stop giving the excuse: "The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." That is a trick of the devil. Why not thank God for that BRAND NEW BODY of yours and "glorify God in your body"?

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"