Holy Habits #5: Godliness Series

HOLY HABIT #5  

GODLINESS

Introduction

The moon tonight (July 20, 2025) is at the phase known as Waning Crescent. Only 21.3% of the moon is visible. The last full moon was July 10th. During this phase, over the next five days, the moon will be virtually invisible to the naked eye. The next full moon is Saturday, August 9th. We speak of the moon in terms of brightness, visibility, and recognize it is in an orbit around our planet. It is not really “full” or Waning or Waxing, these are terms we use to describe what we see. In actuality, the moon has no light at all - it has no properties to produce light, it  can only reflect light. The light we see that seems so bright is merely a reflection of the sun. The different varieties of shapes of the moon are due to a shadow being cast by the planet Earth. God created an amazing system in the universe!

“God made two great lights—the larger one to govern the day, and the smaller one to govern the night. He also made the stars.” ~Genesis 1:16

That is a great description of the holy habit we will study today: Godliness. Any light that we shine into this dark world is not our own. It is a reflection of the Son. That is a good working definition of godliness - shining the light of God’s love into a dark world.  Harmon describes godliness as “a Godward orientation of life expressed in thoughts, feelings, attitudes, speech, and actions; it should characterize our lives as believers.”

1 Peter 1:5-7 NIV  “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.”

We have focused on the first four habits: goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance. These all relate to the inner life of a Christian and his relationship to God. The last two, mutual affection and love relate to the way we treat other people. Godliness bridges the gap between them.

John Maxwell wrote, “You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”

What does the daily routine of Godliness look like - how do we develop that in our lives? How can we reflect the light of Christ

1. GO AGAINST THE FLOW

Each of these habits of holiness will lead us against the flow of our culture and community. This one is no different. 1 Peter 4:4 says, “Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you.”

A question to consider: Are you becoming more like Jesus or just better at blending in?

Paul warned Timothy that living the Jesus Life would be difficult in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NLT, when he wrote, "You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!"

Surrender every part of your life—time, decisions, habits, resources—to God's control.

2. OBEY THE GREAT COMMANDS

The greatest commands are to love God and love others. In Matthew 22:37-38 Jesus says, "...'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"

This is the very definition of godliness - to live the life that honors God by living out the love that he offers to all humans. Harmon commented that, the word “Godliness” captures the first and greatest commandment. He goes on to say that "Peter’s point is that God has given absolutely everything necessary for us to know him and to live in a way that honors him."

This kind of love is not a feeling as much as it is a decision to love. Godliness involves the way we treat other people every day in every place. In doing this we live out the mission of Jesus expressed in John 13:35. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Let obedience guide your decisions today, even when it’s inconvenient. Is there something you know God is asking you to do? Take the step.