Godliness
1. According to Acts 3:1, Peter and John were going to the Jewish temple.
2. On the way there they met a “lame man” who had never walked.
3. From the time of his birth this man had been unable to walk; people carried him every single day.
4. This lame man was a beggar; he saw Peter and John and he hoped to get some money from them.
5. The apostles noticed the man and said, “Look on us.”
6. This man did, because he thought they were going to give him some money.
7. Peter said he had something better – he had the ability to make this man “walk” (verse 6).
8. The man not only walked, he was able to leap (verse 8).
9. A lot of people saw the effects of this miracle – verse 9 – READ.
10. Peter finally responded to the comments about this miracle with the words in verse 12 – READ.
THE
APOSTLE PETER USED THE WORD “GODLINESS.”
a) What is “godliness”?
b) Peter spoke about this same quality at a later time in his life, 2 Pet. 1:6.
c) Peter said godliness is part of Christian living; it is a Christian virtue.
2) We will define this word later in the lesson; for now I want to show where this term occurs.
3) 15 times in the Bible we find the word godliness.
4) All these references are limited to Acts 3, the two letters to Timothy, Titus, and the book of 2 Pet.
a) This word is not a rare word, but it is limited to just five books in the New Testament.
b) The next time it occurs is 1 Tim. 2:2.
c) Most of the places in the New Testament that use godliness are found are in the first letter to Timothy.
d) We will read each of these verses and then move on to Second Timothy and Titus.
5) In 1 Tim. 2 Paul began the chapter by discussing prayer.
6) He said prayer needs to be made for “all men” and then began talking about rulers in verse 2.
7) Here is how the second verse reads – READ.
a) God’s will is for His people to live lives with “all godliness.”
b) Whatever this word means, 1 Tim. 2:2 seems to indicate it is pretty important.
c) In the next chapter this term occurs again (1 Tim. 3:16).
d) Paul spoke about the “mystery of godliness.”
e) We will not read this text, but we will read 1 Tim. 4:7 and 1 Tim. 4:8.
f) Both verses have our word.
g) 1 Tim. 4:7 – READ.
h) Paul said there are some things that need to be “refused.”
i) Some information is silly and useless but “godliness” is very valuable.
j) Then in verse 8 the apostle spoke of godliness again – READ.
k) God’s people are to “exercise” themselves unto godliness.
l) A reason for doing this is in the text: “it is profitable unto all things.”
m) Paul also said it helps us now and in the “life to come.”
8) Once again godliness is held up as important, but we are not told what it is.
9) Skipping 1 Tim. 5, we turn now to 1 Tim. 6.
a) Several times in this chapter we read about godliness.
b) We first find the word in 1 Tim. 6:3 – READ.
c) Christians can make some poor choices.
d) They can “teach otherwise” (information that is inconstant with the gospel of Christ).
e) There are “wholesome words” that God’s people may not want to hear/follow.
f) Even the words of Christ may not be accepted by God’s people.
g) Then the apostle spoke about “doctrine that is according to godliness.”
h) This verse tells us that godliness is somehow associated with doctrine (teaching).
10) Godliness is not mentioned in verse 4, but it is found in verses 5 and 6.
a) Verse 5 says, - READ.
b) There are some who do not have godliness.
c) A person with a “corrupt mind” does not have it.
d) When a person is “destitute of the truth” he or she does not have godliness.
e) Godliness appears to be something that will make people stand out; they will be unique among men.
f) Some try to misuse godliness. Verse 5 talks about those who think godliness is a way of making “gain.”
g) Some have tried to use godliness to make money, but this is not what true Christians do.
11) Godliness is associated with something else – verse 6 – READ.
12) True godliness is joined with “contentment.”
13) Godliness is “great gain,” but it is not financial gain.
14) Godliness is something associated with basic Christian qualities – 1 Tim. 6:11 – READ.
a) Our word is found once in Second Timothy and once in Titus.
b) The reference in 2 Second Timothy is 2 Tim. 3:5.
c) Paul said, “having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.”
d) Just because someone seems to have godliness does not mean they really possess this quality.
e) Moreover, this passage says godliness is associated with “power.”
