For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
2 Peter 1:5-7 (NIV)
Godliness has got to be a trait with little meaning to our modern world. Our modern culture does not value godliness. Growing up the message I heard about godliness was a lot about what you didn't do. You don't get angry. You don't hit someone back. You don't think to highly of yourself. You don't lust. You don't drink. You don't go to R-rated movies. It made me see godliness as sort of advanced wimpiness.
In contrast to much of what people think, the men of God found in the Bible were quite strong, bold and anything but wimpy.
Think of Job. He was a strong powerful man who sought the Lord with all his heart.
Then there was David, the warrior psalmist. He was a man after God's own heart. And he led his nation in battle.
The Apostle Paul was definitely an A-type personality if there ever was one. Persecutor of the church turned follower of the way. He preached the gospel to basically the know world and wrote a good portion of the New Testament.
What about Peter, the fisherman turned fisher of men, disciple and apostle? I don't think you would call him wimpy. He stood up to the ruling Sanhedrin and declared, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God" (Acts 4:19b). He wrote this very epistle we are studying. He would die a martyr's death.
Godliness is strength governed by grace and justice tempered with mercy. Living my life in godliness is not about things I don't do, it is loving others as Christ first loved me.
Father, help us to be godly in all we say and do. Praise be to you in us today!
Godliness has got to be a trait with little meaning to our modern world. Our modern culture does not value godliness. Growing up the message I heard about godliness was a lot about what you didn't do. You don't get angry. You don't hit someone back. You don't think to highly of yourself. You don't lust. You don't drink. You don't go to R-rated movies. It made me see godliness as sort of advanced wimpiness.
In contrast to much of what people think, the men of God found in the Bible were quite strong, bold and anything but wimpy.
Think of Job. He was a strong powerful man who sought the Lord with all his heart.
Then there was David, the warrior psalmist. He was a man after God's own heart. And he led his nation in battle.
The Apostle Paul was definitely an A-type personality if there ever was one. Persecutor of the church turned follower of the way. He preached the gospel to basically the know world and wrote a good portion of the New Testament.
What about Peter, the fisherman turned fisher of men, disciple and apostle? I don't think you would call him wimpy. He stood up to the ruling Sanhedrin and declared, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God" (Acts 4:19b). He wrote this very epistle we are studying. He would die a martyr's death.
Godliness is strength governed by grace and justice tempered with mercy. Living my life in godliness is not about things I don't do, it is loving others as Christ first loved me.
Father, help us to be godly in all we say and do. Praise be to you in us today!
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