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Things That Pertain Unto Life and Godliness

Literature, , ,
Based on 2 Peter 1:1-7

by David E. Moss

The two English words “godly” and “godliness” each include the term “god” indicating that these words describe spiritual qualities which relate to the person of God. But each of these English words come from different Greek words in the Bible giving a little different meaning to each one. The term “godly” comes from a Greek word which also includes the term “god” suggesting that a godly person is one who resembles God in his character or conduct. It is a vertical concept in which there is a direct relationship exhibited between what God is like and what the godly person is like. The term “godliness” on the other hand comes from a Greek word that does not include the term “god”. It suggests more of a horizontal concept in which a person puts on display his respect and affection for God by means of a strict adherence to those things which please Him. Whereas a godly person is one who strives to be like God, godliness is an expression of reverence, respect, and piety towards God which other people can observe. Thus to be godly is to be and do those things which directly resemble God Himself; and to exhibit godliness is to demonstrate to others one’s attitude of reverence and respect for God.

Peter addresses this matter of godliness in the first chapter of his second letter when he refers to the things that pertain unto life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). He was writing to those who had obtained like precious faith through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ (vs.1). He says that these believers have been given exceeding great and precious promises by which they have become partakers of the divine nature (vs. 4). The lesson from this is that all believers enter into a covenant relationship with God the Father in which He provides each one with the capacity to live a godly life in accordance with His moral nature (Titus 2:12; Hebrews 12:10).

It is apparent from Peter’s discussion, though, that godliness is not automatically expressed in a believer’s life, but must be developed through a process of exercises. In verses 5 through 7 he says,

And beside this, giving all diligence,
add to your faith virtue;
and to virtue knowledge;
And to knowledge temperance;
and to temperance patience;
and to patience godliness;
And to godliness brotherly kindness;
and to brotherly kindness charity.

Start with faith, he says, and progressively add a series of character qualities, each one upon the other. By using the word “add” and implying it throughout the list, the Bible describes a progression of character building which is necessary in order to experience the full value of the divine nature of which we have become partakers. When a person is born again, God does not inject godliness into his inner man. Rather, He gives him the things that pertain unto life and godliness. It is then incumbent upon the believer to use these ingredients to construct godliness in his life. It is as though someone has given him all the ingredients needed for baking a cake, but he must bake the cake himself.

This is why a lot of Christians are not godly and do not express godliness in their daily lives. They have obtained faith and truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are saved and thus in possession of the things that pertain unto life and godliness. But they have not put forth the effort to add these things to their faith in their proper order so that godliness can actually become their testimony in this world.

If God says that we are to add things to our faith and then gives us the formula by which this is to be done, we ought to commit ourselves to the process. What happens when you bake a cake and leave out some of the ingredients? It isn’t very tasty is it? God has given us a recipe for living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, and it behooves us to follow it fully and not leave out any of the ingredients He has prescribed.

Beginning With Faith

Faith is the starting point. It is the connecting link between a man and God. Without it, it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). But when the hearing of the Gospel is mixed with faith, a person is connected eternally to God (Hebrews 4:2-3; Romans 9:30-32; Romans 5:1).

Faith continues then in the Christian’s life to direct him to activity that is pleasing to God. The just, God says, shall live by faith (Romans 1:17). That is, those who have already been justified by faith and stand just before God, shall live their daily Christian lives on the principle of faith. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). But for a Christian, sin is not to be the rule of his life because faith, which is the opposite of sin, is to be the dominating principle by which he lives: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20). Faith thus becomes a commitment to be loyal to God, to believe Him without reservation, and to trust Him implicitly in everything.

Faith, however, is not the only ingredient necessary for spiritual maturity. It is possible for a Christian to have all faith so that he can remove mountains, but without charity he is nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2). Notice that the list of things that pertain unto life and godliness begins with faith and ends with charity. Faith works by love, or charity (Galatians 5:6), but in order to get to charity, a believer must work through the progression of all the ingredients listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7.

