Value for all things

The practice of godliness – Chapter 1

‘There is no higher compliment that can be paid to a Christian than to call him a godly person.’ (13)

Our occupation is godliness:

‘For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, [14] who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.’

(Titus 2:11-14 ESV)

‘But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.’

(1 Timothy 6:11 ESV)

‘Pursue’ here denotes an unrelenting state. It is an indictment to me. Oh to ‘pursue’, to run after godliness. We were made for greater things!

The foundation of godliness is a godly devotion. Godliness is borne out of a devotion to God, it is a devotion in action!

‘It is not just a warm, emotional feeling about God, the kind of feeling we may get while singing some grand old hymn of praise or some modern-day chorus of worship. Neither is devotion to God merely a time of private Bible reading and prayer, a practice we sometimes call “devotions”. Although this practice is vitally important to a godly person, we must not think of it as defining devotion for us’ (15)

This attitude of devotion is founded upon three things:

The fear of God

The love of God

The desire for God

William Law said in ‘A serious call to a devout and holy life’

‘Devotion signifies a life given, or devoted to God. He therefore is the devout [godly] man, who lives no longer to his own will, or the way and spirit of the world, but to the sole will of God, who considers God in everything, who serves God in everything, who makes all the parts of his common life, parts of piety [godliness], by doing everything in the name of God, and under such rules as conformable to his Glory’

Everything is centred upon God, every action.

‘So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

(1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)’

It is as Paul Washer says ‘he is not a yuppy’s accessory’. He is everything.

But it is important to finally note that godliness cannot be stirred up in ourself. All we have is from God, it is only to those who have been saved, who have been regenerated by the power of the Spirit of God, who as Peter has said have been ‘given everything we need for life and godliness’ 1 Peter 1:3

Godliness is not wearisome if you are given over to God.

P