Introduction to the Mystery of Godliness Series

In the late summer of 2021, Pastor John Grosboll began a series of sermons entitled The Mystery of Godliness. These sermons are available on DVD and YouTube. However, the LandMarks staff is excited to bring them to you reduced to article format.

LandMarks magazine has for some time included a regular series article (e.g., the Sermon on the Mount series; the Facts about the Future series) and we will present The Mystery of Godliness as the regular series article beginning with the January, 2023, issue.

Using both Bible and Spirit of Prophecy support, these sermons discuss the dual nature of Christ—divine and human—but they delve more deeply into His human nature. The topic of Christ’s human nature has often been, and continues to be, very controversial. However, we hope that we all can remain open to the weight of evidence in inspired writings (The Desire of Ages, 458).

Considering the state of the world today, Pastor Grosboll felt that the Holy Spirit had impressed him that now was the time to present these messages. It was not His intention to convince or change anyone’s mind, but only to present what he has studied for more than 50 years, and to encourage those who hear his messages to study for themselves and allow the Holy Spirit to guide them.

God is preparing a people for eternity. If we seek to be a part of that people, then we must understand Jesus’ human nature to the fullest degree that the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy reveal so that we might more faithfully reflect His character in our own lives.

For all of my adult life, I have asked the questions: “Was Jesus really like me? How could He be of any help to me as an example of how to live, if He wasn’t just like me?” And I strongly defended my belief. After all, if He wasn’t like me, then He had some advantage living this life that I don’t have. Right?

But perhaps the real questions we should be asking are, “Can we trust in Christ to be our Saviour; were His death and life sufficient, in every way, to save me from my life of sin, by the power of the Holy Spirit? What kind of person did Christ have to be to be a spotless, unblemished sacrifice to save me from the guilt of my sins?”

Christ came to this earth in a body and nature created especially for Him (Hebrews 10:5), but the life He lived was especially designed for us (This Day With God, 32).

Both the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy tell us that we will never have, not now nor throughout eternity, a full understanding of the mystery of Christ’s nature. So, regardless of the exact specifications of Christ’s nature, we must believe that He is able to save us to the uttermost if we are willing to surrender ourselves to His grace and mercy, and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

It is our greatest hope that these messages will enable you to first understand what it really means to be Christlike and, ultimately, an overcomer. And secondly, that in understanding the standard that you and I are to reach to be overcomers, we will be encouraged to forget the past and press toward the mark of our calling which is much higher than most Adventists have realized.

By Judy Rebarchek
Managing Editor