Adding Virtue To Your Faith

Virtue is quality control. It is that which attaches adjectives of excellence in defining the quality of our Christian testimony. For example, I am thinking of a chair. Can you see in your mind’s eye the same chair that I have pictured in mine? You cannot unless I give you some descriptive adjectives. If I say I am thinking of a blue, stuffed, swivel rocking chair, you have a little better idea of what I am thinking about. If I add adjectives like soft and comfortable you begin to understand the real quality of the chair I have in mind. God persistently uses adjectives to describe the quality of things in the Bible. He does not just tell us about a crown, or a church, or a heart. He gives us an incorruptible crown (1 Corinthians 9:25); He transforms us into a glorious church (Ephesians 5:27); He wants us to have a pure heart (1 Timothy 1:5). Similarly He describes,

  • a more excellent way (1 Corinthians 12:31)
  • sufficient grace (2 Corinthians 12:9)
  • good works (Ephesians 2:10)
  • a perfect man (Ephesians 4:13)
  • true holiness (Ephesians 4:24)
  • sound words (2 Timothy 1:13)
  • and effectual fervent prayer (James 5:16)

There are many adjectives that might be used to describe the character of our lives. God wants the adjectives of excellence to be the ones by which we are known.

God puts virtue immediately after faith so that a commitment to excellence will guarantee quality control in the all the activities of our lives. If we possess a pure heart, clean hands, a renewed mind, and a good conscience, we predetermine the kind of choices we will make in our day to day experiences. It guarantees quality control in the subsequent steps we take toward maturity in Christ.

Adding Knowledge To Your Virtue

In a famous book of jests published in the 1500’s and attributed to John Scogan, Edward the IV’s fool, there is a story of a sly fellow who sought to establish himself as a natural idiot. He accomplished his objective when he stood under an open down spout during a rainstorm, giving birth to the modern day cliche, “He did not know enough to come in out of the rain.”

The lack of knowledge, however, does not prevent some people from being very assertive in conversation. There are those who dote about questions and strifes of words even though they know nothing and are destitute of the truth (1 Timothy 6:4-5). There are those who desire to be teachers of the law, yet understand neither what they say nor what they affirm to be true (1 Timothy 1:6-7). Ignorance is a dangerous thing against which believers are warned repeatedly (Romans 11:25; 1 Corinthians 12:1; etc.).

But it is not just a matter of learning that is important. Christians must make choices as they accumulate knowledge. It is possible to be ever learning, yet never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 3:7). And there are imaginations that exalt themselves above the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:5). Jesus said if we know the truth, the truth will set us free (John 8:32).

Therefore, it is necessary for us to be able to distinguish between knowledge that keeps us from the truth and knowledge that is truth. With a commitment to virtue, or quality control, a believer can govern the selection of things he learns and knows. As he comes to know the truth, he accumulates a resource of divine information that will build a godly restraint against the world, the flesh, and the devil, and that will construct a foundation for righteous conduct in human society.

Adding Temperance To Your Knowledge

Temperance is the strength to contain the desires of the flesh and prevent them from being the dominant influence in how we live. It is a product of the direct work of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23). It is not something we can ever achieve within ourselves. As a fruit of the Spirit, temperance is accomplished by Him as we yield to His filling and control of our lives. As such, temperance is the Spiritual discipline necessary for living a godly life.

Knowledge comes before temperance, because knowledge is foundational to spiritual discipline. Thy word, the Psalmist said, have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee (Psalm 119:11). As the believer stores the Word of God in his heart, the Holy Spirit uses this knowledge to produce the restraint that is necessary to avoid irresponsible behavior. This gives him the freedom to become a doer of the Word and not a hearer only.

Yieldedness to the Holy Spirit becomes then a very important step toward godliness. This is why we are admonished to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) and to yield the members of our body as instruments of righteousness unto God (Romans 6:13). Only by yielding to the Holy Spirit can we achieve the temperance spiritual maturity requires.

Adding Patience To Your Temperance

Patience is the willingness to stay in one place under any circumstances. You might say there is a fine line between stubbornness and patience. For example, we might describe those who live on the coast in Florida and the Carolinas and who refuse to leave their homes during a hurricane as stubborn. But it is that tenacity that is required in patience – the ability to stay put no matter how long it takes or how difficult it becomes until the storm finally passes.

Patience is a pivotal character trait in the life of a believer. It determines whether he will turn back and be a mediocre Christian with a fairly infantile level of spirituality or if he will press on toward the mark for the prize of the calling of God in Christ Jesus.

True hope results from combining the truth of the Bible with the character of patience (Romans 15:4). Temperance is sandwiched in between knowledge and patience by Peter because it is the glue that puts these two things together. Without Spiritual discipline, patience is not possible. But when a Christian knows the truth and is disciplined through yieldedness to the Holy Spirit, patience becomes a very possible exercise in his life.

