Wednesday Bible Study: The add-tos, part 6

 

2Pe 1:6 ... and steadfastness with godliness...

Unlike last week, the word is almost universally translated as godliness.  So what is that?  Being like God?  Good luck with that.   No, it's a way of life with several facets, and for simplicity, I'm going to tell you the facets, and you can look them up on your own if you wish.  

The references attached to godliness bring you to these facets:

A peaceful and quiet life (1 Timothy 2:2)

The teaching, learning, and preaching of the Gospel message (1 Tim. 3:16)

The promises of God in your life, both now and in Eternity to come (1 Tim. 4:7-8)

A life in agreement with the words of Jesus (1 Tim. 6:3)

Gaining in life through contentment in every circumstance, without considering physical gain (1 Tim. 6:5-7)

Seeking after that which will keep your faith and build it (1 Tim. 6:11)

The admonishment that you can APPEAR to be godly while NOT being godly (2 Timothy 3:5)

Knowledge of God's truth (Titus 1:1)

It is, like all the rest, a gift granted by Jesus, that you need to work on (2 Peter 1:3)

Waiting for and hastening the day of Jesus (2 Peter 3:11)

It does NOT come from inside us (Acts 3:12)

Now I would like to flesh a couple of these out with the verses so they make sense despite my poor wording:

Gaining in life through contentment in every circumstance, without considering physical gain (1 Tim. 6:5-7)

1Ti 6:6  Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, 

1Ti 6:7  for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 

1Ti 6:8  But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 

The anti-world pattern, happiness without the material junk.

The admonishment that you can APPEAR to be godly while NOT being godly (2 Timothy 3:5)

2Ti 3:2  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 

2Ti 3:3  heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 

2Ti 3:4  treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 

2Ti 3:5  having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 

And finally...

It does NOT come from inside us (Acts 3:12)

Act 3:12  And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 

Now, I know that's a lot, but I found 2 places that really bring it into focus.  The one was from one of the commentators- which one I stupidly forgot to write down, even though I told myself to- who said:

"It embraces the confession of the one Living and True God, and life according to that knowledge."

And in the Old Testament, it gets spelled out in Micah 6:

Mic 6:8  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? 

Reminds me of Jesus saying:

Mat 11:28  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."