Before we move on to the good, let’s first get one very big “bad” out of the way… There is a very serious, very crucial reason NOT to pursue godliness in your life—do not, under any circumstances, do NOT attempt godliness as a means to merit God’s saving pleasure. This is a blatantly un-Gospel, un-Christian, un-godly approach to salvation, and it is nothing short of evil. Connecting our eternal salvation with anything we do robs God of His glory, destroys grace, and demeans the cross of Christ. Not only are you bound to fail to be godly enough to earn God’s redemption, seeking godliness this way is wicked, evil, and deadly.
OK. Having said all that, pursuing godliness is a basic Christian responsibility, an offer of thanksgiving to God, and a joy for the believer. The quest for holiness is a good thing, and something incumbent upon every follower. We know this because Scripture tells us so. Just as the Bible warns against trying to earn salvation through godliness, so too does the Bible spur on the pursuit of a holy life. The motive really does matter—motivated by self-righteousness, self-centeredness, and self-justification, godliness is nothing but a sham, something that ruins our faith and dependence on the Lord. But, a rightly motivated pursuit of godliness echoes the biblical imperatives.
· Following
Christ’s example: “Walk in love, as Christ loved us” (Ephesians 5:2).
· Doing
what is right: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right”
(Ephesians 6:1).
· Part of
human duty: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty
of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
· This
world is not our home: “I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from
the passions of the flesh” (1 Peter 2:11).
· To win
over our neighbors: “Keep your conduct among the nations honorable… so that
they may see your good deeds and glorify God” (1 Peter 2:12).
· We were
created for good works: “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
for good works” (Ephesians 2:10).
· Out of
love of the Lord: “If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another”
(1 John 4:11).
· Since God
lives in us: “If we love one another, God abides in us and His love is
perfected in us” (1 John 4:12).
· As part
of our worship: “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, which is your
spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1).
· The folly
of sin: “If you hear my words and do not do them, you are a foolish man who
built his house on the sand” (Matthew 7:26).
· To avoid
the devil’s snares: “Do not sin;… give no opportunity to the devil” (Ephesians
4:27).
· For love
of Christ: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
The pursuit of godliness is a biblical command: There are lots of good reasons for the pursuit—earning God’s salvation is not one of them!
For this week in worship, read 1 Timothy 4:6-16.
1. What “things” are we to “put before the brothers”? (vs. 6). In other words, how does this passage connect to the one before?
2. When you think of a “good servant of Christ,” what do you think of? What marks a “good servant”?
3. In verse 8, Paul gives some reasons for the pursuit of holiness. How would you summarize them?
4. How might you understand the end phrase in verse 10, “especially of those who believe”?
5. Make a list of all the things Timothy is to do in verses 11-16. How might each apply individually to you in your life?
6. What might it mean to “devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture” (vs. 13)?