Patience is necessary in reaching the goals for which we have hope. We cannot simply run the race and be successful, we must run the race with patience (Hebrews 12:1). Patience is of primary importance to the development of spiritual maturity and is thus the unique objective of the testing of our faith in the midst of trials (James 1:3). It is when we taste success in our Christian experience by the implementation of faith, virtue, knowledge and temperance that the trials come to test the genuineness of our commitment. Patience, which is the commitment to be faithful no matter what, reveals the difference between those who are serious about godliness and those who are not.

Adding Godliness to Your Patience

Up to this point, the character qualities in this list have been internal. Faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance and patience are all developed within the believer’s heart and mind. Now the list turns outward and the remaining three character qualities express the external results of this internal construction of the life.

2 Peter asks in chapter three verse eleven, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness? The manner of a person is the definition of what he has become on the inside. Biblical conversation is a non-verbal communication which reveals to those around us the manner of a person we are. Godliness is a public display of reverence and respect for God by a strict adherence to the things which please Him.

Godliness demonstrates to others what we think of God. It shows that we are in awe of Him, being totally overwhelmed with who He is and of what He is capable. It shows that we believe everything He tells us about Himself, that He is Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Holy, Righteous, and Eternal. It shows that we have turned our hearts completely over to Him and that we have an undaunted faith in His promises. It shows that we have a fearful respect for His commandments and are determined to obey Him with every ounce of effort we can muster. It shows that we would not think of being disloyal to Him, but are determined to live absolutely according to all those things which please Him and Him alone.

Too many Christians today live as undisciplined adolescents who ungratefully insist upon being given more and more from their divine parent, throwing at him the unthankful demand: “If you love me, you will let me do and have what I want.” Godliness, by contrast proclaims to the world, “I am so grateful to God for what He has done for me, it is the objective of my life to do only what He wants me to do.”

Adding Brotherly Kindness To Your Godliness

The term brotherly kindness is translated from the Greek word philadelphia. Philadelphia implies a non-romantic, but close and intimate relationship between two people. Proverbs 18:24 says that there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. It is in this sense that brotherly kindness consists of a filial attachment experienced by two people who are not necessarily blood relatives.

Brotherly kindness is actually a divine concept. It is something which believers learn directly from God. He instructs us that we are to express brotherly kindness as an extension of agape love particularly in our relationships with other members of the body of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:9). It is something that is to be expressed toward all the brethren and something that should be increasing constantly (1 Thessalonians 4:10).

Brotherly kindness is a positive and genuine personal involvement with other believers, expressed with respect and humility. We learn this from the context in which it is found in Romans 12:9-10. Here we are told to let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another. There is to be no pretending, no unethical behavior between believers. Instead, there is to be a concerted effort to defer, with humility, to the welfare and promotion of others above and before self.

Adding Charity To Your Brotherly Kindness

Charity is the pinnacle of spiritual maturity. Among faith, hope and charity, charity is the greatest (1 Corinthians 13:13). It is the supreme quality of God that moved Him to send His Son and provide salvation for mankind (Romans 5:8). It is the identifying quality of those who belong to Jesus Christ (John 13:35).

We tend to define our human love in terms of the emotions we experience when we become infatuated with someone. But the agape love of the Bible is not a feeling; it is a choice – something we decide to do, as opposed to something we can’t help feeling.

Charity is a commitment to give oneself for others. God loved the world and gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16). Jesus Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:2). So husbands are to love their wives and give themselves sacrificially for their welfare (Ephesians 5:25); and Christians in general ought to be laying down their lives for one another as an expression of divine love (1 John 3:16).

Charity is the ultimate behavior that reflects the nature of God and is thus the substance of a godly life.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. – 1 John 4:7-11

While romantic love consists of the discovery of one person to whom we choose to commit ourselves for a lifetime, Christian charity involves a commitment to consider all people to have value and to be worthy of my devotion and sacrifice on their behalf. Charity is the sacrifice of self to the cause of Christ, to the ministry of reconciliation, to the demonstration of the nature of God so that others might know what He is really like by way of our testimony.

Conclusion

In Summary:

  • Faith is a commitment to be loyal to God.
  • Virtue is a commitment to quality control.
  • Knowledge is a commitment to learn the truth.
  • Temperance is a commitment to a disciplined life based on yieldedness to the Holy Spirit.
  • Patience is a commitment to stick to this disciplined life regardless of what happens.
  • Godliness is the manner of person I become because of the preceding commitment. It is a manner of life by which I demonstrate what I really think about God.
  • Brotherly Kindness is a bonding with others who are walking the same path.
  • Charity is the sacrifice of self to the cause of Christ.

