"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence." - 2 Peter 1:3
It is an incredible thing to know that God, through his divine power, has granted us Christians all we need to live a godly life. One problem, however, is that for many Christians, it's unclear what a life of godliness is.
In general, by the way they speak, contemporary disciples of Jesus seem to have a very limited view of godliness. Conversations about godliness and holiness usually center around:
Things we should not do (or avoid);
Our private devotional lives;
Ministries we serve at church;
And those are good things. And I'm all for that. But I believe we need to expand our horizons a little more.
A godly life is the life of those who have been called into the glory and excellence of Jesus Christ. For this reason, our lives, in every single way, should reflect Christ's perfection.
So, we need to start thinking more deeply about how our marriages, sexual lives, raising children, friendships, work, celebrations, entertainment, bodies, appearance, speech, cooking, sleep, intellect, music, and everything else displays the excellence of Christ.
To do that, we need to know Jesus Christ more and better. It's through the knowledge of Him that God's divine power becomes active in our lives, and we take possession of the "all things" that were granted to us.
The Christian life holds unimaginable hope for the future but also incredible expectancy for the present. Unfortunately, many Christians have been hindered from fully maturing in Christ because there are (too many) churches that don't preach Christ and that don't preach the whole counsel of God.
Being part of a healthy church with a strong pulpit is not a matter of "salvation." But it's, for sure, a matter of fully enjoying the salvation you have received.
And one Christian who understands, enjoys and lives His salvation by bearing much fruit brings much more glory to God than a thousand people sitting in a room Sunday after Sunday listening to a "maybe-well-intentioned-moralistic-therapeutic-deistic" talk every Sunday, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
However, a vital way to cultivate true godliness is by being part of a local church that helps you to become the person God created you to be. I'll give you 10 marks for a healthy church so you can truly grow in your faith and fully enjoy and live out the life Jesus died on the cross to give you.
Biblical Preaching: Christ-centered, expository preaching that faithfully proclaims the whole counsel of God.
Sound Doctrine: A commitment to teaching and upholding biblical theology grounded in the gospel.
Gospel Clarity: Clear teaching of the gospel, emphasizing grace, repentance, faith, and the work of Christ.
Worship that Honors God: Worship centred on glorifying God rather than entertaining people.
Meaningful Membership: Members actively participate in the life of the church and are held accountable in their faith.
Discipleship and Growth: A culture of spiritual growth, with believers being taught to obey all that Christ commanded.
Biblical Leadership: Qualified, godly male elders (pastors) leading and serving the church.
Prayer: A vibrant commitment to individual and corporate prayer.
Evangelism and Mission: An active focus on sharing the gospel locally and globally.
Love and Unity: Genuine love among members and a commitment to unity within the body of Christ.
The list is not exhaustive, but it's a good start. This type of church environment is the perfect soil for true believers to mature, be fruitful, and be effective in their faith.
If you are already part of a healthy church, be patient; growth and fruit do not come overnight; continue to persevere in your private devotion to God, and get more and more involved with the life of your local church.
Nino Marques
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