15) The one time godliness occurs in Titus is Tit. 1:1.
a) There Titus is told godliness goes hand in hand with truth.
b) All these passages seem to indicate that godliness is to be a basic part of the Christian life.
c) It is just as natural to a Christian as eating, drinking, and sleeping.
d) Peter spoke about “life and godliness” in 2 Pet. 1:3.
e) We have already referenced what this apostle said in 2 Pet. 1:6.
f) In 2 Pet. 1:7 we find an additional point: brotherly kindness follows godliness.
16) The final place in the New Testament where this word occurs is 2 Pet. 3:11.
17) Peter said lives are to be “godly.”
WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL THESE PASSAGES WE FIND THAT GODLINESS IS A NECESSARY QUALITY IN THE LIVES OF GOD’S PEOPLE.
a) We are, therefore, ready to ask and answer what this quality is.
b) A basic summary is this: a right attitude towards God and right conduct towards Him.
2) Our world likes to say a lot about attitude.
3) People are quick to say someone has a “bad attitude.”
4) The world is also often quick to point out what is considers bad conduct.
a)
A
lead news story over the past week involved a radio talk show host known for
sarcasm and harsh language.
b) This radio host lost his job because the world said he engaged in bad conduct.
c) As the world runs around and talks about bad attitudes and conduct it forgets something.
5) It forgets God. Where is the concern about having a right attitude towards God?
6) Where is the emphasis on right conduct when it comes to God and His word?
7) Of all the condemnation made about the radio talk show host, no one said that type of speech offends God.
8) In the spiritual realm the world says it does not matter; we may do whatever we feel is right.
9) This is why Paul spoke of a “form of godliness” in 2 Tim. 3:5.
10) Someone or something may look religious, but that is not really true.
a) A person may seem to have a right attitude towards God.
b) It might look like a person’s conduct is right toward him.
c) What is seen is completely wrong for one of two reasons.
11) First, such a person may not even believe in God.
12) A man may be honest, respectful and moral but be an atheist.
13) Godly qualities in a person’s life do not mean a man is godly.
14) On the flip side of this point we can find people who profess godliness but their life is fake.
15) Perhaps no better example of this can be found than what Jesus described in Mt. 23.
16) Jesus spoke of people who did works to be “seen of men” (verse 5).
17) He said their clothing was designed to make a show of how religious they were (same verse).
18) These men liked religious titles such as “rabbi” (verse 7).
19) Then in verse 14 Jesus said they offered “long prayers” and these were a “pretence”
20) Jesus said these Jews did not have godliness; they were pretenders.
a) God wants godliness in His people, and He wants the qualities to be real.
b) Earlier we noticed how godliness is used in 1 Tim. 4:7-8.
c) Paul said there is a need for “exercising oneself unto godliness.”
d) We need to work on having a right attitude when it comes to God.
e) There is a need to make sure our conduct is right in God’s sight.
f) Then in 1 Tim. 4:8 Paul said “godliness is profitable for all things.”
21) If we have the right and attitude and conduct, we will be a Christian as the Bible describes.
22) We will be the type of child God says, “This is certainly one of my children.”
23) Godliness will help us in this life and it has eternal value as well.
24) Paul said some look at godliness as a way to make gain (1 Tim. 6:5).
a) A person may think displaying a good attitude about God will make them popular.
b) Good conduct may be the way to generate wealth.
c) For others, they may see religion as a way to maintain good health.
d) Religion has been used to better one’s social standing.
e) I have seen people use it as a “get out of jail card.”
f) Paul said these things are not godliness; they are the thinking of “corrupt minds.”
25) Right conduct towards God and a right attitude are important for just one reason: to make us Godly.
26) When we have godliness we will be centered on God, not self.
27) Jesus was once asked what was the “greatest commandment of the law” (Mt. 22:36).
28) What did He say? Love God will all one’s heart, soul and mind (Mt. 22:37).
29) This is godliness; we have a right attitude towards God and our conduct is according to His word.
30) Godliness means an undivided and an undying dedication to Jesus Christ and His church.
31) One source has defined godliness as “what man owes God.”
32) It has also been defined as “the heart of the faith” (i.e. the core of Christianity).
a) Think carefully about these definitions.
b) God exists and every accountable person owes Him something.
c) Man has a debt to God, and that debt needs to be paid.
d) We can either choose to honor our obligations now, or accept some very bad consequences later.
e) Godliness is the heart of the Christian faith.
f) Right attitudes and actions are central to being a Christian.
33) Are our actions and attitudes right?