These are the necessary ingredients for fruitfulness in the Christian life. 2 Peter 1:8 says, For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Without them, we will never achieve what God desires for us. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannnot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins (verse 9).

So God has given a process by which we can build these things into the structure of our lives. There is a prescribed order in which it is to be done. And I believe it is a process that needs to be repeated over and over again. Our faith can always be stronger (Luke 17:5). There are always more virtuous adjectives that can be added to our lives. There is an inexhaustible amount of knowledge to be gleaned from the Word of God. Spiritual discipline requires constant exercise. And who ever has enough patience? Godliness should continually increase in our lives; and there is no limit to our capacity for brotherly kindness and charity if we are building on our faith as God directs us to do.

In 1 Corinthians 3:10, Paul said, According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. What sound advice. We ought to be building on the foundation of our faith. But how we build is very important. God has given us a blueprint for doing so in 2 Peter 1:5-7. Seems like a good plan to follow.

Discipleship: The Work of The Ministry

Literature, , ,

by David E. Moss

Some churches enjoy emphasizing Salvation. They are zealously evangelistic, and practically every sermon preached from the pulpit is a salvation message with an invitation to walk down the aisle.

Other churches enjoy emphasizing the Christian life. They offer a lot of Bible teaching on every conceivable aspect of living victoriously as a Christian. Their services often close with an opportunity for the believers to raise their hands in response to the particular commitment suggested by the sermon; or they have no invitation at all.

Sometimes, these two different types of churches try to justify their own approach as opposed to the other. I would like to suggest that a combination of the two is required to make a church truly effective. The Gospel is how people come into the church, but Christians must grow and mature.

This whole process of spiritual birth and growth to maturity was what Jesus Christ envisioned when He gave the Great Commission to His disciples. In Matthew 28:19 and 20, Christ did not just say evangelize. He said, teach, baptize, and teach to observe. Three steps
are listed:

  1. Step 1: Teach the truth to unsaved people. Do not simply preach at them. Do not expect people to grasp the immensity of the Gospel in five brief minutes. Faith comes from an understanding of the truth (Romans 10:17). So be diligent in exposing unsaved people to as much truth as possible and give faith the opportunity to sprout and take root (Matthew 13:3-8).
  2. Step 2: Confirm the faith of those who say they believe. Baptism is a public testimony that a person belongs to Christ. Guiding a person to this point adds convincing evidence that his profession is genuine.
  3. Step 3: Disciple new believers and bring them to maturity. Christ called twelve men to himself with the intent of preparing them to carry on the work after He returned to Heaven. They were to secure additional disciples to whom they could transfer everything Jesus had given them.

Each of these three steps is important to the church: evangelism, confirmation, and discipleship. None can be elevated in importance over the other.

The Problem

The real problem in the church today is not that local churches are emphasizing any one of these things over the other. The problem is that none of them are being practiced efficiently or sufficiently in most churches. Those who enjoy emphasizing evangelism often confine it to the four walls of their church sanctuary where few unsaved people are ever present. Those who enjoy emphasizing the Christian life spend tremendous energy on frivolous issues that do very little to build substance in the heart. Confirmation (as a process of initial discipleship from the moment of new birth to the testimony of baptism) is grossly neglected, leaving infant Christians in a undernourished condition for a very long time.

The Church is just having a big party. It is having a lot of fun and not getting much accomplished. In the midst of all the balloons and confetti and frivolity, the real Church is falling into disrepair.

The Solution

How should we behave ourselves in the house of God, which is the church (I Timothy 3:15)? There are a lot of answers to this question being proffered today just as there were in the first century church. God set this matter in order through His Word in the Letters to Timothy and Titus. He clearly declares the priority of an experiential knowledge of the Word and doctrine and the supreme importance of preparing each generation in the Church to produce and equip the next generation (II Timothy 2:2).

The Apostle Paul recognized that the Gospel had been committed to his trust (I Timothy 1:11). Christ counted him to be faithful, put him into the ministry (I Timothy 1:12), and ordained him a preacher, and apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles (I Timothy 2:7). But when Paul finished his personal course in the ministry, the ministry itself would not be finished. He had to prepare younger men to continue so that no momentum would be lost.

The Letters to Timothy and Titus are filled with instruction to these young men, equipping them to carry on the work. He also explains to these men the importance of adequate preparation of successors. Some, he says, desire to be teachers, but they do not understand what they are saying (I Timothy 1:7). Others desire to be leaders in the church, but they are novices (I Timothy 3:6).

