“Now godliness with contentment is great gain… But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.”
1 Timothy 6:6, 11

We live in a world where so many people are discontented and unhappy. But what exactly does it mean to be content? What does it mean to be godly?

One Bible dictionary defines godliness as “the quality or practice of conforming to the laws and wishes of God; devoutness and moral uprightness.” It goes on to say, “To be wise is to live in godliness, reflecting the nature of the kingdom of God in the course of everyday life.” This is a helpful definition, but what does it mean in practical terms? What does contentment look like? What does godliness look like?

A working definition of godliness might be this: a lifestyle that consistently reflects the character of God.

The word godliness is found about sixteen times in the New Testament, mostly in the Pastoral Epistles (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus). In 1 Timothy 4:7–8, Paul says: “But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.”

Then, in 2 Timothy 3:5, he speaks of those who have a form of godliness but deny its power. We can have an outward appearance of godliness, doing all the right things externally, while inwardly lacking substance and reality.

A life of true godliness has power connected to it. It is not simply a religious life marked by outward routines, such as attending church or participating in religious activities. Those things are good and important, but they do not possess the power to transform us. It is important not to forsake assembling together with other believers, but that practice in itself does not have the power to make us like Christ.

Let us return to our working definition of godliness and ask an important question: How can I make my lifestyle consistently reflect the character of God?

The answer can only be found in following after God, walking with Him daily, and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us into the image of Christ.

How does this happen? Paul gives us part of the answer in Romans 12:1–2: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Anchor For Today:
Godliness is the outflow of the work of the Holy Spirit within a believer to produce features which reflect Christ.