1 Timothy 3:¹⁴ I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; ¹⁵ but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one should act in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. ¹⁶ Beyond question, great is the mystery of godliness:

1. He who was revealed in the flesh,
2. Was vindicated in the Spirit,
3. Seen by angels,
4. Proclaimed among the nations,
5. Believed on in the world,
6. Taken up in glory. 

The church is the pillar and support of the truth. What truth? Some sectarian list of rules and minor doctrines (like instrumental music)? All doctrine is important but the church must stay focused on the main truth of the Christian faith. The following was probably a core “confession of faith”, of what Christians believed in the early church. 

1) Jesus was revealed in the flesh. When? The incarnation. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God, and the Word became flesh. John 1:1-3,14 Sadly, the church in the first few centuries had several different opinions on the nature of Jesus and much church controversy and division. It is sufficient that we believe that Jesus is the only Begotton Son of God.

2) Jesus was vindicated in the Spirit. How? His miracles. Acts 2:²² “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a Man attested (dikaioó: To justify, to declare righteous, to acquit. Usually translated “justified”) to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know.”

3)Seen by angels. When? Angels were at His: 

Birth: Angels announced Jesus’s birth to the shepherds and sang praises to God.                                        Temptation: Angels ministered to Jesus after his temptation in the wilderness.  Gethsemane: An angel strengthened Jesus during his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Resurrection: Angels rolled the stone from the tomb and announced His resurrection to the women.  Ascension: Angels were present as Jesus ascended into heaven.  Ongoing Ministry: Angels continue to witness and praise Jesus in heaven (Revelation 5).

4) Proclaimed among the nations. When? Preaching of the gospel in Acts. Romans 16:²⁵ Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ.” Colossians 1:23 …”hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven.”    

5) Believed on in the world. When? The conversion of many in Acts. Saved by grace through faith.  

6) Taken up in glory. When? The ascension. Restored to former glory. John 17:1-3. Raised to be king of kings over all the kingdoms of the world. 

This is a great statement of the core faith, the confession of faith. It is a summary of the plan of redemption. Christians may differ on a lot of minor issues, but this is what we should all believe in adn agree on. This is the message we need to spend our resources on getting it to the nations of the world. Most denominations agree on these central truths. Some, however, do not believe in the miracles or divinity of Jesus, which is sad.

This core set of beliefs is called a “mystery of godliness”. In the New Testament, the word “mystery” (Greek: musterion) generally refers to a truth previously hidden but now revealed, often through divine revelation. It doesn’t necessarily mean something inherently puzzling, but rather a secret known to God and now disclosed to certain individuals, especially through the gospel. (AI) It is used several times in the New Testament.

1 Corinthians 15:51

Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1 Corinthians 2:7

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

1 Timothy 3:9

Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

2 Thessalonians 2:7

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.

Colossians 1:26

[Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Colossians 1:27

To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Colossians 2:2

That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

Colossians 4:3

Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

Ephesians 1:9

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

Ephesians 3:3

How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

Ephesians 3:4

Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

Ephesians 3:9

And to make all [men] see what [is] the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

Ephesians 5:32

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Ephesians 6:19

And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Mark 4:11

And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all [these] things are done in parables:

Revelation 10:7

But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

Revelation 1:20

The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Revelation 17:5

And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Revelation 17:7

And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

Romans 11:25

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Romans 16:25

Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

 In ancient Rome, mystery cults were secretive religious groups that offered initiates a path to personal salvation and a more fulfilling afterlife through rituals and shared experiences. 
Mystery cults were religious organizations with secret rites and beliefs. They often centered around a mythic narrative involving a god or goddess who experiences death and rebirth, symbolizing the cycle of life and death. Examples would be Mithraism, the Cult of Isis, the Cult of Cibele, the Eleusinian Mysteries, the Cult of Dionysus. The mystery of godliness was not like those pagan mysteries. The mystery of godliness was based on a true historical figure, Jesus, who died and was bodily raised from the dead with plenty of evidence to support that historical occurrence. The mystery of godliness was “how is God going to save and justify sinners and yet remain just to punish sin.” The answer to that mystery was revealed when Jesus died and was raised. That mystery was delivered to the apostles through the inspiration of the Spirit and they preached to the entire Roman Empire.

We are very blessed to be living after the “mystery was finished” (Revelation 10:7) and recorded in the New Testament books. We are not able to see the miracles or resurrection of Jesus, but we have sufficient evidences that they really happened in history.