The Mystery of Godliness is Great

Mystery of Godliness

Godliness is a mystery for all of us, because it eludes our understanding. Can you imagine the God of Heaven and Earth, the creator of the whole universe walked among us, with same blood and fragile flesh like you and me. Yes it was a surprise entry in the history of the world when Jesus walked on this earth 2000 years before. He was thirsty, he was hungry, he was tired, he was tempted (but never sinned), he suffered, he even cried like you and me when he saw suffering of his beloved friends. Suddenly we have this question WHY he should? That’s what Apostle Paul writes it is a Mystery. It is like a man turning himself to a small ant to save the ants from the coming forest fire which the ants never know.

Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. – 1 Timothy 3:16

Goodness Vs Godliness

Ask anyone around you, everyone wants to be good, Even a worst of sinner, a murderer or an adulterer will say he or she wants to be good. When God created mankind in his own image he gave his glory that is godliness to them. But when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge of Good and evil and sinned against God, they gained the knowledge of what is evil and what is good. They actually lost the ability to lead a Godly life, but still they know how to be good. So only they made a fig tree garment for themselves when they understood they were naked. But God the creator wants his creation to live a Godly life.

This word Godliness is only used in the Bible after Jesus came in to this world, meaning only in the New Testament for 15 times. The Old Testament of the bible never used this word Godliness. It is a Greek word called ‘Eusebeia’ meaning “Having reverence towards God”. Godliness is not Goodness! Godliness is being good out of reverence towards God. Goodness is being good out of respect to society or our neighbors. Goodness depends on the Society; if the society itself is bad your goodness is also bad. But godliness is God’s standard, Gold Standard.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. – Proverbs 14:12

If you live a sin free life when people are around you it is Goodness, it is good for the society. No offense to anybody. But Godliness is living a Holy life even when no man sees you, but you revere, love and respect God so you do not want to sin. God always honored his champions who lived a Godly life. Take example of Joseph and how he was tempted (Genesis 39:7-12), one day nobody was there in his masters house, his wife asked her to sin with him, for which he said “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?“. If he wants to be just good he could have sinned with her, But Joseph said no matter what God is watching over me. Joseph had revered God so he refused to sin, that is Godliness.

Take any religion it talks about being good. But when Jesus came in to this world he set a Godly standard, he raised the bar above to the Godly standard. He did not ask us to be good but Godly. Following 10 commandments is being good in this world, but Jesus God’s only son lived among us and raised the bar by demonstrating his love by walking in godliness.

Jesus Raised the Bar to Godliness

”You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. – Matthew 5:27-28

Jesus was talking about Godliness, because what is in your heart no man can see but God can see it clearly. As children of God we are called to walk in Godliness in New Testament.

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. – 1Timothy 4:8

Surely Goodness, being good will give you rewards here in this earth, But Godliness is valuable for both this life and the eternal life that God has promised for those who revere him and walk in his righteous ways.

What leads to Godliness?

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness – Titus 1:1

Yes the knowledge of the truth leads to godliness, if you know that you are going to stand before the creator the ultimate judge you will walk in godliness not just be good. Jesus used this exact phrase “I tell you the truth” 78 times in the Bible, because he knows the knowledge of the truth will gives us Godliness, which will lead us to eternal life. The religious elites in those time where talking more about external purity than purity in heart, Jesus called them you are like whitewashed tombs. If we go and show our goodness before God after our death, He will show all evil inside us. Goodness is an deception which can cost us eternal life.

John 14:6 – Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

If you are sick of living a life good only before people and you struggle with sins when you are alone. My beloved look in to Jesus who died for your sins and crushed the power of sin. If you want to walk Godly, Just walk in his words.

Moving from Goodness to Godliness

Before accepting Jesus as my personal Savior, it really offended me when somebody said that good people cannot go to heaven. All my young life, I wanted to be good. But cherished in sinning secretly, though I had the fear for God, I did not have fear of God that is Godliness. When this knowledge of truth came in to my life, he transformed me inside out. Accepting and repenting that we are sinners before the Holy God is the first step we can make to move from Goodness to Godliness. He will make you righteous and make you walk a Godly life.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:23

Mystery of Godliness is great; it leads us to Eternal Life…

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,
I accept that all my goodness is like a filthy rag before your righteousness. I repent from my secret sins. I believe that you died for my sins and rose again on the third day. Please forgive my sins Come inside me and give me a Godly life as you have promised from today.

Amen

Note: Please post your comments and your questions, let us have a Godly discussion

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