Training in Godliness
1 Timothy 4:6-10
* For people who have met Christ, one of the priorities is to become ‘like’ Him. When person begins to live like Christ we have a couple of terms for it which are ‘Christlikeness’ or ‘godliness’. In scripture the term Christian is only use a couple of time and, even though I’m not a linguist, I can never find the term Christlikeness in Holy Scripture, so we must conclude that we are called to godliness which will lead us to Christlikeness. So let’s see what scripture says about this. (READ TEXT)
* It would seem obvious from the text that godliness is not an automatic after you are saved because we are told to ‘train’ for righteousness. Training is a big deal. The method of training used is driven by the desired outcome, that is, what you are training for. For instance, in running there is a vast difference in training for a sprint than for a marathon. To train for football is entirely different than training for basketball or baseball. To train for teaching is different than training for business. Paul tells Timothy (and us) to ‘train’ or ‘prepare’ or ‘exercise.’
* In the original language the word train means to ‘exercise in a simple loin cloth or naked.’ A word study reveals this picture in this way; a runner will have no excessive hindrance to doing his best. No jewelry, clothes, or no foreign objects of any kind that hinders the person from training to do their best. This past week at lunch with a couple of our men I asked the question, “What do you think is godliness?” After hearing their answers, I mentioned this scripture and about training in godliness and raised their eyebrows when I mentioned training really means training naked. One quickly responded that, in spiritual terms, to be able to focus on becoming like God without any of the issues of the world crowding in. We will never ‘train’ to be ‘godly’ IF the ‘things of this world’ are pressing in our minds. Train in godliness.
* If we are to train in godliness, what is it exactly that we are training for? If we become godly, what does that look like? What are the attributes? In order to see & understand this completely we have to been this from a couple of ways;
1. Misconceptions about Godliness
a. Passive – Being gentle, which is a fruit of godliness as is listed several places in scripture, is not the same as ‘passivity.’ Thing about the person in your life, male or female, that you consider being the ‘most godly.’ What is that one quality which we all have been taught and seem to equate to godliness? Is it not passiveness?
* Yet, if we believe that ‘godliness’ is becoming like God, then passivity does not pass the test. Passivity sits idly by and allows sin to develop.
* Consider the most famous human illustration of this which is found in Genesis 3. God had (and still has) given man the leadership role in life and on earth (another message for another time). Please remember that the woman (who later is named Eve) did not hear God’s command about not eating the fruit, only Adam heard that word. He was given the responsibility for bringing his wife up to speed and helping her to obey God’s word. Here’s the problem; when Satan approach Eve in the Garden, Adam was standing there and said NOTHING. (Read Genesis 3:1-7) He was not in another part of paradise; He was standing and listening without defending. At the very moment he needed to be strong, he went passive leaving himself, his wife, children, and the world reeling from his ungodly response. Every time that a man is called on to defend, respond, and even react and he goes passive, bad things happen. Most times the “Law of Unintended Consequences” goes into action. God is not passive, so this can’t be a sign of being like God (called godliness)
b. Tolerant – Without a doubt this is today’s battle cry against those who claim to know Christ, “You’re intolerant.” According to our culture there should be toleration granted toward everyone except those who wear the name ‘Christian.’ Interestingly, this culture tells us that we must be tolerant of homosexuals but tells the homosexuals that no one should be tolerant of us. (this can be applied across the board to many different lifestyles, religions, and beliefs) However, while God loves all people, both the sinners and the saints, HE has never been tolerant of aberrant behavior. HE has never ‘looked the other way’ about anything. A study of any kind will reveal that God is INTOLERANT of sin, disobedience, and other aberrant behavior and attitude.
c. Accepting – Being tolerant and being accepting are at least cousins if not siblings. And they carry with it the same kind of compromise that we find when we say that “Jesus didn’t have to die.” Creeping into the people & pews across America is the ever-growing disease of ‘universalism.’ That is this godless notion that we should, ‘not be too or overly concerned about the state of a soul because, after all, a loving God understands everyone’s heart and everyone’s heart is basically good, so if they are sincere in what they believe they’ll be okay.” This lie is destroying churches, communities, and cultures because it gives a false sense of security to those who will ultimately wind up in hell.
