Dear Friends in Christ,
Godliness is more than mere piety and sanctity. It can be limited to that. The word Paul uses here is much broader. Eusebeia is almost a technical term for the entire doctrine and practice of the Christian religion. It is all we are as bearers of our Savior’s name.
Does it pay to be a Christian? Both non-Christians contemplating the Christian faith, as well as believers who hold the Christian faith might well ask this question. Is there any advantage to holding to the mystery and the teaching of godliness?
The gospel of Christ is effective only when applied. Contemplation of the truths of Scripture in connection to Christ is of no value. That would be like contemplating a bar of soap while covered in mud. Godliness in that sense of the Christian faith is something the Holy Spirit has given us to put into practice in our everyday lives as God’s adopted children.
The Holy Spirit compelled the apostle Paul to write aboutThe High Value of the Christian Religion. It has great value for this life and the life to come. Some discredit and discount its worth.
Godliness is of value for such a common thing as business. The business world you function in is not separate from godliness. There is the misconception that to be successful in business you must watch out for yourself at all costs. Those costs may include being hurtful or dishonest to your neighbors. This simply is not the case at all.
Local businesses want seminary students for their workers, for example. Employers appreciate their honesty, dependability, and kindness. I hope that you have had the same experience. Godliness as an employee can help improve a business.Many people appreciate doing business with Christians.
The lack of godliness ruins and hurts many businesses.Many careers are lost and lives ruined because of dishonesty, laziness, and lack of other Christian virtues.
Godliness is of value for our nation. Nations are not Christian only its citizens. When a Christian practices charity and morality, others benefit. Someone asked American statesman Charles Sumner how many times in his political career someone had tried to bribe him. He responded that this had never happened. Knowing Sumner’s Christian character, no one had dared to tempt him.
We cannot make America a theocracy but “righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Proverbs 14:34. We cannot match all laws with the Ten Commandments since there are unbelievers in our nation. We can make laws based on man’s natural knowledge of the law to establish and keep safety and peace and accountability as much as possible.
Godliness is of value in creating and sustaining good home life. Most trouble in families results from parents neglecting their children or over indulging them. Parents’ godliness in word and example sets the tone and direction for family life. Godliness includes both love and discipline.
Every father and mother has the vital need to bring their children up “in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 This does not guarantee godliness in a child in the future but it goes a long way toward establishing it. Sometimes godly parents have ungodly children and ungodly parents have godly children. Those are the exceptions, however, and not the rule.We need to realize what can happen to a family when it leaves God out.
Godliness is of value to marriage, which is intimately linked to family. Much of society wants to blame marriage for problems. I have had people tell me the reason they choose not to marry but live in sexual immorality is that so many marriages end in divorce.
The major cause of divorce is ungodliness. Infidelity, selfishness, cruelty, and other sins cause problems in marriage. Godliness empowers husband and wife to be loving and faithful. God’s Word says, “Therefore, what God has joined together, man is not to separate.” Mark 10:9. It commands that husbands love their wives, and that wives love their husbands. Christ and his love as the living Savior compel love, faithfulness and joy in marriage.
Godliness is of value for pleasure. There only can be true pleasure in doing things that obey God’s will. Other things being equal, when I keep the commandments I find much more pleasure in my relationship with God and with my neighbor. Godliness does not make my life dull, boring and monotonous.
Many believe incorrectly that God does not want me to have a good time. If God would just leave me alone, they think, and then I can have a good time, and find peace and prosperity. If God were to leave me alone, I would wither and die. If I were to leave God, my pleasures and gains would depend on Satan and his lies. Godlessness produces a crop of evils that ruin the body, mind, and soul.Godliness yields an abundant crop of health and happiness. It enhances life’s finest pleasures, and fills my days with genuine joy and satisfaction.
Godliness is of value in adversity.We are underneath God’s everlasting arms as Moses promised Israel and we heard last week. The heavenly Father overrules adversity and causes all things to work together “for the good of those who love him.” Romans 8:28
Godliness is of value in death.May questions about death can creep into our minds even as Christians. When will I die? How will I die? What will happen when I face my Creator? Ungodliness has no answer for those questions other than denial or false bravado.
Godliness is Christian faith in God’s grace that overflows terror. The Christian knows that godliness even in the narrow sense of piety and sanctity is not my ticket into perfect righteousness and bliss. Godliness in the wider sense of eusebeia is the answer because the cornerstone of that godliness is Jesus’ cross and empty tomb. The grace of God creates the certainty of a life after death more blessed and wonderful than anything we experience in this life.
Godliness is the divinely assured promise of blessing in all aspects of our lives. We know this from our many experiences and from the abiding Word of God. Paul tells us something we have experienced. Many discredit and discount the value of the Christian religion.Paul tells us to have nothing to do with them and with the myths they try to exchange for the truth. Amen. <SDG>