I have heard it said, "If it says it once in the Bible, it's important. If it's in the Bible twice, it's meant to get your attention. If it's in the Bible more than twice, you better be paying attention." We know all Scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16), and that we had better listen to it all. But the saying makes a good point. God doesn't repeat himself needlessly. How many times did God speak through a burning bush? Once.
I might miss something if I only read it once, but if I read it a second time the wheels of my mind start turning. If I read it a third time, I break out a pen and begin taking notes. Something similar to that happened to me yesterday.
I was studying for a class I'll be teaching in the spring (2014). The material I was looking through referred to a book I had previously read, and I decided to get it out and start reading it again. The book is Don Whitney's Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. As I begin to read I was confronted with 1 Timothy 4:7, "Discipline yourself for the purpose of Godliness."
My life has been less than disciplined lately. I have been struggling for a long time to pull everything together. I had just about lost all interest in trying to right the ship, so to speak. As I prayed and studied Saturday evening, the Lord confronted my laziness. Then on Sunday, I was confronted with 1 Timothy 4:7.
After mulling that verse over for a bit, I went on with my studies. I had picked up a different book to look at a couple familiar passages, and guess what greeted me. It was 1 Timothy 4:7. Different author, different context, but it was the same truth, applied in a new way. So I got my pen out, and started taking notes.
I was reminded that I am a disciple, a learner of Christ. The core of disciple is discipline. If I want to be like Christ, I have to pursue it. I'm prone to forget that truth. He has given me every means necessary to accomplish the task, but he expects me to use those means to do it. What is my goal? Godliness. How am I going to get there? Discipline.
Showing posts with label Godliness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Godliness. Show all posts
Monday, July 8, 2013
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Godliness
As believers, we are called to live godly lives. But what is godliness? Godliness is a respect for God that makes you want to live for his pleasure. It's also known as the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord isn't just about fearing the wrath of God. It is about loving him.
The Bible is clear, God's people live in ways that please him. How do we do that? There are numerous places we could look for an answer. Here are a few Galatians 5:16-26, Ephesians 4:17-32, Colossians 3:1-17, James 4:1-10, 1 Peter 2:1-12, and 1 John 1:5-10.
In 1 John 1:5-10, we see one truth by which we measure every claim. John says, "God is light; in him there is no darkness." Most likely, John is stressing the perfect holiness of God. God alone exists in moral purity. John uses this as a backdrop to test the claims of belief.
Claim one says, "I know Jesus," but in reality the person lives like the devil. First John 1:6 states, "If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth." A profession of faith that lacks obedience is not genuine faith.
Claim two says, "I know Jesus," and the persons life shows it. First John 1:7 states, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." Walking in the light, means that a persons lifestyle is one of obedient faith. Faithful obedience has fruit: fellowship and forgiveness.
Claim three says, "I have no sin." John states, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). We should not confuse forgiveness with sinlessness. We are completely justified before God, through Christ, but we still sin.
Claim four says, "I have sin, please forgive me." John states, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). This view understands that while we strive toward righteousness, we never fully attain it in this life. It is Christ's sacrifice that makes us pure in God's eyes.
Claim five says, "I have never sinned." John warns, "If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives" (1 John 1:10). Jesus took the penalty for all of our sin, but that doesn't mean it never happened. The sin we have committed, although forgiven through Christ, is still real.
If we aren't careful, we will confuse our standards with God's standards. God demands perfection. The only way to get it is by trusting in Jesus. We are called to trust Christ, and to live to please him. Godliness has great value in this life, and in the one to come. As the author of Hebrews said, "Without holiness no one will see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14).
The Bible is clear, God's people live in ways that please him. How do we do that? There are numerous places we could look for an answer. Here are a few Galatians 5:16-26, Ephesians 4:17-32, Colossians 3:1-17, James 4:1-10, 1 Peter 2:1-12, and 1 John 1:5-10.
In 1 John 1:5-10, we see one truth by which we measure every claim. John says, "God is light; in him there is no darkness." Most likely, John is stressing the perfect holiness of God. God alone exists in moral purity. John uses this as a backdrop to test the claims of belief.
Claim one says, "I know Jesus," but in reality the person lives like the devil. First John 1:6 states, "If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth." A profession of faith that lacks obedience is not genuine faith.
Claim two says, "I know Jesus," and the persons life shows it. First John 1:7 states, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." Walking in the light, means that a persons lifestyle is one of obedient faith. Faithful obedience has fruit: fellowship and forgiveness.
Claim three says, "I have no sin." John states, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). We should not confuse forgiveness with sinlessness. We are completely justified before God, through Christ, but we still sin.
