Moving Toward GODLINESS
"as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him...But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance GODLINESS..." (2 Peter 1:3,5-6)
The Apostle Peter advances our understanding of moving toward spiritual maturity by teaching that we must add to our faith the spiritual fruit of godliness. To be godly is actually impossible for an imperfect, fallen human being. This is why we needed God to become a man so that mankind could become godly. What is impossible with man is always possible with God.
Since God has come and made His home in all those who have believed and received Christ (John 14:23), there is a homeliness and holiness to our godliness. Since we are now the temple of the Holy Spirit, God lives within us and desires to reign in every room of our house or area of our life. Godliness is a reverent piety where we live, speak, and act in a manner worthy of God or as God is. Godliness is basically God-likeness.
None of us begin with a godly bent or God-likeness even though we were made in the image and likeness of God. In fact, ever since the fall of man, a godly man has become a rare breed in our world. David, a man after God's own heart, once said, "Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men" (Psalm 12:1). We have so many things pulling and pushing people toward a way of thinking and living that is contrary to who God is and His holy ways. Therefore, we need to be diligent to learn God and what is godly and how to live accordingly.
We must learn not only the morality of our Bible but more importantly the personality of the Bible. In other words, it is THE WHO that we trust in that makes THE WHAT of our faith THE HOW of the Christian life. Read that over again as it helps us to know that we need Jesus to live like Jesus and look like Jesus.
Titus 2:11-14 says, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."
But there are many things that we will have to go through in the process of becoming truly godly men and women. We must go through pressure and persecution and trial and trouble. There is no escaping the fact that if you live against the values and idols of this world, you will come under some kind of persecution. This is why Paul says, "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12).
To be godly you need to hear, see, and follow God.
- TO BE GODLY, we must PRAY to God.
- TO BE GODLY, we must PORTRAY the Son.
- TO BE GODLY, we must STAY in step with the Spirit
2 Peter 3:11-12 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
HEART WORK: Some KEY QUESTIONS to grow in GODLINESS
What God is revealing to you that is keeping from being godly?
Is it something you need to stop?
Is it something you need to start?
1 Tim. 4:7 - “…exercise yourself toward godliness.”