Study of “Godliness” — 2 Peter 1

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What Is Godliness?

Reverence, respect, piety toward God

Root word: eusebēs

• pious, dutiful, devout
• Root words: Eu + Sebō
• Eu: to be well off, to prosper (Eph 6:3, Acts 15:29), to act well (Mt. 25:21,25:23, Mk 14:7)
• Sebō: to revere, to worship

Some examples in Scripture:

• Acts 10:2 — Cornelius gave generously and prayed continually
• Acts 10:7 — Cornelius’ soldier that was devout and committed to Cornelius
• 2 Peter 2:9 — the Lord rescues people who have this from trials
• 1 Tim 6:3 — Jesus’ teaching accords with godliness and we don’t follow any other teaching
• Titus 1:1 — The elects’ knowledge of the truth accords with godliness
• 1 Tim 3:16 — godliness is a mystery (Matthew Henry: This “godliness” refers to Christianity as a whole, as it is above reason, though not contrary to reason, and not a mystery of philosophy or speculation, but of godliness, and herein exceeding all of the mysteries of the Gentiles. Six things concerning Christ that make up the mystery of godliness: 1) God became man, 2) He died for us, His sacrifice accepted, and He was justified and made alive again by the Spirit, 3) He was “seen” by angels in every part of His life; they worshipped and ministered to Him: the Lord of angels, 4) He was offered to the Gentiles, 5) Many Gentiles accepted the gospel that the Jews [largely] rejected; He was not preached in vain, 6) He was received up in glory and He sits at the right hand of God.) So perhaps an application of this mystery is to humbly accept and adore these things in great faith and awe.
• 2 Peter 3:11 — heaven and earth will be destroyed so we ought to live in holiness and godliness.
• Prov 1:7, Is. 11:2 — fear of the Lord
• 1 Tim 4:7 — opposite of irreverent, silly myths
• 1 Tim 4:8 — it is of value in every way
• 1 Tim 6:6 — it goes with contentment; Surely the knowledge and acceptance of the truth and Jesus’ teachings, along with a right view of God in reverence and fear while trusting His promises and character brings great contentment. Indeed, how can one have godliness without contentment? Or true contentment without godliness?

Summary:

To have GODLINESS is to follow God in reverent fear, worshipping Him well with piety and obedience to His truth and teaching in Jesus, rejecting irreverent and silly myths while humbly accepting and adoring the mystery of the gospel. Acting in accordance with this brings contentment, the Lord’s deliverance in trials, generous giving, continuous prayer, and is of value in every way.

This goes against the notion of, “do whatever you want, you only live once, say ‘yes’ to all things comforting and pleasing to you if you have the opportunity.” Jesus did not do that.

Godliness Relation to the Path:

Why does this word come after so many? Why specifically after STEADFASTNESS? Matthew Henry says GODLINESS is the very thing that is produced by patience (STEADFASTNESS, waiting on God). “When Christians bear afflictions patiently (STEADFASTNESS), they get an experiential knowledge of the lovingkindness of their heavenly Father, which He will not take from His children, even when He visits their iniquity with the rod and their transgression with stripes (Ps. 89:32–33, Ps. 118:17–18, 2 Sam 7:12–16) and hereby they are brought to the childlike fear and reverential love wherein true godliness consists.”

Peter’s argument and dying exhortation is that because the earth is passing away, we ought to live in holiness and honor, in reverent fear of God, adding this list of attributes to our lives, one of which is STEADFASTNESS and being entirely purpose-driven, one of which is SELF CONTROL which aids in that, as an athlete, and VIRTUE and KNOWLEDGE which imply an insatiable hunger for knowing and doing those things of God that greatly please Him, not to mention LOVE which encompasses, I would think, the attitudes of Romans 9:1–3 and Ex 32:32. In effect, with your short time on earth, become like Jesus. Life a life of self-denial and sacrifice, in reverent fear of displeasing God, for that is where true life is found. (Lk 9:23–24, John 12:24, John 10:10, Ps. 16:11)

While all things have both active practical applications and proper heart motivations, we might understand STEADFASTNESS and GODLINESS to be contrasted respectively. Whereas STEADFASTNESS is more of a ‘provedness through trials while patiently trusting in God’s character,” GODLINESS encompasses all of life (not just trials) and is perhaps more heart-oriented. It is ‘reverent worshipful fear which brings forth careful and conservative living, as well as deep contentment in God.’ It comes out of STEADFASTNESS as well as further enabling STEADFASTNESS. So we supply our STEADFASTNESS with it.

This is built on the foundation of FAITH; as we have firm hope in the two eternal outcomes, we walk in both reverent fear and reverent gratitude knowing with certainty the one we deserve and knowing with certainty the one we will gain, longing all the while to live a life worthy of that grand gift. Seeing in advance the One we will gain in the epilogue, wanting to fill our chapters with a life of that trajectory, one that honors Him.

So GODLINESS on the ‘road’ of VIRTUE is the posture of my head, my continual gaze upward toward the Father, whom I take direction from, bow before, and march toward.

It is part of this reverent fear of God that we would stay near to Him. To continue to seek KNOWLEDGE in how to walk. To not wander from His side (see note on Ps. 32:8–9 in SELF CONTROL).

Work & Rest:

• I WORK reverently and humbly to walk in a manner worthy of God (1 Cor 15:9–11)
• I REST in the wonder and awe of the grace of the gospel (Acts 7:54–60 — Stephen only had a mind for God)

Godliness In The Scriptures & In The Life of Jesus

• Consider: Phil 2:12–13, 1 Peter 2, Eph 5:15–21, 6:5–8, Rom 14:12, 2 Cor 5:9–10, Ps. 16:11, Gal 6:14, Lk 9:23–24, 1 Tim 4:7–8, 6:6–8, Gal 1:10, 2 Peter 3:11–12, 1 Peter 1:14–16, 5:6–11, Ps 27:4, 27:8, Ps. 101, Ps. 73:25–26, 2 Cor 4:5, 1 Thess 2:12
• Jesus came to do the Father’s work and to glorify Him (John 17:4)
• 1 Peter 2:22–23 — He entrusted Himself to God; He pressed on through the worst trials with His eyes on the Father, surrendering Himself to the Father’s will (as mentioned also in STEADFASTNESS) (Luke 22:39–46, Heb 5:7–9)
• This is the reverence of, and dependence on, the Father noted in so much of John’s gospel
• He charged them to be in dependence on their journey (Mk 6:8, Mt. 10:10, Lk 9:3)
• Jesus highlights the tax collector’s prayer of reverent fear (Lk 18:13)
• John 13:3–4 — “Knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands” He desired to give it back to Him, to live a life worthy of what He was stewarding. Knowing this weight of stewardship (upon the freedom that comes with the foundation of FAITH) prompted perhaps the second-most humble act He performed, out of a deep abiding reverence and worship of the Father.
• More examples through Mark