The Sixth Part

Okay – we’re getting closer. After we’ve stepped up to patience, Peter tells us what’s next:

And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; (2 Peter 1:6 KJV)

Godliness?  Didn’t we get that covered in the second step, Virtue? Didn’t we get changed, become a new creature and start doing good works? Paul wrote Timothy about godliness being profitable:

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. (1 Timothy 4:8-9 KJV)

But doesn’t tell us what is it, how we are to be. Jude tells us what it is not:

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 1:4 KJV)

As does Paul:

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:1-5 KJV)

Godliness is a higher form of virtue. It is allowing ourselves to be transformed:

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2 KJV)

Virtue can have us doing good works, very good works. Godliness has us seeking God’s will – then following His will.

Now, do you see anywhere in there that we will be happy, have our physical needs covered, be safe from harm? Not when we are striving to become more Christ-like in our steps. Not when we know what He expected:

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (Isaiah 53:3-4 KJV)

He did all of that for me, to change me, to conform me:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:28-29 KJV)

To step through to Godliness – we must get to know God. We must move past good works to become His good work, among many brethren. Let’s look at that tomorrow. Yes – there are two more!