Epiphany: Christ Jesus came into the world.

1 Tim 1: 15: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."

One of the important things revealed in this verse about Christ is that he "came into the world." The New Testament word for "world" in the first place means our universe, all that has been created, the sun, stars, moon and earth, and everything that is in them. Paul reminds us that Jesus came from outside our universe, from the eternal and spiritual home of God into this physical, created universe that has a beginning and will have an end. When John deals with this same truth he says that Jesus "became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (Jn 1:14).

When Jesus entered the physical universe, the eternal, holy, spiritual God became one with us by receiving our human nature. “To the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever”.( 1Tim 1: 17). The almighty, ever-glorious God took on frail, humble, human flesh. In Jesus God came to share our fragile human experience so often filled with pain, unfairness and injustice. And he came to save us from it all.

The New Testament word for "world" also refers to that part of the universe that suffers under sin and death. It reminds us that the physical existence of the human race as part of the created order, was shattered by the fall into sin of mankind and is under the judgment of God.

Our verse tells us that "Christ Jesus came into the world" — a world under judgement as a result of sin and evil. Into this world he came to reveal the glory of God, and the glory of the Son of God. He revealed the pure, righteous, immortal, invisible and holy God to our sin stricken existence when he took on our frail human nature. Paul also speaks of this when he says,
{2 Cor 5:21} God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This is the same as when you and I would have to go to prison, taking on the identity of a criminal. That is a terrible thought! But that is what Christ did when he "came into the world." He who is the glory of the holy God, freely decided to carry the punishment for our disobedience, in our place. Thus he revealed the divine love, grace and mercy of God. He gave us an epiphany of our LORD of light and mercy.

We are blessed when we see his glory and where he comes from, and we in faith accept him who brought the light of heaven into our darkness, and the joy of God’s love into our sad, destructive lives. We have seen the glory of the Son of God, and we rejoice in being his own.