* Additionally, people attempt to stand against any teaching which is contrary to scripture but convenience to society is being ungodly. Now, we can spend a long time developing these misconceptions about godliness because are many more characteristics which we deem godly, when in fact they are godless!
* Now, don’t become legalistic and pharisaical by never granting mercy, grace, and the like; but at the same time there comes a time when God’s people must stand against the forces of darkness, the lies of the evil one, and the deception of the devil. If we don’t become godly in our lives, there will be no godliness left for our children to know.
2. Marks of Godliness – What does it really mean to be Godly. Certainly, it means to be driven by a “Holy, Agape” type of love. This love is not a love the overlooks or is passive or tolerant of sin or even accepting people like they are. In the day of the ‘user-friendly’ church, we spend so much time trying to get people satisfied that we forget our mission is to get people saved. Authentic godliness is showing mercy and grace at times. It is lifting up the fallen in social types of ministries. It is the Cooperative Program, It is taking up an emergency offering when a Tsunami hits Japan, it is being concerned for others. It is all these things and more. However, I offer 3 driving qualities in becoming godly or godlike.
a. Confrontation – God confronts and calls us to confront every kind of evil, of sin, and of wickedness. The godliness of God’s people has been seen in the great missionary endeavors which have covered the earth. This is not a Pharisaical, goody-two-shoes-better-than-you type of approach to sin. Rather, it is a people who have been called from darkness into light attempting to bring light in the dark places. May I offer this – few places are either as dark or have the light of the gospel growing dim any more than the USA. What used to be a lighthouse on the hill is fast becoming a candle under a bushel. Why is this? Because believers, en masse, have stopped confronting the darkness with their lives (I.E. in their workplaces, neighborhoods, recreation). One pastor was talking with a man about his job and made the comment that he (the man) had a great opportunity for the church and Christ at his job. For you see, the man had worked for his company for over 20 years. The church member said thoughtfully, “I don’t even think anyone knows I’m a member of a church.” Another staff member was visiting a non-believer talking with him about Christ and found out that his ‘chairman of deacons’ worked with this non-believer.
* When the lost man found out who was affiliated with this church, he told the staff person, “IF HE’S a member of your church and IF HE’S an example of how you talk about people and treat people, then I want no part of it.” Confrontation of the darkness means life and lips which honor God. It means being so salty with Jesus that it makes those we see hunger and thirst to have some of it. It means that those who have made a conscious decision against Christ are uncomfortable in your presence. You are, in fact, the only Bible which some people read. Does your life, that is all that you are, confront the darkness and bring light or does it confront the light and bring darkness.
b. Compassion – It never ceases to be amazing the number of people who claim to be godly but exhibit little compassion. Every time Jesus saw the multitude He was MOVED, STIRRED, HEART BROKEN with compassion for people. Compassion is the concern for those who are having trouble, the poor, the down and out, the homeless, the sick, the jobless, and THE LOST! Yet real compassion seems to be one of the lost qualities in our affluent society. Matthew 9:36 says, “When Jesus saw the multitude, He was moved with compassion.” Matthew 20:34 says, “Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes.” In Luke 7:13 we read about mother losing her son and “When Jesus saw Her, He had compassion..” In Luke 15, when the son who had gone to a far country and wasted his life and living, the father figure, symbolic of God Himself ‘ran to the boy – filled with compassion.’ In 1 John we read, “If anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need but shuts off his compassion from him – how can the love of God reside in him?” The word compassion is very interesting because it speaks of a yearning which begins deep in your bowels, deep sympathy. Godly compassion, like Jesus displayed, is a deeply felt concern for others.
c. Conversion – Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, every act of sovereign God has been directed at the reconciliation or conversion of man. With the death of the animals by which He made the coverings for Adam & his wife, God began the process of making a way for the redemption of mankind. Everything He does is about bringing man back to Him in full relationship. His plan culminated in Calvary & the empty tomb. Here’s the payoff; to begin your training in righteousness is to respond to the recruitment of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit begins by pointing out your sin, calling you to repentance, and leading you to accept Christ. After you’re saved, the same Holy Spirit leads you to be concerned about the eternal destiny of others. That’s godliness.
