April 16, 2020
Godliness is at least one of seven qualities (II Peter 1:5-7) we’re asked to add to our faith after we become Christians. Its significance is noted by the amount of times it appears in Scripture. There are at least 16 references to godliness in scripture. All of them are in the New Testament, mostly occurring in I Timothy and II Peter. The following is an excerpt of a blog post on godliness, authored by Mr. Loren Lung, a pastor, commenting on I Timothy 4:7-8:
“Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (I Timothy 4:7b-8)
There was a woman on the television the other night who went on a diet. She exercised and watched what she ate. The weight began to fall off. She went from 240 pounds down to 110 pounds. She had surgery to cut off extra skin. She was a real success story.
But along the way she became a different person. Her friends all said she had changed for the worst. She became conceited and arrogant. She got involved in all sorts of questionable practices and divorced her husband who had supported her through her efforts. She even began to snub the very people who had helped her to achieve her new and “improved” life.
Physical training and discipline are important for weight loss and certain other issues, but if you really want to change in a truly meaningful manner, with lasting significance, then you had better train in godliness. The Apostle Paul tells Timothy that training in godliness is beneficial for both this life, and that which is to come.
Godliness is taking on the very attributes of God. It includes unconditional love, forgiveness, grace, mercy, and selflessness. These are in stark contrast to what the world provides.
For this woman, she wanted to look good. And when she reached that goal, she wanted all the worldly rewards that went with it. She sacrificed her principles and any relationship that didn’t benefit her new life.
Godliness often stands in stark contrast to this world. This world is about selfishness, getting ahead, and stepping on whoever it takes to get there. Godliness is about putting God’s will and others ahead of our own needs. That is why Jesus said, “If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself, pick up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). It involves putting your own wants and desires aside and dying to this world.
Prayer: Dear Lord, you are the wonderful example of love and grace. Please help me, by the power of your spirit, to train in godliness so that I can live in a manner that brings glory to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Prayer – secret, fervent, believing prayer – lies at the root of all personal godliness.” (William Carey)
“How do you train yourself to be godly? You certainly want to practice the spiritual disciplines of prayer and Bible reading and Christian fellowship. But you also want to practice making right decisions and putting God first in your life. You want to learn how to center your whole life around God. And most of all you want to practice trusting God every day of your life.” (Ray Fowler, Baptist Pastor)