Claim four says, "I have sin, please forgive me." John states, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). This view understands that while we strive toward righteousness, we never fully attain it in this life. It is Christ's sacrifice that makes us pure in God's eyes.
Claim five says, "I have never sinned." John warns, "If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives" (1 John 1:10). Jesus took the penalty for all of our sin, but that doesn't mean it never happened. The sin we have committed, although forgiven through Christ, is still real.
If we aren't careful, we will confuse our standards with God's standards. God demands perfection. The only way to get it is by trusting in Jesus. We are called to trust Christ, and to live to please him. Godliness has great value in this life, and in the one to come. As the author of Hebrews said, "Without holiness no one will see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14).
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Godly Training
"Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather 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" (1 Tim. 4:7-8, ESV).
It turns out that there is a lot of things in this life that are not worthy of our time. Paul tells us that there are categories of knowledge that are not worthy of investigation (irreverent, silly myths). He also instructs that bodily training, while of some merit, has limited value. Bodily training does the body good in this life, making it healthier and thus last longer, but these bodies will turn to dust.
Godliness is the place in which we must spend most of our efforts. "Godliness," Paul states, "is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." I'm not suggesting (neither is Paul) that we should neglect physical exercise. There are spiritual reasons we should eat right and exercise (however, this post is focused on the training in godliness). Daily exercise may prolong one's life, but it only postpones judgment.
Godliness may also prolong one's life, and it prevents judgment. We enter into godliness when we place our faith in Christ. From that first moment of faith, we should begin to build our lives in such a way that we are growing in godliness.
Paul's point here is that people (even ministers) pursue the wrong things. They pursue knowledge for the sake of having knowledge, but they fail to discern whether it is true knowledge or not. They pursue physical fitness, because they are dissatisfied with their size. Yet, most of those same people are rarely disturbed by an atrophied spiritual state.
They look at pride in their life and shrug it off. They struggle with lust, and think "nobody knows." They hate their neighbor without cause, but at least they haven't killed him. They haven't "really" prayed in a long time, but they still rest easy. They are so caught up in the business of life that they don't even realize that their love for Jesus is diminishing day by day.
It should be that way for us Paul says. It is as if Paul said, "Nope. Not you, Timothy. You have to be different." He is saying it to us as well. Nope, not you. You can't let your spiritual life languish. Don't let it die. Your called to be different.
Godliness is the path we are to follow. When we imitate God, by trying to emulate his character, we are walking in godliness. If we focus on moral uprightness, humility, grace, and mercy; then we can say we are living a godly lifestyle. This is the kind of life to which we should devote ourselves.
All training that leads to godliness is worth the effort. It is worth the blood, sweat, and tears it will cost. Godliness comes with a promise for this life and the one to come. Will you reach out and take hold of that promise?
It turns out that there is a lot of things in this life that are not worthy of our time. Paul tells us that there are categories of knowledge that are not worthy of investigation (irreverent, silly myths). He also instructs that bodily training, while of some merit, has limited value. Bodily training does the body good in this life, making it healthier and thus last longer, but these bodies will turn to dust.
Godliness is the place in which we must spend most of our efforts. "Godliness," Paul states, "is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." I'm not suggesting (neither is Paul) that we should neglect physical exercise. There are spiritual reasons we should eat right and exercise (however, this post is focused on the training in godliness). Daily exercise may prolong one's life, but it only postpones judgment.
Godliness may also prolong one's life, and it prevents judgment. We enter into godliness when we place our faith in Christ. From that first moment of faith, we should begin to build our lives in such a way that we are growing in godliness.
Paul's point here is that people (even ministers) pursue the wrong things. They pursue knowledge for the sake of having knowledge, but they fail to discern whether it is true knowledge or not. They pursue physical fitness, because they are dissatisfied with their size. Yet, most of those same people are rarely disturbed by an atrophied spiritual state.
They look at pride in their life and shrug it off. They struggle with lust, and think "nobody knows." They hate their neighbor without cause, but at least they haven't killed him. They haven't "really" prayed in a long time, but they still rest easy. They are so caught up in the business of life that they don't even realize that their love for Jesus is diminishing day by day.
It should be that way for us Paul says. It is as if Paul said, "Nope. Not you, Timothy. You have to be different." He is saying it to us as well. Nope, not you. You can't let your spiritual life languish. Don't let it die. Your called to be different.
Godliness is the path we are to follow. When we imitate God, by trying to emulate his character, we are walking in godliness. If we focus on moral uprightness, humility, grace, and mercy; then we can say we are living a godly lifestyle. This is the kind of life to which we should devote ourselves.
All training that leads to godliness is worth the effort. It is worth the blood, sweat, and tears it will cost. Godliness comes with a promise for this life and the one to come. Will you reach out and take hold of that promise?
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