Add Godliness to Your Faith

In previous posts, we studied how to build a Christian character on the foundation of faith. We learned to add moral excellence, knowledge of God’s word, self-control, and perseverance. These characteristics depend on one another to grow.

To these gifts, we must now add godliness (reverence and devotion toward God). In this context, godliness does not mean being exactly like God. Instead, it means directing our focus and reverence toward Him. If we practice all the traits listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7, we will grow to be like Christ.

How Godliness Strengthens Other Virtues

Directing our focus toward God guides and strengthens every other virtue. Without godliness, the other qualities can fail us:

• Faith must look heavenward to be meaningful (Hebrews 11:6).

• Moral excellence just for show will fail when we face hard choices. But moral excellence rooted in reverence keeps us doing right, even when it costs us.

• Knowledge by itself can make us proud. As Paul wrote:

  “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.”

  True knowledge is a desire to know God’s will and character.

• Self-control is admirable, but God wants us to practice it out of a desire to please Him.

• Perseverance (endurance) gets its strength from godliness. By focusing on God and our heavenly home, we can endure life’s many trials.

How to Develop Godliness

Developing godliness begins by keeping God at the center of our daily lives.

• Start and end your day with prayer, and stay in communication with the Father throughout the day.
• Let His Word guide you by reading a scripture passage and meditating on it.
• Look for daily opportunities to show others that Christ lives in you.

Our speech, attitude, and honesty will either display godliness or betray it.

Every decision we make should please God. Our work, social lives, and private habits should reflect a desire to be like Jesus.

Just as the moon reflects the light of the sun, Christians must reflect the light of God to the world. When Moses spent time with God on Mount Sinai, his face literally glowed with God’s glory. While our faces won’t glow physically, our close relationship with God should still be obvious to everyone. People should look at us and know that we have “been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

Staying Focused on the Goal

A life focused on God will naturally move closer to Him. If we look away, it is easy to get distracted by worldly allurements (temptations). We risk drifting away from our salvation.

When we focus heavenward, our ties to the world grow weaker. This mindset helped the great heroes of faith. They viewed themselves as strangers and pilgrims on earth, looking forward to a heavenly city (Hebrews 11:13-16).

Let us fix our eyes on God and journey toward that heavenly city, following the path His Son has prepared for us.