The point is that anyone who desires to be skillful in anything must prepare according to the rules (II Timothy 3:5) and understand the product experientially (II Timothy 3:6) before they can function properly. In this regard, Paul’s charge to Timothy was to meditate on the things God gave him and give himself wholly to them (II Timothy 4:15). He must take heed to and continue in doctrine (I Timothy 4:16). He must give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. [“Till he come to visit” (I Timothy 4:13) shows the value of accountability in training.] He was to hold fast the form of sound words (II Timothy 1:13) and study to show himself approved… rightly dividing the word of truth (II Timothy 2:15).

As a result of these disciplines, Timothy would be able to be an example of the believers in word, conversation, charity, spirit, faith, and purity (I Timothy 4:12). Titus would be able to show himself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity and sound speech that could not be condemned (Titus 2:7). Thus established and prepared, thoroughly furnished for the work of the ministry (II Timothy 2:21, 3:16) they would be equipped to instruct people how to behave in the church of God (I Timothy 1:3; 4:6,11; 5:7; 6:2,17; II Timothy 2:14; 4:2; Titus 1:5; 2:1,9; 3:1,8). But, they must not neglect preparing others to continue the work after them (II Timothy 2:2).

The perpetuation of the church is dependent upon the effective training of people who can carry on the work of the ministry in the next generation. Mere attendance to the basic services of the church is not sufficient. It is incumbent upon the church to continually fulfill the mandate of discipleship.

The Three Steps

  1. Step 1: Discipleship begins with bringing people to Christ. There is a vast group of detached people wandering aimlessly in the world. They need to be informed of the truth because without the truth they remain without hope. It is crucial that members of the church be distributing the truth to the meandering crowd of the world without trickery or manipulative devices. It is not a method that brings people to freedom in Christ, it is the truth and the truth alone.

  2. Step 2: There is another very large group to which the church must minister — the multitude. This group includes all who have any association with the local church. They may be saved or unsaved. They may be regular attenders to all services, regular attenders to certain services, occasional attenders, or simply people who consider a particular local church to be “their church.” This group will include the following:

    1. The Complacent. These are people who desire an association with a local church but do not demonstrate any substantive faith. They also seem content to let things continue as they are. The Complacent need to have their curiosity aroused. This might be accomplished through stimulating teaching from the pulpit, personal exhortation, or Good Samaritan activities in which their personal human needs are met.
    2. The Curious. These are people who ask questions. They realize there is a spiritual deficiency in their lives and they are curious about the solutions being offered through Jesus Christ and the Church. The Curious need to be encouraged to respond to Christ with faith and obedience.
    3. The Responsive. These are people who are ready to make a commitment of obedience to Christ and enter into the smaller group of genuine disciples. The church must provide the Responsive with opportunities to be trained both in knowledge of doctrine and in specific ministry skills.
  3. Step 3: The group that is truly serious about growth and maturity is a small group. It follows the same pattern as in Christ’s own ministry on earth. He trained a small group of men to repeat in others what he invested in them. The church must provide similar training for its responsive members. It must indoctrinate them above all things in the Word of God which is so essential to effective ministry. But it should also provide these disciples with opportunities to learn through active participation in the ministry.

A Sad Commentary

In the early part of this century, there was a great movement that gave rise to Bible Colleges all over the country. These institutions served the church in a great way by providing professional training to those who would be the disciples of Christ. Yet I think we find in this a paradox. While the Bible Colleges nobly served the church, it also numbed a multitude of local churches to their personal obligations. Local churches became too busy and too much in debt to be able to disciple its own. It became comfortable in letting the Bible Colleges do it for them. And now the local church has no idea that it has any responsibility in preparing for the next generation. It is convinced that there is an unlimited supply of Pastors and Missionaries coming from some place else. When it is necessary to dispose of the ones we have, we will go to the bank and get some more.

What Will We Do?

We can either conform to the trends of the day, or do something radical like fulfill our Biblical mandate. We can all be content to be members of the multitude — in varying levels of attachment to the church – or some of us can answer the call to discipleship and get serious about preparing the next generation. We can hope our church still exists when we are all gone or we can get busy preparing someone to take our place. Or, we can count on the Rapture taking place soon and do nothing.

If you have read this article and respond with interest in being a disciple or in discipling someone else, I want to talk to you. This article is not intended simply to stimulate your thinking. I hope it motivates us to action.