The Father Vindicated His Son Jesus Christ By Raising Him From The Dead By The Power Of The Spirit (Doctrinal Bible Church in Huntsville, Alabama)

Doctrinal Bible Church

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Sunday April 20, 2025

Special: The Father Vindicated His Son Jesus Christ By Raising Him From The Dead By The Power Of The Spirit

The resurrection of Jesus Christ served to vindicate Him, which is taught by one of the six lines that appear in the Christ hymn that appears in 1 Timothy 3:16.

1 Timothy 3:14 Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. 16 Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. (NIV84)

“Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great” emphasizes that the first century apostolic church asserted as fact the mystery of godliness, which is spelled out in the hymn defining specifically what the church asserted as fact.

It speaks of the fact that the entire Christian community is obligated to acknowledge or affirm the truth of this confession or first century apostolic affirmation by both their words and conduct.

It describes the revelation of Jesus Christ as superior in importance to the heathen religions.

Christianity is based upon Jesus Christ the truth whereas the heathen religions of the world are based upon the lies of Satan’s cosmic system.

“Godliness” refers to the Christian way of life or the way of godly living in the sense that by the power of the Holy Spirit the Christian is conforming their thinking and conduct according to the Father’s will, which is revealed by the Holy Spirit in the Word of God.

“Mystery” refers to the gospel message which fully reveals God’s plan of salvation for both Jew and Gentiles by the Spirit through the apostles to the church, which was not fully known to the Old Testament prophets of Israel.

The content of this mystery is Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection for both Jew and Gentile.

“He appeared in a body” is used of the incarnation and subsequent earthly life of the Son of God, i.e. His First Advent.

“Seen by angels” is a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ being observed by angels at His resurrection, ascension and session, thus, they bore witness to His vindication.

“Preached among the nations” refers to the Christian community led by the apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastor-teachers publicly proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to the unsaved Jew and Gentiles.

“Believed on in the world” refers to heathen Gentiles making the non-meritorious decision to trust or place one’s absolute confidence in the merits of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and His substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the Cross and resurrection in order to receive the gift of eternal life.

“Taken up in glory” refers to the ascension of Jesus Christ, which is the vertical transfer of the glorified, resurrected human nature of Jesus Christ to the third heaven by means of the omnipotence of the Father.

“Was vindicated in the Spirit” refers to the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit raising Jesus of Nazareth from the dead on the third day in fulfillment of the Old Testament Messianic prophecies and according to the Father’s will.

This act “vindicated” Jesus of Nazareth in the sense that it demonstrated that His claims that He was the Son of God were true and that the accusations of His enemies were false and that His execution was a travesty of justice.

The resurrection vindicated Jesus of Nazareth’s claims that He was the Son of God and that faith in Him alone was the only way to receive eternal salvation and escape eternal condemnation.

Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines the verb “vindicate”: (1) to clear as from an accusation, imputation, suspicion or the like (2) to afford justification for; justify (3) to uphold or justify by argument or evidence (4) to assert, maintain or defend (a right, cause, etc).

Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines the word: (1) to set free: deliver (2) avenge, exonerate, absolve, confirm, substantiate.

If we paraphrase these definitions and apply them to our subject, we could say that the resurrection vindicated Jesus Christ in the sense that it cleared Him from the accusation that He was demon possessed and a false Messiah.

It exonerated and absolved Him of any wrongdoing that led to His crucifixion.

The resurrection upheld His claim and provided evidence that He was in fact the Son of God and the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the world and confirmed and substantiated this claim.

The resurrection vindicated His claims that He was the Messiah of Israel and the fulfillment of the Old Testament Messianic prophecies (Rom 1:1-4).

Therefore, the Father vindicated His Son, Jesus Christ by raising Him from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This vindication is mentioned in Acts 2:22-36, 3:11-15, 4:10-12, 10:34-43, Romans 1:4, 1 Corinthians 2:1-9, Ephesians 1:20-21, Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 2:8-15, and 1 Peter 3:21-22.

Acts 2:22 “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him: “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’ 29 “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ’ 36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (NIV84)